Who won the 2026 Liberty Bowl Today: Score, List of Winners, History

Blake Horvath Leads No. 22 Navy to 35-13 Victory Over Cincinnati in 2025 Liberty Bowl, History, Past winners list,

Navy football got the new year off to a strong start — and made a little program history in the process.

Behind 161 total yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Blake Horvath, the No. 25-ranked Midshipmen rolled past Cincinnati 35-13 in the Liberty Bowl on Friday, Jan. 2 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis.

The win capped off an 11-2 season for Navy, tying program record for victories in a season.

Eli Heidenreich had 126 total yards (64 receiving, 62 rushing) and a touchdown in the win, with Alex Tecza, Heidenreich's teammate and fellow Pittsburgh native, adding a team-high 80 rushing yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Midshipmen were led by linebacker Coleman Cauley, who had a team-high 10 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Playing without star quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who is in the transfer portal, Cincinnati managed just 239 yards and 4.1 yards per play. The Bearcats were whistled for nine penalties for 76 yards. After a 7-1 start, Cincinnati rose as high as No. 16 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but dropped its final five games, four of which were decided by multiple scores. Cincinnati is now 1-12 in games after November under third-year coach Scott Satterfield, who is 15-22 at the school. 

Navy vs Cincinnati score 2026

TEAMS 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q F

Navy 7 7 7 14 35

Cincinnati 0 7 0 6 13

What is the date for the Liberty Bowl 2026?

The 68th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be played on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Where is the 2026 Liberty Bowl being played, location.

 The 2026 Liberty Bowl game will be played at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on Friday, January 2, 2026

What time does the 2026 Liberty Bowl game starts.

The 2026 Liberty Bowl will be played on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 3:30 pm CT / 4:30 p.m. ET.


1:30 p.m. PT.
2:30 p.m. MT.
3:30 p.m. CT.
4:30 p.m. ET.

Who is playing in the Liberty Bowl 2026 game.?

The 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl features the No. 22 Navy Midshipmen (9-2, 7-1 AAC) against the Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5, 5-4 Big 12). Navy, riding a dominant rushing attack (second nationally at 285.3 yards per game), clinched a share of the AAC title with a 28-17 win over Memphis at the bowl site. Cincinnati, seeking bowl redemption after a midseason slump (four losses in five games), brings Big 12 experience but struggled defensively (allowed 32 ppg). This is the seventh all-time meeting (Navy leads 4-2), with the last in 2019 (Cincinnati won 31-24).

Liberty Bowl 2026:  Navy vs Cincinnati, Top Players 

Navy Midshipmen

• QB Blake Horvath – Dual-threat leader with 1,800 total yds, 18 TDs (12 rush); sparked 28-17 Memphis win with 2 TDs.
• RB Alex Tecza – Rushing co-leader (1,000+ yds, 12 TDs); 103 yds/2 TDs vs. Memphis, key to No. 2 ground attack.
• LB Chris Barnes – All-AAC tackler; 95 tackles, 7 TFL; anchors D allowing 18 ppg.
  
  

Cincinnati Bearcats

• DT Dontay Corleone – ESPN Top 100 (No. 85); All-Big 12 DT with 8 sacks, 12 TFL; disruptive interior force.
• QB Brendan Sorsby – Efficient passer with 2,900 yds, 22 TDs; led comebacks in 3 wins.
• WR Xzavier Henderson – Big 12 receiving standout (900+ yds, 8 TDs); deep threat in pass-heavy O.

Where to buy 2026 Liberty Bowl Tickets.? 

 To Purchase Tickets to the 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, call 901-795-7700   or visit Ticketmaster.com 

 Memphis Ticket Office online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com  

Liberty Bowl 2026 Odds: Picks, moneylines, point spread, totals, predictions

FanDuel: Navy -2 (-108) | Cincinnati +2 (-112) | O/U 45.5 (-110) | Moneyline: Navy -130 / Cincinnati +110  

DraftKings: Navy -2.5 (-110) | Cincinnati +2.5 (-110) | O/U 46 (-105) | Moneyline: Navy -138 / Cincinnati +118  

Caesars: Navy -2 (-110) | Cincinnati +2 (-110) | O/U 46 (-110) | Moneyline: Navy -132 / Cincinnati +112  

ESPN BET: Navy -2.5 (-110) | Cincinnati +2.5 (-110) | O/U 45.5 (-110) | Moneyline: Navy -135 / Cincinnati +115

Who won the Liberty Bowl 2025?

Jan.  02,  2025: Ohio State 48–45 Utah  

Liberty Bowl History, List of Past winners, All-time results, champions, since 1959-2025.

The Liberty Bowl began in 1959 where Penn State beat Alabama 7-0.

Liberty Bowl matchup currently features tie-ins schools from the SEC and Big 12. Liberty Bowl game takes place at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium from Memphis, Tennessee and is played in Last week of December.


Jan.  02,  2026 - Navy 35,  Cincinnati 13.

Jan.  02,  2025 - Ohio State 48–45 Utah  

Dec 29, 2024  - Michigan 27–20 Alabama

Dec. 29, 2023 —  Memphis Tigers, 36, Iowa state 26

Dec. 28, 2022 —  Arkansas 55, Kansas 53

Dec. 28, 2021 — Texas Tech 34,  Mississippi State 7

Dec. 31, 2020 — West Virginia 24,  Army 21

Dec. 31, 2019 — No. 21 Navy 20,  Kansas State 17

Dec. 31, 2018 — Oklahoma State 38,  Missouri 33

Dec. 30, 2017 — Iowa St. 21, Memphis 20

Dec. 30, 2016 — Georgia 31,  TCU 23

Jan. 2, 2016 — Arkansas 45,  Kansas St. 23

Dec. 29, 2014 — Texas A&M 45, West Virginia 37

Dec. 31, 2013 — Mississippi St. 44, Rice 7

Dec. 31, 2012 — Tulsa 31, Iowa St. 17

Dec. 31, 2011 — Cincinnati 31, Vanderbilt 24

Dec. 31, 2010 — UCF 10, Georgia 6

Jan. 2, 2010 — Arkansas 20, East Carolina 17, OT

Jan. 2, 2009 — Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19

Dec. 29, 2007 — Mississippi St. 10, UCF 3

Dec. 29, 2006 — South Carolina 44, Houston 36

Dec. 31, 2005 — Tulsa 31, Fresno St. 24

Dec. 31, 2004 — Louisville 44, Boise St. 40

Dec. 31, 2003 — Utah 17, Southern Miss 0

Dec. 31, 2002 — TCU 17, Colorado St.3

Dec. 31, 2001 — Louisville 28, BYU 10

Dec. 29, 2000 — Colorado St. 22, Louisville 17

Dec. 31, 1999 — Southern Miss 23, Colorado St. 17

Dec. 31, 1998 — Tulane 41, BYU 27

Dec. 31, 1997 — Southern Miss 41, Pittsburgh 7

Dec. 27, 1996 — Syracuse 30, Houston 17

Dec. 30, 1995 — East Carolina 19, Stanford 13

Dec. 31, 1994 — Illinois 30, East Carolina 0

Dec. 28, 1993 — Louisville 18, Michigan St. 7

Dec. 31, 1992 — Mississippi 13, Air Force 0

Dec. 29, 1991 — Air Force 38, Mississippi St. 15

Dec. 27, 1990 — Air Force 23, Ohio St. 11

Dec. 28, 1989 — Mississippi 42, Air Force 29

Dec. 28, 1988 — Indiana 34, South Carolina 10

Dec. 29, 1987 — Georgia 20, Arkansas 17

Dec. 29, 1986 — Tennessee 21, Minnesota 14

Dec. 27, 1985 — Baylor 21, LSU 7

Dec. 27, 1984 — Auburn 21, Arkansas 15

Dec. 29, 1983 — Notre Dame 19, Boston College 18

Dec. 29, 1982 — Alabama 21, Illinois 15

Dec. 30, 1981 — Ohio St. 31, Navy 28

Dec. 27, 1980 — Purdue 28, Missouri 25

Dec. 22, 1979 — Penn St. 9, Tulane 6

Dec. 23, 1978 — Missouri 20, LSU 15

Dec. 19, 1977 — Nebraska 21, North Carolina 17

Dec. 20, 1976 — Alabama 36, UCLA 6

Dec. 22, 1975 — Southern Cal 20, Texas A&M 0

Dec. 16, 1974 — Tennessee 7, Maryland 3

Dec. 17, 1973 — NC State 31, Kansas 18

Dec. 18, 1972 — Georgia Tech 31, Iowa St. 30

Dec. 20, 1971 — Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13

Dec. 12, 1970 — Tulane 17, Colorado 3

Dec. 13, 1969 — Colorado 47, Alabama 33

Dec. 14, 1968 — Mississippi 34, Virginia Tech 17

Dec. 16, 1967 — NC State 14, Georgia 7

Dec. 10, 1966 — Miami 14, Virginia Tech 7

Dec. 18, 1965 — Mississippi 13, Auburn 7

Dec. 19, 1964 — Utah 32, West Virginia 6

Dec. 21, 1963 — Mississippi St. 16, NC State 12

Dec. 15, 1962 — Oregon St. 6, Villanova 0

Dec. 16, 1961 — Syracuse 15, Miami 14

Dec. 17, 1960 — Penn St. 41, Oregon 12

Dec. 19, 1959 — Penn St. 7, Alabama 0







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