CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1978 Navy

9–⁠3, coached by George Welsh.

Schedule and results

Navy in 1978, game by game: won at Virginia 32–0; won at UConn 30–0; won at Boston College 19–8; won at Air Force 37–8; won vs. Duke 31–8; won vs. William & Mary 9–0; won vs. No. 15 Pittsburgh 21–11; lost vs. No. 15 Notre Dame 7–27; lost at Syracuse 17–20; lost at Florida State 6–38; won vs. Army 28–0; won vs. BYU 23–16+32−32Won 32–0 at Virginia+32VirginiaWon 30–0 at UConn+30UConnWon 19–8 at Boston College+11Boston CollegeWon 37–8 at Air Force+29Air ForceWon 31–8 vs. Duke+23DukeWon 9–0 vs. William & Mary+9William & MaryWon 21–11 vs. No. 15 Pittsburgh+10No. 15 PittsburghLost 7–27 vs. No. 15 Notre Dame-20No. 15 Notre DameLost 17–20 at Syracuse-3SyracuseLost 6–38 at Florida State-32Florida StateWon 28–0 vs. Army+28ArmyWon 23–16 vs. BYU+7BYU
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 16atVirginiaW 32–⁠065%
Sep 23atUConnW 30–⁠078%
Sep 30atBoston CollegeW 19–⁠854%
Oct 7atAir ForceW 37–⁠866%
Oct 14vsDukeW 31–⁠862%
Oct 21vsWilliam & MaryW 9–⁠065%
Oct 28vs15PittsburghW 21–⁠1143%
Nov 4vs15Notre DameL 7–⁠2739%
Nov 11atSyracuseL 17–⁠2068%
Nov 18atFlorida StateL 6–⁠3835%
Dec 2vsArmyW 28–⁠068%
Dec 22Bowls & playoffvsBYUHoliday BowlW 23–⁠1641%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat BYU 23–⁠16 in the Holiday Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 34th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 139 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 7: 17
  2. Wk 8: 18
  3. Wk 9: 11
  4. Wk 10: 18
Record
9–⁠3
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked peak No. 11
Points
260–⁠136
Coach
George Welsh
Elo
1603 +126 this season
SP+ rating
7.5 No. 52 of 133; offense No. 87, defense No. 18
SRS
9.3 No. 34 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Captains
Nick Mygas and Phil McConkey