The two teams traded touchdowns most of the day and had just traded missed field goals when Kuhar-Pitters came up with his big play early in the fourth quarter. Sharpley dropped back to pass and was wrapped up by nose guard Nate Frazier and defensive end Michael Walsh knocked the ball loose. Kuhar-Pitters scooped up the loose ball and rumbled into the end zone.

Kaheaku-Enhada ran in the 2-point conversion to give the Midshipmen a 28-21 lead.

The Irish responded, though, with a touchdown of their own as Thomas went in from 3 yards out with 3:25 remaining to tie it.

In the first overtime, Navy’s Eric Kettani scored from a yard out and Notre Dame tied it with Duval Kamara’s 8-yard touchdown catch. The teams traded field goals in the second OT.

Weis was asked whether the game, following a 38-0 loss to USC, was a low point for the Irish.

“A low point is when you get beat 38-0. That’s a low point,” he said. “ A low point is when the game is going OK and one team is pulling away from you and making plays when you’re not making plays. The low point for me is we didn’t win the game.”

Robert Hughes, whose brother Tony was fatally shot on Tuesday, scored Notre Dame’s first touchdown on a 3-yard run. Irish players, some of whom attended the funeral Friday, swarmed Hughes. He ran over to the sideline and got a hug from Weis.

Weis said the biggest disappointment for him is the Irish couldn’t win the game for Hughes and his family.

“I wanted Robert Hughes standing up on the chair singing the fight song in the locker room,” he said. “You want to know what’s important to me? That’s what’s important to me.”

Before the game, a moment of silence was held for Hughes’ brother and the death of Ryan Shay, a former Notre Dame runner who died Saturday during the U.S. men’s marathon Olympic trials.

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