Independent Conference Roundup - Week 4

Independent conference roundup, standings, player and game of the week

Click on each team for game recaps, thoughts, schedules and more and scroll down for the games, results, players of the week and the conference roundup.

Army | Navy | Notre Dame

Independent Game of the Week
Navy 46 ... Duke 43
Joey Bullen nailed a 44-yard field goal with no time left on the clock to complete a Navy comeback. After Eron Riley's fourth touchdown catch of the game, coming on a 69-yard play late in the third quarter, the Midshipmen owned the fourth quarter with a 25-yard Bullen field goal and a five-yard Jarod Bryant touchdown catch. In a wild first quarter, Riley caught a 76-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, answered by Navy with a 44-yard O.J. Washington touchdown catch, answered by a 35-yard Riley touchdown on the next play from scrimmage. The two teams combined for 1,046 yards of total offense with Navy running for 304 and Duke passing for 428.

Independent Player of the Week
Navy RB Eric Kettani ran 14 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns in the 46-43 win over Duke

Conference Roundup

Army … The Army defense couldn't handle Boston College once the light went on for Matt Ryan and the Eagles, but it was still a good effort by the Black Knights. Carson Williams is still struggling with his accuracy, and there's no running game to take the pressure off. The defense had to make big plays to stay in the game, and it did, but not the offense has to help the cause with a few long drives and more early scores. Against Temple, Tulane and Central Michigan over the next few weeks, there's no excuse for Army to not win at least two of them if the D plays like it did in the first half against BC.
Navy … Navy has to do something, anything to keep opposing offenses off the field, because the secondary isn't stopping anyone. Usually, the time of possession, when it's in Navy's favor, means the ground game is dominating, but against Duke, it also meant quick strikes from the Blue Devil offense. However, in the fourth quarter, when Jarod Bryant stepped in for Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, the offense started to move and it finally gave the D some rest, hanging on to the ball for ten minutes. This isn't going to be the last wild game Navy is involved in.
Notre Dame … The Irish might be 0-4 for the first time in its history, but there were positive signs against Michigan State. For the first time all season long, the offensive line was pushing someone off the ball. It didn't happen on a regular basis, but there were a few good pounding drives to provide a glimmer of hope for the running game for the rest of the year. The offense tried to diminish the role of Jimmy Clausen and the passing game, but to have a chance to stay with Purdue and UCLA on the road over the next two weeks, the offense will have to finally start getting something down the field.

	Overall					Home		Away
	W	L	PF	PA	STR	W	L	W	L
Navy	2	2	131	137	W1	1	1	1	1
Army	1	3	55	87	L2	1	0	0	3
Notre Dame	0	4	27	133	L4	0	2	0	2

Saturday, September 22
1:00 PM	at Boston College 37 ... Army 17 CFN Prediction: BC 38-6   BC -29
1:00 PM	at Navy 46 ... Duke 43 CFN Prediction: Navy 29-24   Navy -10.5
3:30 PM	Michigan State 31 ... at Notre Dame 14 CFN Prediction: MSU 28-14   MSU -13.5

Past Independent Games of the Week
Sept. 1 - Akron 22 ... Army 14
Sept. 8 - Army 14 ... Rhode Island 7 OT
Sept. 15 - Ball State 34 ...  Navy 31 OT
Sept. 22 - Navy 46 ... Duke 43

Past Independent Players of the Week
Sept. 1 - Navy QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada
Sept. 8 - Army QB Carson Williams
Sept. 15 - Navy QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada
Sept. 22 - Navy RB Eric Kettani