If there's one player that Notre Dame football was worried about the most on Saturday night, it was Navy quarterback Blake Horvath. The triple-option ace is one of those players who can cause problems with the ball, by handing it off, and yes, occasionally throwing it.
However, it's now Navy that has the problem. Just a half hour before the Irish and Midshipmen kick off on Saturday night, Pete Thamel was the first to report that Horvath will not play in a game that is very, very big for Navy's admittedly small chances of being the G6 represenative in the playoffs.
Navy's Blake Horvath is out against Notre Dame on Saturday night
Horvath is suffering from an upper-body injury that he sustained toward the end of the North Texas game last weekend. In his place, Braxton Woodson, who beat ECU last year in his only other career start, will be under center against the Irish.
It's massive news for Notre Dame, which already came into the night as near four-touchdown favorites. While the Midshipmen are trying to hang onto their playoff hopes by a thread, the Fighting Irish are trying to continue to march towards hosting a first-round game.
In order to get there, they'll need to get some help from teams ahead of them. They'll also need to find a way to get some style points. Taking on a Navy team without their Heisman candidate could certainly offer a chance at those style points.
The key will be not relaxing now that Notre Dame knows they're going up against Blake Horvath's backup.