Fourth-Quarter Turnovers Doom Navy in 24-20 Loss to UAB
The Navy Midshipmen let a fourth-quarter lead slip away Friday night as two costly turnovers allowed the UAB Blazers to rally for a 24-20 victory at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. Navy led 20-17 entering the fourth quarter and statistically controlled much of the game, but UAB turned a Navy fumble into the decisive touchdown and prevented the Midshipmen from answering down the stretch. The loss dropped Navy to 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the American Conference, while UAB improved to 2-2 and 1-0 in conference play.
Navy finished with a 353-290 advantage in total offense and controlled possession for 34:22. The Midshipmen also rushed for 249 yards, recorded 24 first downs to UAB’s 15 and converted seven of 15 third-down opportunities. Those numbers normally provide a strong formula for winning, but Navy lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter while UAB finished with only one turnover.
Gutierrez Impresses in First Career Start
Jackson Gutierrez received his first career start at quarterback with senior Braxton Woodson injured, and the sophomore provided Navy with a productive performance despite the difficult finish. Gutierrez carried 34 times for a career-high 134 yards and a touchdown while completing four of 13 passes for a career-high 104 yards. His 238 yards of total offense were the fourth-most by a Navy quarterback making his first career start.
Gutierrez also became the first Navy player since Blake Horvath against Temple in October 2025 to rush and pass for at least 100 yards in the same game. He became the first Midshipmen quarterback since Ricky Dobbs in 2008 to rush for 100 yards in his first career start. Gutierrez showed why Navy can remain confident in its quarterback depth, but his fourth-quarter fumble ultimately became one of the game’s defining plays.
Scoreless First Quarter Gives Way to Busy Second
Neither team scored during the opening quarter before UAB struck just seconds into the second. Braylon McReynolds capped a 40-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, putting the Blazers ahead 7-0. UAB benefited from field position after a 13-yard Navy punt before McReynolds finished the possession.
Navy answered immediately. The Midshipmen marched 75 yards, with Gutierrez finishing the drive on a four-yard touchdown run to even the score at seven. Gutierrez’s ability to operate Navy’s rushing attack helped the Midshipmen respond after falling behind for the first time.
UAB moved back in front when Jonah Delange connected on a 44-yard field goal, but Navy kicker Nolan Bartley answered with a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-10 with two minutes remaining before halftime. The successful kick was the first made field goal of Bartley’s career.
The Blazers then produced one of their biggest offensive plays of the night. Quarterback Ryder Burton found Ty Mims for a 56-yard touchdown with 1:11 remaining, quickly putting UAB ahead 17-10. Burton eventually finished 13-of-20 passing for 174 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Mims caught three passes for 76 yards.
Navy still had enough time to respond. Gutierrez completed a 39-yard pass to freshman Truman Brasfield for Brasfield’s first career reception and connected with Vic Listorti for another 39-yard gain. Bartley finished the possession with a 31-yard field goal, sending Navy into halftime trailing only 17-13.
Navy Takes Control in the Third
The Midshipmen’s defense shut out UAB during the third quarter, giving the offense an opportunity to take its first lead. Navy eventually put together a nine-play, 47-yard scoring drive that consumed nearly five minutes. Gutierrez converted a critical third-and-11 with a 14-yard completion to Isaiah Bryant, while a UAB holding penalty also extended the possession.
Listorti finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run with 4:24 remaining in the quarter. Bartley’s extra point put Navy ahead 20-17, giving the Midshipmen momentum heading into the final 15 minutes. Listorti finished with 29 rushing yards and the touchdown on seven carries while also recording a 39-yard reception.
The Navy defense then appeared to create an opportunity to take control. Senior safety Giuseppe Sessi intercepted Burton on third-and-16 early in the fourth quarter for the first interception of Sessi’s career. It was also Navy’s first forced turnover of the 2026 season.
Two Fumbles Change the Game
Navy took possession at its own 23 following Sessi’s interception and quickly started moving. Michael Barrow ripped off a 17-yard run before Gutierrez connected with Barrow for 12 yards, helping the Midshipmen advance into UAB territory. Navy appeared positioned to potentially build a two-score advantage with the clock beginning to work in its favor.
Everything changed on the next major play. UAB defensive lineman Marlin Dean sacked Gutierrez for a 15-yard loss and forced a fumble that Christopher Spencer recovered at the Navy 48. One play later, McReynolds broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run, and the extra point suddenly gave UAB a 24-20 lead.
The sequence was devastating for Navy. Instead of turning Sessi’s interception into points and potentially taking command of the game, the Midshipmen went from holding possession with a three-point lead to trailing by four in a matter of two plays.
Navy responded with another promising possession and advanced from its own 25 to the UAB 42. Barrow converted a third-and-2 with a three-yard run, but he lost the football at the UAB 44. Dean forced the fumble and recovered it himself, giving UAB its second takeaway of the fourth quarter.
Navy Gets Two Final Chances
The Midshipmen defense refused to allow the game to get away. Navy forced UAB to punt and gave Gutierrez another opportunity with 2:56 remaining, although the offense had to begin at its own 9-yard line. Barrow immediately gained 14 yards and Navy eventually reached its 37 before three consecutive incomplete passes resulted in a turnover on downs with 1:01 remaining.
Navy unexpectedly received one more chance after Delange missed a 47-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining. The Midshipmen needed to travel almost the entire field without any timeouts, and UAB’s pass rush prevented Gutierrez from getting anything started. He was sacked on each of Navy’s final two plays as the clock expired.
Navy Defense Delivers Strong Performance
Despite the loss, Navy’s defense turned in a strong overall performance. The Midshipmen limited UAB to 290 total yards and only 116 rushing yards, while recording five sacks and forcing Burton into an interception. Junior linebacker MarcAnthony Parker led the effort with a season-high 10 tackles along with career highs of three sacks and three tackles for loss.
Parker’s three sacks were the most by a Navy defender since John Marshall recorded four against UCF in November 2022. Senior linebacker Coleman Cauley added seven tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss. The defense gave Navy multiple opportunities to win, particularly with Sessi’s interception and the late stop that gave the offense another possession with less than three minutes remaining.
Running Game Remains Productive
Navy’s option attack produced 249 yards on 58 attempts, with Gutierrez accounting for more than half of that total. Barrow added career highs with nine carries and 48 yards, while Listorti contributed 29 yards and a touchdown. The Midshipmen ran 71 offensive plays compared with UAB’s 54 and controlled the ball for nearly nine minutes longer.
UAB did not produce nearly as much rushing volume, but McReynolds made his opportunities count. He finished with 71 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, including the 48-yard game-winning touchdown immediately following Gutierrez’s fumble. The Blazers’ ability to generate explosive plays ultimately offset Navy’s advantages in possession and overall offensive production.
Navy Turns Attention to Air Force
The loss was Navy’s first against UAB in four all-time meetings after the Midshipmen won the previous three matchups. More importantly, Navy now sits at 1-2 overall and has dropped its first two American Conference games. The Midshipmen will have little time to dwell on the defeat with one of the biggest games on their schedule coming next.
Navy travels to Colorado Springs to face Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 3, in the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy competition. Kickoff is scheduled for noon Eastern on CBS.
MSB Take
This is going to be a difficult loss for Navy to accept because the Midshipmen did enough in many areas to win. They outgained UAB 353-290, rushed for 249 yards, controlled possession for more than 34 minutes and received an impressive performance from Gutierrez in his first career start. Navy also entered the fourth quarter with the lead and then created a turnover that should have provided an opportunity to put the Blazers in serious trouble.
Instead, two fumbles completely changed the game. UAB needed only one offensive play after the first turnover to score the winning touchdown, and Navy’s second fumble erased another drive into Blazers territory. Against a conference opponent on the road, those are mistakes that can erase almost everything else a team does well.
Gutierrez’s performance remains a major positive. Asking a quarterback to make his first career start on the road in a conference game is difficult, yet he produced 238 yards of offense and became a legitimate threat both running and passing. Parker and the Navy defense also deserve credit for keeping the Midshipmen in position to win until the final seconds.
Navy now has to correct the ball-security problems quickly because Air Force is next. The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy carries importance regardless of either team’s record, and the Midshipmen cannot afford to give away possessions in Colorado Springs the way they did during the fourth quarter in Birmingham.
