Opening kick

• Navy (6-1, 4-0 in the American Athletic Conference) and Rice (2-6, 1-3 AAC) meet on Saturday for the 13th time on the gridiron and the first time the two faced each other since 2009 compete in the afternoon (4:00 p.m.) at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. Saturday's contest will be televised by ESPN2.
• Navy is seeking its first 7-1 start to a season since 2019. The Mids started the year 7-1 en route to an 11-2 record, won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy with wins over Air Force and Army and defeated Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl.
• Rice enters Saturday after losing two hard-fought road games to UConn (17-10) and Tulane (24-10). The last time Rice played at home was Oct. 12, when the Owls defeated UTSA 29-27.
• Rice starting quarterback EJ Warner, who was a game-time decision last Saturday against UConn and was unable to play due to injury, had a big day against Navy last year when he was at Temple. He threw for 402 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Owls defeated the Mids 32-18 in Philadelphia. That surprising loss to the Owls last fall ultimately cost Navy a bowl game.
• The all-time series between Navy and Rice is tied 6 times, with the Mids winning the last 4 contests. Navy is 3-4 all-time against Rice in Houston, with the Owls winning the first four and Navy winning the last three. The last time these two programs met (2009), the Mids won 63-14 at Rice.
• Navy looks to bounce back from a disappointing 51-14 loss to No. 12 Notre Dame. The Mids, who had only turned the ball over twice all year (both in the opening game against Bucknell), turned it over six times against the Irish, including losing five fumbles (Navy had not lost a fumble all year entering the game). . It was the first time since 2002 that Navy had 6 turnovers in a game in a loss to Boston College.
• Navy, picked at No. 11 in the 14-team AAC preseason poll, is currently in second place with a 4-0 record and one win over preseason favorite Memphis. Facing three of the top four teams in the preseason poll (Memphis, Tulane, South Florida), the Mids control their own destiny and advance to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.
• Navy's 283 points in seven games this season are 71 more than they scored in 12 games last year (212).
• Navy has scored a touchdown on the first play of a drive five times this fall, the third-most mark in the FBS.
• Navy is averaging 267.3 rushing yards per game this fall, the fourth-best average in the FBS and the program's best since 2019, when it averaged a school-record 360.5 rushing yards per game.
• Navy is 24-26 (.923) in the red zone this year, with 23 of those points resulting in touchdowns (Navy's first 20 red zone appearances resulted in touchdowns before settling for a field goal against Charlotte) . Last year, the Mids ranked 130th nationally in red zone offense, scoring just 14 touchdowns on 29 attempts.
• Eli Heidenreich (Jr. / Snipe) and Alex Tecza (Jr. / FB), who grew up in Pittsburgh and have known each other since first grade, have combined to score a touchdown for Navy in 14 of the last 17 games since the 2023 season.
• Rayuan Lane III (Sr. / Safety) made his 37th consecutive safety start for the Mids against Rice, which is the longest active streak for a safety in the FBS and the second-longest by a player in the secondary. Lane III also has three forced fumbles this year, tied for the fourth-most in the FBS. Sporting News named him to the Midseason All-America Team.
• DaShaun Peele (Sr. / CB) became the first player in school history to return two interceptions for a touchdown in the same game in the Mids' win over Charlotte. It's the third time this year that Navy has returned an interception for a touchdown Rayuan Lane III (Sr./S) had an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the game against Memphis, securing the Mids victory.
• Blake Horvath (Jr./QB), Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and Washington State quarterback John Mateer are the only three quarterbacks in the FBS with double-digit rushing and passing touchdowns.
• Horvath is the No. 6 quarterback (min. 75 dropbacks) and No. 5 overall (all positions, min. 75 attempts), Heidenreich is tied for the No. 1 overall receiver (min. 25 targets ), and Lane III is the top-rated safety (at least 425 snaps) in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus. Additionally, Connor McMahon (Sr. / OT) is the seventh best pass blocker (min. 375 snaps).

Broadcast reporting
• ESPN2 will broadcast Saturday's game with Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (color) and Dawn Davenport (sideline).
• The Navy Football Pregame Show with Pete Medhurst, Joe Miller, Keith Mills, Scott Wykoff and special commentary from John Feinstein begins at 3 p.m. on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action starting at 4 p.m. with Medhurst, Miller and Mills when calling.
• Following the contest, Medhurst, Miller, Mills and Wykoff will recap the day's events in a 30-minute postgame show.

Better get used to the road
• After opening the season with 3 consecutive home games, the Mids will play 7 of their last 9 games on the road (5 away, 2 neutral).
• Navy is the only FBS team in the country to have played just two true home games in its last nine contests.

Success in the red zone
• Navy ranks 22nd nationally in red zone offense (24-26), with 23 (19 rush, 4 pass) of those points resulting in touchdowns. Last year, Navy ranked 130th in the country, scoring just 14 touchdowns on 29 attempts.
• Navy ranks second nationally in red zone touchdown percentage, scoring a touchdown 88.5 percent of the time (23-26).
• Navy's defense ranks 7th in red zone defense, giving up just 17 points on 25 attempts (9 rushes, 3 passes, 5 FGs).

Fast strokes
• Navy has scored a touchdown on the first play of a drive five times in its seven games this season.
• Daba Fofana (Sr. / FB) scored on a 49-yard run against Bucknell, during Brandon Chatman (Jr. / Snipe) scored on a 42-yard screen pass Blake Horvath (Jr./QB).
• Horvath and Alex Tecza (Jr. / FB) scored consecutive runs of 62 and 65 yards against Temple.
• Horvath did it again against Memphis, rushing 90 yards past a goalie.
• The five touchdown scores on the first play of a drive are the third most in the FBS.

Reach the big games
• Navy has had 15 offensive plays of 40 yards or more this year, tied for the fourth-most in the country.
• Navy has had 9 offensive plays of 50 yards or more this year, tied for the second-most in the country.
• Navy has had 7 offensive plays of 60 yards or more this year, which is the second most in the country.
• Navy has had three offensive plays of 70 yards or more this year, third-most in the country.
• Navy has had 1 offensive play of 80 yards or more this year, which is the sixth-most in the country.
• Navy is one of only seven schools to host a 90-yard game this year. Jacksonville State, Miami, North Texas, Temple, Western Michigan and Troy are the other 6.

Collect points
• Navy is averaging 40.4 points per game, the ninth-best scoring average in the country.
• Navy has scored at least 34 points in every game this year except one, when it turned the ball over six times against Notre Dame and scored just 14 points.
• The 283 points Navy scored in seven games this year are 71 more points than Navy scored in a total of 12 games last year (212).
• A big reason for Navy's scoring success is the play of the offensive line. Navy ranks first nationally in tackles for loss allowed (2.1) and second in sacks allowed (0.43).
• Connor McMahon (Sr. / OT) is the third highest pass blocker (min. 375 snaps) in the FBS according to Pro Football Focus.