Navy spotted Oklahoma a 14-point lead before storming back to score 21 consecutive points to win the 22nd annual Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bow, 21-20, in front of a bowl-record crowd of 50,754 at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Friday.
The Sooners (6-7) scored with six seconds remaining to pull to within 21-20 when Michael Hawkins hit wide-open tight end Jake Roberts in the right corner of the end zone. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables went for the win with an attempted two-point conversion.
But the pocket quickly collapsed around Hawkins as Navy defenders surrounded him, with defensive end Justin Reed being credited with a sack. It was one of four sacks by the Midshipmen. It’s the second one-point score in the bowl’s history, the first since Houston defeated Pittsburgh 35-34 on Jan. 2, 2015.
“We got what we wanted,” Hawkins said of the two-point pass attempt. “They kind of covered it and matched it.”
The Midshipmen (10-3), of the American Athletic Conference, finish the season with 10 wins for the first time since going 11-2 in 2019, their last winning season. It’s the sixth time in program history that Navy has won 10 or more games in a season.
The Sooners finished 6-7 for the second time in Venables’ three seasons. Until 2022, Oklahoma hadn’t had a losing season since 1998.
“I’ll always remember these players for their contributions to Navy football,” Head coach Brian Newberry said. “We talk about the legacy of Navy football, and these players said before the season they would come back strongly … it is a perfect ending. You are down 14-0 and that symbolizes everything they’ve been through. Things weren’t great. They stayed the course and stayed on course. It symbolizes not only the seniors but this football team.”
Early, it looked like Oklahoma was prepared to dominate the afternoon.
The Sooners scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead. Gavin Sawchuk’s 21-yard scoring run was followed by a 56-yard scoring pass from Michael Hawkins to Zion Kearney with just under six minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Sooners, playing their first season in the Southeastern Conference, were poised to score again on their third possession, especially after a successful fake punt on 4th-and-3 caught Navy sleeping when punter Luke Elzinga completed a short pass to Woodi Washington, who ran for a 28-yard gain to the Navy 29.
The Midshipmen defense, however, came up huge to stop a run on 4th-and-1 as linebacker Kyle Jacob dropped running back Xavier Robinson at the line of scrimmage and Navy took over at their own 20.
Although the Sooner defense quickly forced a 3-and-out punt, the Midshipmen took over on downs on their next possession when linebacker Colin Ramos stuffed Hawkins on a 4th and 1 run up the middle at the Oklahoma 45.
Horvath’s 21-yard pass over the middle to Cody Howard set up Navy at the 15 before Alex Tecza scored on an 11-yard run to cut Oklahoma’s lead in half, 14-7, with under four minutes remaining in the half.
Navy was pinned at its 5 to start its second possession of the second half. After a one-yard gain, Horvath bolted up the middle on a keeper and dashed 95 yards for a game-tying touchdown. It’s the longest play from scrimmage in Navy history.
“I was an Ohio State fan when Ezekiel Elliott went 85 yards through the heart of the south, 95 yards sounds nice too,” said Horvath, referring to the Dallas Cowboys running back’s 85-yard scoring run to seal a win against Alabama in the 2015 College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl.
Jacob forced a fumble from Hawkins and Andrew Duhart recovered for Navy at the Oklahoma 26. The Sooner defense stepped and forced a 38-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide right.
Oklahoma missed a 52-yard field goal attempt wide right early in the fourth quarter.
Horvath’s six-yard scoring run capped a 12-play, 66-yard drive to give Navy a 21-14 lead with 4:34 remaining.
With 1:47 remaining, Oklahoma drove 65 yards on 13 plays for the touchdown but were denied the win on the failed two-point conversion.
“We got the coverage we hoped we’d get. I would go for it again in every situation,” Venables said. “We had opportunities on some explosive plays that have been hard on us all year. Mike got himself right where he needed to be several times over, in a tight game, everything matters … in that situation, if it was under 30 seconds, we were going to go for two. We made that decision earlier in the drive. We liked our opportunity there.”
Oklahoma outgained Navy 433 to 318 and 27 first downs to 11. But three crucial dropped passes, plus several poorly-thrown passes left the Sooners vulnerable as the Midshipmen lingered within striking distance.
“Everything falls at my feet,” said Venables, who is 22-17 in his first three seasons as the Sooners head coach. “I’m disappointed in myself and I need to be a lot better. That goes without saying. We’ve got a lot of experience coming back. We’ve got a great group of guys coming back and we recruited well.”
Navy recorded four sacks and four quarterback hurries while Oklahoma finished with none against Navy’s option running attack.
Horvath had a game-high 155 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
Hawkins completed 28 of 43 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns for the Sooners.
“It wasn’t a clean game on either side of the football, but we found a way to get it done,” said Newberry, who grew up in Moore, Okla., cheering for the Sooners. “It is a pretty neat deal. It was surreal. Hearing that fight song and seeing them on the other side of the field was a full circle deal. This game isn’t about that, it is about the players. To beat a team like Oklahoma, regardless of everything going on with opt outs, what they did today was outstanding and I’m really proud.”
