Navy Football, Fans Ship Out to Ireland

The team and more than 900 midshipmen are getting ready to head to Ireland for Navy football's season opener against Notre Dame.

When the U.S. Naval Academy football team takes the field for its season opener against Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday, thousands of American fans—including more than 900 midshipmen—will be cheering in the stands. "We don’t get a chance like this every day," Midshipman Second Class Soon Kwon said. "Usually games are at home or a nearby state, and this is a great way for us to get away from school, have fun and celebrate our football team." He spent about $1,200 on airfare and lodging in order to watch Navy take the field at Aviva Stadium with his friendsfor the Emerald Isle Classic website. They leave Thursday night after classes. Ideally, Kwon said he'd love to see the entire island, but the academy has instructed midshipmen …

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Anna Staver

11:35 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012

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Photos: Navy Football Kicks Off Season With Fan Fest

The 2012 Navy football team signed autographs and posed for photos with fans during the academy's annual fan fest on Saturday in Annapolis.

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