The Navy Midshipmen enter Week 14 with an outside chance of playing in the American Conference Championship Game, and with a shot to play in the College Football Playoff potentially also resting on the outcome of a Thursday night matchup with the Memphis Tigers. What needs to happen for Brian Newberry’s team, and who should Navy fans be rooting for this week?
Navy Rooting Guide: What the Midshipmen Need in Week 14
Navy is the first team to play in the American Conference this week, facing off against Memphis on Thursday night. The Midshipmen currently hold a 6-1 record in the American. That ties with both the Tulane Green Wave and the North Texas Mean Green atop the conference.
However, due to a head-to-head tiebreak loss to North Texas and because Tulane is currently ranked ahead of them by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, Navy is on the outside looking in, with the PFSN College Football Playoff Meter (FPM) only giving the Midshipmen an 18.8% chance of making it to the American Conference Championship Game.
The first point of business for Newberry’s team is to beat Memphis on Thursday night. A loss would eradicate them from competition (unless North Texas and Tulane also lose, and South Florida and East Carolina win). The PFSN FPM gives Navy a 51.8% chance of winning on the road against the Tigers, with a projected 1.5-point margin of victory.
With Blake Horvath manning a modern-era option offense alongside dangerous weapons like Alex Tecza and Eli Heidenreich, the Midshipmen have a far superior offense, boasting the 28th-ranked unit by PFSN’s College Offense Impact score (81.4). If that is enough to get the Week 14 win, this is who Navy fans need to root for in the other American games.
Temple vs. North Texas
- Location: DATCU Stadium | Denton, TX
- Date: Friday, Nov. 28, 2025
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Team to root for: Temple
With North Texas defeating Navy earlier in the season, the Mean Green hold the tiebreaker as it currently stands. As such, Navy fans should be rooting for Temple to win on Friday afternoon. If the Midshipmen don’t win on Thursday night, a win for the Owls in this matchup becomes even more crucial. The bad news? Drew Mestemaker and Co. have an 83.0% win probability.
Charlotte vs. Tulane
- Location: Yulman Stadium | New Orleans, LA
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPNU
- Team to root for: Charlotte
Another relatively easy situation here for Navy fans in this rooting guide. With the Green Wave currently the only American Conference (and Group of Five) team ranked by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, they hold the tiebreaker over the Midshipmen. As such, a Charlotte win here is a must. However, the 49ers have just a 3.7% chance of winning in Week 14.
East Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic
- Location: Flagler Credit Union Stadium | Boca Raton, FL
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025
- Time: Noon ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Team to root for: East Carolina
East Carolina is currently one game back from the race for the American Conference Championship Game, but the Pirates still feature prominently in this rooting guide for Navy fans.
If two or more of the top three teams, including the Midshipmen, lose, then an East Carolina win drags them into a tiebreaker situation that eradicates the current disadvantage Navy has against Tulane and North Texas. Computer rankings will be used to separate the teams, which could help Navy make the title game. The Pirates are a 6.5-point favorite against the FAU Owls.
Rice vs. South Florida
- Location: Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, FL
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Team to root for: South Florida
It’s a similar situation to the East Carolina outcome where the South Florida Bulls are concerned. If Navy and/or Tulane and North Texas lose, fans should be rooting for a South Florida win to force a four or five-way tiebreaker that eradicates the Midshipmen’s disadvantage against the Green Wave and Mean Green in the single-team head-to-head tiebreaker.
