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Keenan Reynolds Abuses Record Books Some More, Navy Tops Pittsburgh 44-28 in Military Bowl

So much fun, this one. It played out about as we might have expected.

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

So, we knew coming into this one that Keenan Reynolds was very close to a number of records.

  • He needed three touchdowns to reclaim the all-time career record for combined rushing and receiving touchdowns; he rushed for three and almost caught a fourth.
  • He needed 80 yards rushing to pass Denard Robinson for the career rushing yards record by a quarterback, and he racked up 144 yards on the ground.
  • He also, on the way, became the first player in FBS history to rush for 23 or more touchdowns in three seasons.
I'll save the laundry list of both Navy and NCAA records that he obliterated for another post and another day, but you get the idea. This game was a 44-28 final score, and it wasn't even that close as the final score was rarely in doubt.

Pitt's Quadree Henderson took the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, but by the time their offense finally put points on the board, Navy had racked up 31 points and 416 yards of offense and it was still the third quarter.

Pitt gained a little momentum as they were able to follow that first offensive touchdown with a defensive scoop and score on a fumble to cut the deficit to 31-21. Unfortunately, the Panthers just didn't have an answer for the Mids' methodical attack, and Nathan Peterman's third interception of the game sealed the Panthers' fate for good.

This brings to close an historic season for Navy (first ever with 11 wins) and an historic career for Keenan Reynolds. It seems fitting that with all the things he has done in his career, he finished the game as Navy's leading passer (126 yards and 1 TD), leading rusher (144 yards and 3 TDs), and leading receiver (47 yards).

The Midshipmen are bound to see a drop-off next season just from losing a player like Reynolds, as well as all of the other seniors who now depart the program, but man what a hell of a way to go out.