Record: 6-3. Last time out: Lost 27-24 to Temple.

What to make of Navy? It opened the season with a 4-point loss at Ohio State and is bowl eligible, but just one of its victories came against a team with a winning record (Air Force).

It just lost to a Temple team that struggled to beat Ball State.

What the Irish will get Saturday is much easier to figure. A heavy dose of the run game.

Navy is second in the nation in attempts (545), rushing TDs (32) and time of possession (34:18) and third in rushing yards (2,518).

QB Ricky Dobbs leads the nation with 16 rushing TDs. Dobbs has thrown just 66 passes, but several have produced big plays, including an 85-yard TD strike to Marcus Curry .

Two years ago, of course, Navy stunned Notre Dame in South Bend in triple overtime, ending a 43-game losing streak to the Irish.

QB Jimmy Clausen didn’t play in that game. Clausen, who was dinged up Saturday in the Irish’s convincing win against Washington State, has thrown for 2,318 yards and 18 TDs.