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The thrill and excitement of high school American football will return to Ireland.
Truly experience the wonders that the Emerald Isle has to offer.
The ultimate Gameday experience.
Official tickets of the College Football Classic.
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Stretching 2,500km along our western seaboard, the Wild Atlantic Way is the longest coastal touring route in the world.
August 08th 2023
The Navy Midshipmen return to Dublin, Ireland this summer for the 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Here's everything you need to know about Navy Football before they take the field later this month!
Students at the United States Naval Academy are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Students attend the Naval Academy for four years, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions as Ensigns (lowest rank of commissioned officer) in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps.
Initially, American football was prohibited on campus at the Naval Academy. In the 1870s, the sport was known as “mob football” and was incredibly dangerous to play as there were very few rules along with no protective equipment, so injuries were a common occurrence.
In 1879, two midshipmen first-classmen J.H. Robinson and first-classman William Maxwell added rules from other sports like rugby and soccer to make the game safer to participate in. On December 11, 1879, Navy Football played their first-ever American Football game against the Baltimore Athletic Club. Navy wore a sleeveless canvas jacket that laced down the front, which made it harder for their opponents to grab Navy's players. This design has often been referred to as American Football's first uniform.
A huge game on the Navy Football calendar is the Army vs Navy game. This rivalry was launched in November, 1890, and the teams have met annually since the 1930’s. The fixture is often dubbed ‘America’s Game’ as the match features two service academies, the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen, that go head-to-head for football bragging rights over one another. A special moment of comradery and respect between the two sides is on display at the end of the game as the winning team and the losing team come together in unity to sing in front of the losing team’s fans and vice-versa. This match-up between the two service academies is a celebration of American military history.
The Naval Academy plays its home football games at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium located in Annapolis, Maryland. The stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000 and has been the home of Navy Football for over six decades. Each season Navy Football will play 12 regular season football games, with a number of these fixtures played at their home stadium. The Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium isn’t limited to hosting football matches. The stadium is also home to Navy’s lacrosse team and hosts several regional and state tournaments. Every August, the stadium transforms into the home of the Annapolis Crab Fest!
The first Navy player to be drafted into the National Football League (NFL) was Jim Carrington back in 1947. A number of Navy Football players have followed in Carrington’s footsteps in their journey to the NFL. Most notably:
Navy’s 2022 football season came to a close with a 4-8 (win-loss) record . The 2023 football season marks a new era for Navy Football as the team embarks on a fresh season with newly appointed Head Coach Brian Newberry. Newberry’s love for American Football is undeniable! He played defensive back for the Baylor Bears in college before getting his first taste of coaching with Southern Arkansas in 1999 as defensive backs and wide receivers coach. Newberry joined the Navy Midshipmen in 2019 as defensive coordinator and transformed the Navy defense.
The 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be Coach Newberry’s first game as Head Coach of Navy Football.
“There really couldn’t be a better way to kick off the year than to do it in Dublin against Notre Dame Football,” - said Navy Football Head Coach Brian Newberry at a recent press conference.
It's been over 10 years since the Naval Academy last played in Ireland! In the 2012 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, the Navy Midshipmen were the home team in their matchup against Notre Dame Football. This August will be a rematch of the 2012 fixture, as Navy will return to Dublin to battle it out against Notre Dame in the 2023 Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
"We are very pleased to be returning to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for the 96th playing of the Navy-Notre Dame game. We look forward to our visit and a competitive contest against Notre Dame in a place that knows no bounds for hospitality,” said Chet Gladchuck, Director of Athletics at the US Naval Academy.
The official Aer Lingus College Football Classic App is now available to download at: https://collegefootballireland.com/app/#learn-more
