Navy Football Team Ranked 72nd In The Country by Athlon Magazine

Four opponents on 2008 schedule ranked ahead of Navy

	Senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada

June 12, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Athlon magazine ranks the Navy football team 72nd out of 120 schools in their annual preseason publication. The Midshipmen are projected to go 8-4 and win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for a sixth-consecutive year.

According to the magazine, The Midshipmen will play their three toughest opponents and one of their biggest rivals over a brutal five-week period starting on Sept. 20 when Rutgers (ranked 22nd) comes to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The following week the Mids go to Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest (24th) and then travel to Colorado Springs to take on Air Force (86th) on Oct. 4. After a week off, the Mids have a Homecoming date against Pittsburgh (27th) on Oct. 18.

Notre Dame (60th) is the only other team on Navy's schedule ranked ahead of the Midshipmen, while the Mids are ranked ahead of Ball State (75th), Duke (80th), Air Force, SMU (91st), Northern Illinois (97th), Temple (101st) and Army (116th).

Five Navy opponents garnered All-American attention including Pitt linebacker Scott McKillop and Wake Forest defensive back Alphonso Smith, who were named to the first team. Third team selections include Pitt running back LeSean McCoy, Ball State tight end Darius Hill and Ball State punter Chris Miller. Athlon ranked the Wake Forest secondary as the sixth best secondary in the country, while the receiving corps at Rutgers was ranked as the fourth best unit in the country.