Navy vs. USF 2025 Recap: Midshipmen Run Away From Bulls, 41-38

ANNAPOLIS, MD — In Navy’s last home game of the season, the Midshipmen had their hands full with the USF Bulls in Week 12. In a power matchup within the conference, both programs showcased why this was such a heavily-anticipated contest. An early lead by Navy was unexpected, but that’s college football and any given Saturday. In the end, Navy managed to pull away with a 41-38 victory. In a game where USF needed to win, they now no longer control their own destiny within the conference, or the College Football Playoff. With that in mind, let’s dive into this Navy vs. USF 2025 college football recap.

Navy Midshipmen vs. USF Bulls: 2025 College Football Recap

The contest between Navy and USF was the matchup between titans in the American Conference. Both teams have dominated their opponents for the most part, and entered this contest with just one loss within the conference. It was anyone’s game, and it played out that way, too.

Navy Runs Away

Many expected the USF to get off to a quick start in this contest. Instead, it was Navy who got out to an early lead. And, the offense was humming to start the game.

Navy’s first drive was an 88-yard possession that was capped off with a 76-yard touchdown run by Alex Tecza. The floodgates opened, and the Midshipmen’s running back took advantage and did not look back.

76-YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR NAVY ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/buyfH3i8LF

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) November 15, 2025

Yet, Navy wasn’t finished there.

While their second possession fell short due to a fumbled snap, Navy picked up where they left off on their third possession. After a quick rush by Blake Horvath, Eli Heidenreich made a one-handed catch with a defender draped all over him. Not only did he make the catch, though, but he rumbled for 40+ yards after the catch, too. He was finally dropped at the 4-yard line before Brandon Chatman punched it in to give Navy a 14-3 lead entering the second quarter. The reception put Heidenreich atop Navy’s all-time yardage category, a well-deserved honor for the senior in his final regular season home game.

HEIDENREICH WITH ONE-HAND?!?! 🤯

📺| @ESPNCFB #BuiltToRise x @NavyFB pic.twitter.com/Qs6E1HFgGB

— The American (@American_Conf) November 15, 2025

After a quick three-and-out to start the second quarter, Navy continued their dominant offensive play.

Following a bad punt by USF, Navy took over on South Florida’s 44-yard line. After a great run by Horvath and Heidenreich, the drive was given an exclamation point when the quarterback connected with Tecza for a 14-yard touchdown. The receiving score was just Tecza’s third of his career.

Bulls Face Adversity Early

Not to be outdone, the second quarter saw the high-octane offense of South Florida finally emerge. After a great catch and run by JeyQuan Smith, quarterback Byrum Brown hit Keshaun Singleton for a touchdown. USF had the defender with his back to the ball, and it ended up being an easy pitch and catch for the Bulls. Yet somewhat surprisingly, the Bulls went for two points to try and make it a three-point contest. Unfortunately, the attempt failed – and was an omen on how the rest of the first half would play out.

A bad punt gave Navy a short field, that let them punch in their third touchdown in the game. The next possession saw Brown throw an interception that only helped widen the gap between the two teams in this contest. Their final possession was no better, as the Bulls failed on a fourth-down conversion near the Navy’s 30-yard line.

It’s the double-edged sword of USF’s offense. Their fast-paced offense can create blowout opportunities – for either team. And early, it helped Navy pull away with a lead.

Second Half Burst

After a disappointing first half, USF fired on all cylinders to open the second half.

On defense, the Bulls forced a quick three-and-out for the Navy offense. They followed that with an incredible offensive explosion. Their first possession was a four-play, 68-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run by Byrum Brown. It was the exact type of response that the Bulls needed. Their playoff hopes were on the line in this contest, and head coach Alex Golesh had his player prepared to start the second half.

After their score, Navy started making a push yet again. A fourth-down conversion by Blake Horvath got the Midshipmen on the other side of the 50-yard line. However, Horvath would get injured on the play, ultimately leading to the drive stalling out. Yet, USF was unable to convert, a theme that was consistent for most of this matchup for South Florida.

On the other end, Horvath came back into the contest following that drive, and instantly led the team to a field goal conversion. That gave the Midshipmen a 27-16 lead just as the fourth quarter was beginning. The presence of Horvath was the difference for Navy, and the game itself.

No Horvath, No Problem

After multiple bouts of cramping, Horvath was briefly relieved by quarterback Braxton Woodson. And, the junior didn’t disappoint.

Woodson led the Midshipmen to two scoring drives in his brief time under center. The first was a keeper on an option play that USF didn’t see coming. However, his second score was a masterful 64-yard touchdown to keep the Bulls at bay (no pun intended).

There was concern that without Horvath, Navy would choke the lead away. Yet that wasn’t the case, and Woodson showcased the program could be in good hands next year, too.

Navy vs. USF 2025 Recap: Other Notes

Gap Control

The main difference, to me, in this contest was the gap control from Navy. On defense, they were fundamentally sound, effectively halting the Bulls’ rushing attack. Meanwhile, the offense was humming most of the game. They were getting great push on the ground, and forcing South Florida defenders out of their gap assignments.

Fourth Down Conversions

Another difference in this game came down to fourth-down conversions. The USF Bulls were 0-1 on the down entering the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Navy completed 1-of-1, which doesn’t include a defensive penalty on USF that reset the chains for the home team. While few, these conversions (or lack thereof) were massive momentum swings throughout the game.

Both teams struggled on third down, with USF converting 3-of-9 and Navy at 4-of-11 entering the final frame.

Coverage Ability

Going into this contest, there were serious questions as to whether or not Navy would be able to stop the USF offense. Specifically, whether they could halt the passing attack of the Bulls. Not only did they show great coverage ability, but Navy forced South Florida to play their game.

The Bulls tried to rely on the run, and were unable to get much going all day. Meanwhile, their defensive schemes confused quarterback Byrum Brown, who had a back-breaking interception in the contest.

Byrum Brown is Built Different

There are questions about whether Byrum Brown can be an NFL quarterback. There are also questions about his mechanics and throwing motion. However, what can’t be questioned is how talented of a player Brown truly is.

In a Cam Newton-esque performance, Brown showed off his strong arm as a passer, and his innate ability as a runner. Brown had 13 rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. That included a 60-yard run, which put USF right into the thick of things late in the contest. He was also efficient as a passer, outside of his turnover. The Bulls will only go as far as Brown will take them, and he’s looked the part in 2025.

Eli Heidenreich is a Versatile Machine

Run, pass, or catch, Eli Heidenreich can do it all. With just over nine minutes in the game, Heidenreich had 182 total yards. He’s truly a versatile weapon for the Midshipmen, and was a primary difference-maker for the Navy offense. It’ll be incredibly exciting to see him perform at the Shrine Bowl in January.