Navy sinks Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It’s over. After 44 years and three overtimes.

Navy finally beat Notre Dame, 46-44, in triple overtime on Saturday, ending the Fighting Irish’s NCAA-record winning streak against the Midshipmen at 43 games.

“It’s a big win for our program. It’s a big win for the academy,” Navy Coach Paul Johnson said. “I’m happy I don’t have to answer anything else about the streak every time we play.”

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Campbell on the first play of the third overtime, then found him again for the two-point conversion.

Notre Dame (1-8) cut the lead to two on a five-yard touchdown run by Travis Thomas. But after a pass interference call gave Notre Dame a second chance at the two-point conversion, defensive lineman Michael Walsh and linebacker Irv Spencer tackled Thomas well short of the end zone on the final play.

“Honestly, this win hasn’t even hit me yet,” linebacker Matt Wimsatt said. “I can’t wait to talk to everybody back home. This is definitely bigger than just one football game.”

For Notre Dame, it was its school-record fifth straight home loss, another low point in a season of lows. Coach Charlie Weis said the 43-game winning streak had no meaning to him or the team.

Weis said the home losing streak was much more important to the players. It also is the first time the Irish have lost five at home in one season.

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Well, that’s over

Most consecutive wins over a major opponent in an uninterrupted series (Must have played in consecutive years):

43: Notre Dame over Navy, 1964-2006

36: Nebraska over Kansas, 1969-2004

32: Oklahoma over Kansas State, 1937-68

29: Nebraska over Kansas State, 1969-97

28: Texas over Rice, 1966-93

26: Syracuse over Hobart (N.Y.), 1906-1931

25: Penn State over West Virginia, 1959-83

24: Nebraska over Missouri 1979-2002

22: Tennessee over Kentucky, 1985-present

22: Tennessee over Vanderbilt, 1983-2004

Source: NCAA