[6] Navy entered the game with a 10–2 record (7–1 in conference), ranked 21st in the AP Poll.
Navy faced two ranked FBS teams during the season, defeating SMU and losing to Notre Dame.
[7] Their 10 regular season wins, including a December 14 victory in the Army–Navy Game,[8] was a seven-win improvement over their 2018 team that finished 3–10.
The Wildcats defeated both ranked FBS teams they faced, Oklahoma and Iowa State.
at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, Tennessee Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.