The Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League) have added the Navy Midshipmen (American) for the 2028 season, according to Navy’s website. The two teams will meet on Saturday, September 2, 2028, in the season opener. Holy Cross and Navy met once previously with Navy winning 45-7 to start the 2019 season.
Holy Cross has an FBS opponent in four of the next five seasons. The Crusaders will play at Northern Illinois (MAC) in 2025, Miami (OH) (MAC) in 2026, Navy in 2028, and San Jose State (Mountain West) in 2029. Holy Cross defeated FBS teams in back-to-back seasons in 2021 (Connecticut) and 2022 (Buffalo). The Crusaders nearly had another two wins over the FBS in the 2023 with a pair of field goal defeats against Boston College and Army.
Navy has FCS opponents lined up for five of the next six seasons starting with VMI (SoCon) in 2025. Navy has a pair of games against Towson (CAA) in 2026 and 2030, The Citadel (SoCon) in 2027, and the Holy Cross matchup in 2028. Navy has a unique history of FCS upsets with the last five losses all coming against Delaware (1991, 1992, 2003, 2007, and 2022). The last non-Delaware loss was against William & Mary in 1991.
Photo Credit to the College of the Holy Cross Athletics
