Seniors aiming for elusive bowl victory, first 10-win season
As a high school senior, Osei Asante remembers watching Navy play on TV in the Poinsettia Bowl. Asante, an offensive guard, had just committed to the Midshipmen, and was excited about his future as he watched Navy roll to a 51-30 win over Colorado State.
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Four years later, things have worked out almost perfectly for Asante. He has been a solid contributor and a leader, helping Navy go 34-18 and win four Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies. This season Asante earned a starting job for the first time and was named co-captain.
But there are two missions Asante and the rest of the members of Navy’s stellar Class of 2010 have failed to accomplish — a 10-win season and a victory in a bowl game. Today in his hometown of Houston, Asante gets one last chance to do both. It comes in the Texas Bowl, where Navy (9-4) takes on Missouri (8-4).
“To get a bowl game and this tenth win would be everything,” said Asante. “It would be the icing on the cake, especially for this program to get another milestone, and for this group of seniors to go out the right way.”
In losing its last three bowl games, Navy has lost leads of 13, 10 and 8 points. After outscoring opponents 44-30 in the first half and leading each game at intermission, Navy was outscored a combined 59-31 in the three defeats.
In preparation for Thursday’s game, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said he didn’t feel the necessity to do anything different.
“It’s not like we’ve been blown out in these bowl games. It’s not like we have to revamp stuff,” said Niumatalolo. “We just have to find a way to finish. Our big rallying cry this year is, ‘Find a way to finish.'”
That may be easier said than done against a big, athletic Missouri team from the Big 12, led by sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert (6-5, 240) and wideout Danario Alexander (6-5, 215), who led the nation in receiving yards per game (137). Missouri also ranks No. 12 in the nation against the rush, bad news for the run-oriented Midshipmen.
“A lot of us are tired of just going to bowl games,” said Navy junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs. “We’ve had opportunities to win. We’ve been close, real close. We’re tired of just nipping at the bud. We’re trying to take it.”
