All streaks have to end at one time or another. For Joe Paterno,it was 46 years of coaching. As for the Navy football team, their streak of 8 consecutive bowl games just ended last Saturday at the hands of the WAC-affiliated, San Jose State Spartans.
A must-win game for Navy, the Midshipmen couldn’t hold onto a lead going into the 4th quarter as they gave up a 13-yard TD strike from Spartan QB Matt Faulkner to Jabrari Carr as SJSU clinched a 27-24 home victory.
The loss assured Navy of a losing season, as they currently sit at 4-7 with just one game remaining against Army. On the other hand, the Spartans were able to snap a 3-game losing streak that dated back to Oct. 14 when they beat Hawaii.
Rutley Runs Wild
The difference in the game was certainly the play of Spartan RB, Brandon Rutley (pictured above). Not only did he rush for 2 TDs and 138 yards on the ground, but he also caught 8 passes for 101 yards out of the backfield.
TE Brandon Otten complemented Rutley nicely, amassing 101 receiving yards as well. All in all, the Spartan offense clicked pretty well the whole night as they gutted the Midshipmen defense for over 460 yards of total offense.
Spartan placekicker, Jens Alvernik, also matched the school’s single-season record for FG’s made (16) by hitting two in the game. He’ll most likely break that record next week when SJSU takes on Fresno State.
Navy Run Offense Stymied Just Enough
As for Navy, their patented running game was slowed down just enough by the Spartans. Averaging the second most rushing yards per game in the country going into the game last week, Navy could only muster 254 yards on the ground.
For a team that rarely throws, that ground total just wasn’t enough to stave off defeat. On their last possession, the Midshipmen only moved the ball 27 yards on a drive that began at their own 28, stalling and turning over the ball on downs.
Looking Ahead
With the loss, all Navy has to play for is pride in their annual bout against Army. This year’s game will be played at home, and of course, will be broadcast on CBS in a nationally-televised game. The Midshipmen should get the win against a 3-8 Army team that has struggled with consistency all year.
As for a possible bowl game, Navy will have to wait until the 2012 season before they can get another taste of the postseason.