Senior fullback Nelson Smith ran for a career-high 157 yards and two touchdowns, leading Navy to a 27-23 victory over East Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. With the win, the Mids improve to 3-0 in the American Athletic Conference and sit alone in first place.
Jamale Carothers also notched 82 yards with a touchdown to pace the Midshipmen efforts on the ground. Navy quarterback Dalen Morris, who scored his first-career rushing touchdown in the first half, was knocked out of the game on a late hit with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Midshipmen struggled to find an offensive rhythm for much of the first half, mixing a pair of turnovers and two punts in with a touchdown over its first five possessions.