Navy’s late rally cannot erase Florida Atlantic’s 31-point lead
Jackson Gutierrez accounted for three touchdowns after entering at quarterback, but Navy fell 38–30 at Florida Atlantic on September 12, 2026, in its American Conference opener.
Retrospective recap: This article covers the game played 2026-09-12. Records and game context are reported as of that date.
Navy scored the final 23 points at Florida Atlantic on September 12, but the comeback ended one possession short in a 38–30 defeat at Flagler Credit Union Stadium. The Midshipmen left Boca Raton at 1–1 overall and 0–1 in the American Conference; the Owls were 1–1 and 1–0.
The deficit had reached 38–7 with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter. Caden Veltkamp’s five-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Johnson finished a 16-play, 80-yard drive and gave Florida Atlantic its fifth passing touchdown of the night. Veltkamp finished 27 of 32 for 386 yards, with Easton Messer catching eight passes for 179 yards and two scores.
Navy’s response came through Jackson Gutierrez after starting quarterback Braxton Woodson left with an ankle injury, according to the school’s game report. Gutierrez found Jordan Collins for a 64-yard touchdown with 1:16 left in the third quarter. An 11-play, 85-yard drive in the fourth ended with his eight-yard touchdown pass to Charles Robinson, reducing the deficit to 38–20.
A safety brought Navy within 16 points with 3:12 remaining. Gutierrez then ran 49 yards for a touchdown with 1:46 left, and the two-point conversion made it 38–30. Florida Atlantic took possession after the ensuing onside-kick attempt and ran out the clock, denying Navy a possession to try to tie the game.
The closing surge could not undo the damage before halftime. Woodson’s 48-yard touchdown run had tied the score at 7–7 early in the first quarter, but the Owls scored the next 31 points. Veltkamp threw four touchdown passes before the break, and Collin Rogers added a 60-yard field goal on the half’s final play for a 31–7 lead.
Gutierrez finished with 100 passing yards, two touchdown passes and 75 rushing yards with another score. Woodson ran for 96 yards before departing. Navy outgained Florida Atlantic 246–42 on the ground, but the Owls’ passing production carried them to a 428–393 advantage in total offense.
Sources: Official schedule · Official game report · Official box score.
Prepared with AI assistance by NSMT Navy Desk from the linked official records. This article does not represent on-site reporting or independent interviews.