Navy football has a chance to prove it’s legit with a big matchup against No. 11 Notre Dame on Saturday.
With the service academy heading into Week 9 of the college football season undefeated at 6-0 and 4-0 in American Athletic Conference play, it might be a great time to explain Navy’s nickname:
What is a Midshipman?
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In 2024 at least, the Midshipmen are potential College Football Playoff contenders — and have a potential resume-builder teed up on Saturday with the Fighting Irish standing in their way. The service academies have made a comeback in 2024, as Navy and Army are undefeated and ranked in both the AP Top 25 poll and Coaches Poll.
Here’s an explanation of Navy’s nickname, including how Midshipmen was coined:
What is a Midshipman?
A Midshipman is a rank of those in training to become a naval officer — hence the nickname of students at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Midshipman was first a term used to describe those who worked in the main and mizzen masts of a ship, which explains the “mid” part of the nickname. The term originated in the 1600s, according to Navy’s official website.
The U.S. Navy first adopted Midshipman as a rank when it opened what’s now the Naval Academy in 1845. Graduated students were referred to as “Passed Midshipmen” until 1912, when officers then started graduating with the rank of “Ensign.”
The Navy football team has held the nickname of Midshipmen…
