From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

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2025 Pre-Season Rankings & All Americans

Preseason Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Aug 1, 2025
RK	TEAM (VOTES)	OFF	DEF	Overall
1	Georgia (45)	91	90	92
2	Penn State (20)	86	87	86
3	Ohio State	89	89	90
4	Texas	89	89	90
5	Tennessee	87	87	87
6	Notre Dame	88	87	90
7	Indiana	83	82	85
8	Alabama	89	89	89
9	Ole Miss	87	87	87
10	South Carolina	86	85	87
11	Oregon	89	90	89
12	Miami	86	86	86
13	SMU	84	84	85
14	Clemson	86	86	87
15	Michigan	86	86	87
16	Duke	81	81	82
17	Illinois	82	82	82
18	Syracuse	83	82	84
19	Louisville	86	85	87
20	Iowa	84	84	85
21	Arizona State	81	81	82
22	Iowa State	84	84	84
23	Missouri	85	85	85
24	Boise State	82	82	82
25	LSU	86	87	86

National All Americans

2025 NCAA 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Drew Allar, Penn State			Sr.
HB	Reuben Owens, Texas A&M			Jr.
HB	Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State			Sr.
WR	Matthew Golden, Texas			Sr.
WR	Evan Stewart, Oregon			Sr.
WR	Squirrel White, Tennessee			Sr.
TE	Mason Taylor, LSU			Sr.
OL	Josh Conerly Jr, Oregon			Sr.
OL	Tyler Booker, Alabama			Sr.
C	Braelin Moore, Virginia Tech			Jr.
OL	Jaeden Robets, Alabama			Sr.
OL	Blake Miller, Clemson			Sr.
DL	TJ Parker, Clemson			Jr.
DL	Peter Woods, Clemson			Jr.
DL	Kenneth Grant, Michigan			Sr.
DL	Derrick Harmon, Oregon			Sr.
LB	David Bailey, Stanford			Sr.
LB	Jihaad Campbell, Alabama			Sr.
LB	Deontae Lawson, Alabama			Sr.
DB	Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State			Sr.
DB	Daylen Everette, Georgia			Sr.
DB	Caleb Downs, Notre Dame			Jr.
DB	Kevin Winston Jr, Penn State			Sr.
P	Brett Thorson, Georgia			Sr.
K	John Love, Virginia Tech			Jr.

2025 NCAA 2nd Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Cade Klubnik, Clemson			Sr.
HB	Dylan Sampson, Tennessee			Sr.
HB	Nicholas Singlton, Penn State			Sr.
WR	Carnell Tate, Ohio State			Jr.
WR	Ryan Williams, Alabama			So.
WR	Isaiah Bond, Georgia			Sr.
TE	Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse			Sr.
OL	Kadyn Procter, Alabama			Jr.
OL	Dylan Fairchild, Georgia			Sr.
C	Parker Brailsford, Alabama			Jr.
OL	Anez Cooper, Miami			Sr.
OL	Francis Mauigoa, Miami			Jr.
DL	Patrick Payton, Miami			Sr.
DL	Rueben Bain Jr, Miami			Jr.
DL	Bear Alexander, USC			Sr.
DL	Zane Durant, Penn State			Sr.
LB	Sonny Styles, Notre Dame			Jr.
LB	Anthony Hill Jr, Texas			Jr.
LB	Jalon Walker, Georgia			Sr.
DB	Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin			Sr.
DB	Maxwell Hairston, Penn State			Sr.
DB	Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina			Sr.
DB	Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa			Sr.
P	Ross James, Oregon			Sr.
K	Peyton Woodring, Georgia			Jr.

Mid-American Conference All Americans

2025 MAC 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Tucker Gleason, Toledo			Sr.
HB	Terrion Stewart, Bowling Green			Sr.
HB	Qian Magwood, Ball State			Sr.
WR	Larry Stephens, Toledo			Sr.
WR	Junior Vanderos III, Toledo			Sr.
WR	Reggie Virgil, Miami (OH)			Sr.
TE	Tanner Koziol, Ball State			Sr.
OL	Will Jados, Miami (OH)			Sr.
OL	Davion Weatherspoon, Ohio			Sr.
C	Charlie Nank , Miami (OH)			Sr.
OL	Ethan Spoth, Toledo			Jr.
OL	Jayvin James, Akron			So.
DL	Bradley Weaver, Ohio			Sr.
DL	Kobe Stewart, Buffalo			Sr.
DL	Jason Williams, Central Michigan			Sr.
DL	Evan Branches-Hayes, Bowling Green			Sr.
LB	K'Von Sherman, Toledo			Jr.
LB	Jordan Kwiatkowski, Central Michigan			Sr.
LB	Joseph Sipp Jr, Bowling Green			Sr.
DB	Raion Strader, Miami (OH)			Jr.
DB	Avery Smith, Toledo			Sr.
DB	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo			Sr.
DB	Eli Blakely, Miami (OH)			Sr.
P	Emilio Duran, Toledo			Jr.
K	Garrison Smith, Akron			Sr.

2025 MAC 2nd Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Henry Hanson, Miami (OH)			Sr.
HB	Charles Kellom, Akron			Jr.
HB	Lamar Sperling, Buffalo			So.
WR	Javon Tracy, Miami (OH)			Jr.
WR	Adrian Norton, Akron			Jr.
WR	Chase Hendricks, Ohio			Jr.
TE	Blake Bosma, Western Michigan			Sr.
OL	Tyrone Davis, Buffalo			So.
OL	Matt Pajuste, Buffalo			Jr.
C	Kam Wright, Ohio			Jr.
OL	Aidan Johnson, Ohio			So.
OL	Jarian Shelby, Ohio			Jr.
DL	Antoine Campbell Jr, Kent State			Sr.
DL	Jeremiah Peters, Toledo			Sr.
DL	Mason Nelson, Western Michigan			Sr.
DL	Bralen Henderson, Ohio			Sr.
LB	Marion Turner, Miami (OH)			Jr.
LB	Damon Ollison II, Toledo			Sr.
LB	Corban Hondru, Miami (OH)			Sr.
DB	Thailand Baldwin, Ball State			Sr.
DB	Jaion Jackson, Central Michigan			So.
DB	Adonis Williams Jr, Ohio			Sr.
DB	Larry Yates, Bowling Green			So.
P	John Henderson, Bowling Green			Sr.
K	Dom Dzioban, Miami (OH)			Sr.

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2025 Ball State Cardinals Season Preview



Muncie, IN. - After months of buzz surrounding new head coach Nash Savage and high-profile transfer additions Brenon Vernon and Nyck Harbor, the Ball State Cardinals are finally ready to bring the hype to life on the field.

And make no mistake, the season’s fate rests squarely in the hands of QB Kadin Semonza.

“He’s got the tools, and he’s got the talent. Now, it’s time to deliver,” declared Savage, the fiery first-year leader who’s determined to change the culture in Muncie.

Semonza will have plenty of firepower at his disposal. Transfer WR Nyck Harbor headlines a stacked group of pass-catchers, including incoming freshman Philip Onwualu, junior WR Cam Pickett, and All-MAC TE Tanner Koziol. But questions loom about the offensive line and a lackluster rushing attack, both of which could threaten the redshirt sophomore’s ability to shine.

The Cardinals have made moves to shore up the trenches, signing four offensive linemen in the latest recruiting class and converting reserve WR Qian Magwood to running back, hoping he can channel his inner Cordarrelle Patterson. Still, until the pads start popping, it’s anyone’s guess how the offense will hold up.

Defensively, the Cardinals are rolling out a new 3-3-5 Tite scheme, a hallmark of Coach Savage’s strategy. But without a dominant pass rusher, Ball State might find itself leaning on the offense to win shootouts. The defense will rely heavily on veteran leadership from seniors Joey Stemler (MLB), Thailand Baldwin (CB), and DD Snyder (SS), along with rising star sophomore Isaiah Thacker (FS). These players will be critical in helping DC Joe Bob Clements navigate his first season with the Cardinals.

The Cardinals face a brutal opening challenge, traveling to South Bend to take on the reigning National Champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 1.

“It’s a tall task, no doubt,” admitted Savage. “But we’re not here to complain. We’re here to compete. We’ve got gamers, and we’re ready to give them a reality check.”

After Notre Dame, the schedule eases up. Ball State will regroup during an early bye week before diving into MAC play against Toledo. The non-conference slate wraps up with a home matchup against UConn in Week 4 and a short trip to Bloomington in Week 9 to face an Indiana Hoosiers squad riding high after a stellar 2024 season.

The stage is set. Now, it’s time for Nash Savage and the Cardinals to prove the hype is real.

2025 Ball State Cardinals (81/81/81)
#	OFFENSE	POS	Original Overall	Current Overall	CLASS	HOMETOWN
3	Kadin Semonza	QB	80	80	SO(RS)	California
6	Chase Harrison	QB	77	77	JR(RS)	Ohio
17	Emory Williams	QB	74	74	SO(RS)	Florida
4	Colin Blazek	QB	71	71	JR(RS)	Florida
12	Jarell Ford	QB	66	66	FR(RS)	Indiana
15	Aidan Leffler	QB	61	61	JR(RS)	Indiana
5	Qian Magwood	HB	85	85	SR(RS)	Ohio
19	Nick Presley	HB	78	78	JR(RS)	Ohio
32	Charlie Spegal	HB	75	75	SR(RS)	Indiana
20	TJ Horton	HB	71	71	SO(RS)	Kentucky
24	Christian Davis	HB	71	71	SO(RS)	Ohio
23	Vaughn Pemberton	FB	76	76	JR(RS)	Illinois
7	Cam Pickett	WR	80	80	JR	Illinois
8	Nyck Harbor	WR	78	78	SO(RS)	Maryland
2	Ty Robinson	WR	76	76	SR(RS)	Colorado
1	Justin Bowick	WR	76	76	SR	Georgia
85	Philip Onwualu	WR	74	74	FR	Alabama
10	JaMarion McDougle	WR	72	72	JR	Florida
89	Barry Poutasi	WR	64	64	FR	Indiana
39	Xavier Simpson	WR	63	63	SR(RS)	Indiana
16	RJ Mukes III	WR	59	59	SO(RS)	Ohio
88	Tanner Koziol	TE	89	89	SR	Illinois
87	Christian Abney	TE	74	74	JR	Indiana
44	Maximus Webster	TE	73	73	JR(RS)	Indiana
45	Max Sulivan	TE	68	68	JR(RS)	Indiana
83	Theo Hrynkiewicz	TE	67	67	SO	Ohio
86	Marvin Mooney	TE	64	64	FR	Tennessee
77	Taran Tyo	T	83	83	JR(RS)	Ohio
65	Anthony Okine	T	67	67	FR	Indiana
69	Carl Poyer	T	70	70	FR	Michigan
78	Yaser Al-Awadi	T	68	68	JR(RS)	Illinois
66	Chris Hood	T	68	68	JR(RS)	Indiana
73	Antonio Cheeks	T	67	67	FR	Kentucky
79	Austin Payton	T	63	63	FR(RS)	Indiana
71	Kevin Meeder	G	76	76	SR(RS)	Pennsylvania
70	Tristian Cook	G	75	75	SO(RS)	Kentucky
57	Eli Freeman	G	70	70	SO(RS)	Tennessee
75	Zach Bandy	G	66	66	FR(RS)	Indiana
56	Isaac Lucas	C	72	72	SO(RS)	Ohio
#	DEFENSE	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
72	Cody Smith	C	70	70	SO(RS)	California
50	Logan Wilber	C	65	65	SO	Kentucky
76	Arkel Anugwom	G	73	73	FR(RS)	Tennessee
60	Jaden Rasmussen	G	70	70	FR	Indiana
61	Luke Dalton	G	65	65	JR(RS)	Illinois
43	Danny Royster	DE	71	71	JR(RS)	Indiana
98	Scott Humphries	DE	71	71	FR	Kentucky
41	Ben Marsh	DE	68	68	SO	Ohio
99	Dakari Frazier	DE	74	74	JR(RS)	Ohio
91	Brenan Vernon	DE	74	74	FR(RS)	Ohio
94	Barry Hockenson	DE	65	65	FR	Michigan
47	Drew Hughes	DT	72	72	SR(RS)	Illinois
92	Keion Mitchell	DT	72	72	JR(RS)	Massachusetts
88	Kyran Montgomery	DT	70	70	JR	Indiana
97	Devin Lund	DT	69	69	FR	Missouri
90	L'Cier Luter	DT	68	68	SR(RS)	Michigan
6	Caden Johnson	LB	76	76	JR(RS)	Kentucky
49	Justin Thomas	LB	70	70	SR	Illinois
31	DeJuan Echoles Jr	LB	68	68	JR(RS)	Indiana
18	Jackson Wiegold	LB	72	72	SR(RS)	Illinois
17	Tucker Foster	LB	65	65	FR	Indiana
21	Joey Stemler	MLB	75	75	SR(RS)	Ohio
51	Ethan Evers	MLB	73	73	SO(RS)	Indiana
59	Jackson Constantine	MLB	59	59	JR(RS)	Indiana
12	Thailand Baldwin	CB	83	83	SR(RS)	Virginia
30	Jalon Jones	CB	78	78	JR(RS)	Illinois
26	Myles Norwood	CB	77	77	SR(RS)	Missouri
28	Blair Schonhorst	CB	77	77	JR(RS)	Missouri
20	Willizhuan Yates	CB	76	76	FR(RS)	Ohio
1	Kiael Kelly	CB	75	75	SR(RS)	Florida
10	Jahmad Harmon	CB	74	74	JR(RS)	Indiana
24	Jordan Davis	CB	72	72	FR(RS)	Tennessee
8	JP Kitchings	CB	69	69	FR	Michigan
15	Eric McClain	CB	67	67	FR(RS)	Illinois
23	Jordan Suggs	CB	64	64	FR(RS)	Illinois
11	Isaiah Thacker	FS	79	79	SO(RS)	Indiana
25	Elijah Davis	FS	76	76	SO(RS)	Indiana
3	DD Snyder	SS	73	73	SR(RS)	Florida
45	Cole Earlewine	SS	69	69	SO(RS)	Indiana
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
16	AJ Taylor	SS	67	67	SR(RS)	Missouri
22	Devin Teague	SS	66	66	FR	Ohio
96	Jackson Courville	K	79	79	JR	Ohio
98	Carson Holmer	P	77	77	JR(RS)	Indiana

Ball State Cardinals 2025 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Aug 30	at #6 Notre Dame
Sep 6	vs Bye
Sep 13	vs Toledo Rockets
Sep 20	vs UConn Huskies
Sep 27	at Western Michigan Broncos
Oct 4	vs Eastern Michigan Eagles
Oct 11	at Buffalo Bulls
Oct 18	vs Bye
Oct 25	at #7 Indiana Hoosiers
Nov 1	at Miami University RedHawks
Nov 8	vs Ohio Bobcats
Nov 15	at Northern Illinois Huskies
Nov 22	vs Kent State Golden Flashes
Nov 29	vs Akron Zips

[tobin834]

Alright gone for a few days here, just catching up. Very excited about Ball State. Really like the Inside the Chirp logo. Did you get the draft results by going through all the teams and looking at their players or am I missing a feature somewhere? Great start!!

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Ball State 2025 Pre-Season Recruiting

Muncie, IN. - As the Ball State Cardinals gear up for the 2025 season, the program faces a pivotal moment with 17 seniors set to graduate. Head coach Nash Savage, entering his first season at the helm, has laid out a clear vision: dominate the trenches and infuse speed across the roster.

“When you play fast, you wear the opponent out—period,” Savage stated emphatically during an offseason press conference. “That’s what we’ve built our offensive game plan around and how we intend to attack opponents on a weekly basis.”

Savage’s philosophy is generating buzz within the program, but it has yet to fully translate into significant recruiting wins. The Cardinals’ 2025 recruiting board currently features 30 targets, primarily from local pipelines in Indiana and neighboring states. While staying local reflects the program's practical strategy, Savage has demonstrated a willingness to expand his recruiting reach, even attempting to lure talent from his home state of Alaska.

Among those efforts was a bid for Doug Tyms, a 4-star wide receiver from Alaska. Despite Savage’s connection to Tyms, the player’s current focus on joining a championship contender has kept Ball State out of serious contention.

“I did speak with Doug,” Savage shared. “He’s prioritizing landing on a championship-caliber program above all else. If that stance changes, he’s absolutely someone we’d want here in Muncie. I never had the chance to coach him directly, but he’s a fierce competitor and always gave my defenses problems in our matchups.”

The headliner on Ball State’s recruiting wish list is Carl Takeoff, a 4-star linebacker from Creston, Ohio. Takeoff represents an ambitious target for Savage, as the standout linebacker is being heavily pursued by Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” Savage remarked. “We can’t say we’re all about bringing in talent to boost our squad, then not go out and target guys in our area. We might not always win against the big boys, but we’re here to change minds and attitudes at the same time.”

While Takeoff’s recruitment will be a long shot, the Cardinals have a more realistic path with two middle linebackers, George Hurt (3-star, Ohio) and Matthew Scroggins (3-star, Utah), who top their board. Both players fit Savage’s blueprint for physical, hard-nosed defenders who can anchor the team’s efforts in the coming years.

In line with Savage’s emphasis on trench play, 13 of Ball State’s 30 early targets are offensive or defensive linemen. This commitment underscores the Cardinals’ strategic priority: building a team that can win at the line of scrimmage, a critical element for sustained success in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Savage’s approach reflects a dual focus on immediate impact and long-term culture change. By targeting high-profile recruits like Takeoff and maintaining a pipeline of foundational players for the trenches, the Cardinals aim to elevate their recruiting profile and competitive ceiling. While the results may not be immediate, Savage’s vision could set the stage for a brighter future in Muncie.



Ball State Recruiting Rankings - 2025
Championship Contender: D- (131st)
Program Tradition: D+ (110th)
Campus Lifestyle: C-(130th)
Stadium Atmosphere: D-(132nd)
Pro Potential: C+(71st)
Brand Exposure D-(122nd)
Academic Presitge: C (85th)
Conference Prestige: C-(11th)
Coach Stability: D+(103rd)
Coach Prestige: C-(92nd)
Athletic Facilities: D+ (108th)

[redsox907]

Quote: Originally Posted by tobin834

Alright gone for a few days here, just catching up. Very excited about Ball State. Really like the Inside the Chirp logo. Did you get the draft results by going through all the teams and looking at their players or am I missing a feature somewhere? Great start!!

Thanks man! I found it trolling google for a "Chirp Chirp" banner and liked this better. I found a couple I'll keep rotating depending on the type of update, but the inside the chirp is definitely my favorite

And unfortunately, you aren't missing anything. I start at Air Force and tab each school to get individual results

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2025 Week One Preview

Matchup Preview *|* August 30, 2025
	@
Ball State Cardinals (0-0, Away)		#6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-1, Home)
Game Notes South Bend, IN. - When the 2025 season schedules were unveiled, even the most optimistic Cardinals fans would have struggled to believe Ball State could challenge the reigning National Champion Fighting Irish. However, after Boise State lit up the Irish defense for 49 points, many Cardinals supporters are channeling the famous Dumb and Dumber line: “So you’re saying there’s a chance?” The Broncos stormed into Notre Dame Stadium and quickly jumped to a 21-point lead. Though the Irish fought back with a 32-13 run across the second and third quarters, quarterback Mark Madsen and the Broncos surged in the fourth, scoring 15 points to Notre Dame’s three, sealing a shocking upset (49-42) on opening weekend. Madsen dismantled the Irish defense, throwing for 355 yards, six touchdowns, and completing 65% of his passes. His performance exposed vulnerabilities in Notre Dame’s secondary, a weakness the Cardinals and quarterback Kadin Semonza will likely aim to exploit early and often. Despite this upset, most analysts still expect Notre Dame to bounce back in dominant fashion with a decisive win over Ball State. But if the Cardinals can hold their own offensively, it could build valuable momentum as they prepare for MAC play in two weeks.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Depth Chart - 2025
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR Jaden Greathouse (83)	SO Cam Williams (77)	FR Randy Lake (74)
TE	SR Eli Raridon (85)	JR Cooper Flanagan (83)	FR(RS) Jack Larsen (75)
LT	SO Charles Jagusah (87)	FR(RS) Guerby Lambert (76)
LG	JR Billy Schrauth (86)	SO Sam Pendleton (80)
C	SR Pat Coogan (87)	SO(RS) Ashton Craig (81)
RG	SR Rocco Spindler (82)	FR(RS) Peter Jones (80)
RT	FR(RS) Styles Prescod (80)	FR Rakkim Fuller (76)
WR	SR Jayden Thomas (83)	JR Jordan Faison (81)	FR(RS) Micah Gilbert (75)
QB	JR Steve Angeli (79)	FR(RS) Kenny Minchey (79)
FB	SR Sedrick Hatcher (68)
HB	JR Jeremiyah Love (91)	JR Gi'Bran Payne (84)	SO Kedren Young (79)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR Joshua Burnham (86)	SR Junior Tuihalamaka (83)
LDT	JR Donovan Hinish (81)	FR(RS) Sean Sevillano Jr (74)
RDT	SR Jason Onye (80)	FR Antuan Major (76)
RDE	SO Boubacar Traore (83)	FR(RS) Loghan Thomas (81)
WLB	JR(RS) Sonny Styles (86)	JR Jaylen Sneed (83)
MLB	SO Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (83)	FR John Bunch (74)
SLB	SO Jaiden Ausberry (80)	SO Kahanu Kia (75)
CB	JR Christian Gray (88)	SO Leonard Moore (82)	FR(RS) Karson Hobbs (73)
SS	SO Jason Helton (84)	SO Adon Shuler (84)
FS	JR Caleb Downs (96)	FR(RS) Ben Minich (78)
CB	SR(RS) Theran Johnson (86)	JR(RS) Chance Tucker (79)	FR(RS) Karson Hobbs (73)

MAC Week 1 Schedule
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Eastern Michigan @ Texas State
Miami (OH) @ Wisconsin
Ohio @ Rutgers
Western Michigan @ Michigan State
Wyoming @ Akron
Ashland University (D2) @ Kent State
Toledo @ Kentucky
Central Michigan @ San Jose State

Notable Week 1 Matchups
#10 South Carolina @ #19 Louisville
#4 Texas @ #3 Ohio State
#9 Ole Miss @ USC
#18 Syracuse @ #5 Tennessee
#8 Alabama @ Florida State
#25 LSU @ #14 Clemson
#16 Duke @ #22 Iowa State

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Turnovers Doom Cardinals In Season Opener


One of three Irish interceptions on Kadin Semonza that killed any chance of a Cardinals upset.

Ball State Cardinals at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Aug 30, 2025 1 2 3 4 F BALL (0-0) 0 7 0 13 20 #6 ND (0-1) 3 17 3 3 26 Top Performers PASS: ND Steve Angeli - 19/28, 253 Yds, TD, INT RUSH: BSU Qian Magwood - 19 Att, 106 Yds, 2 TD REC: BSU Nyck Harbor - 11 Rec, 84 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL ND First Downs 19 12 3rd Down Efficiency 8/16 1/9 4th Down Efficiency 4/4 0/0 Total Yards 430 364 Passing Yards 220 253 Rushing Yards 31 - 145 17 - 52 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3 - 20 1 - 10 Turnovers 4 1 Time of Possession 27:33 16:27
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL ND 6:33 (ND) Zac Yoakam, 50 Yd FG 0 3 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL ND 7:10 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 8 Yd Run 7 3 5:40 (ND) Donovan Hinish, Returned Interception 30 Yds 7 10 0:30 (ND) Zac Yoakam, 26 Yd FG 7 13 0:04 (ND) Eli Raridon, 16 Yd Pass From Steve Angeli 7 20 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL ND 8:41 (ND) Zac Yoakam, 51 Yd FG 7 23 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL ND 10:57 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 2 Yd Run (Failed 2OT) 13 23 2:36 (ND) Zac Yoakam, 44 Yd FG 13 26 1:20 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 47 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 20 26
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 23/36 220 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Qian Magwood 19 106 5.5 2 Kadin Semonza 11 42 3.8 0 Nyck Harbor 1 -3 -3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Nyck Harbor 11 84 7.6 1 Philip Onwualu 5 84 16.8 0 Qian Magwood 3 9 3.0 0 Tanner Koziol 2 19 9.5 0 Ty Robinson 1 17 17.0 0 Christian Davis 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Carl Poyer 4 0 Taran Tyo 4 1 Isaac Lucas 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Joey Stemler 9 1 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Myles Norwood 8 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Cole Earlewine 4 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Keion Mitchell 3 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Thailand Baldwin 2 0 1 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Devin Lund 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Dakari Frazier 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/1 2/2 2 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 3 125 41.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 19 19.0 0 JaMarion McDougle 3 35 11.6 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 2 11 5.5 0 Notre Dame Fighting Irish PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Steve Angeli 19/28 253 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jeremiyah Love 10 86 8.6 0 Steve Angeli 7 -34 -4.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jayden Thomas 5 61 12.2 0 Jaden Greathouse 4 103 25.7 0 Jordan Faison 3 33 11.0 0 Jeremiyah Love 3 8 2.6 0 Eli Raridon 2 29 14.5 1 Cam Williams 1 11 11.0 0 Cooper Flanagan 1 8 8.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Rocco Spindler 6 0 Charles Jagusah 3 1 Pat Coogan 0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD DT Donovan Hinish 12 3 (5TFL) 1 1 FS Caleb Downs 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Jason Helton 8 0 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Sonny Styles 8 0 (3TFL) 0 0 CB Christian Gray 7 0 (1TFL) 1 0 SS Adon Shuler 3 0 1 0 DE Boubacar Traore 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Zac Yoakam 4/5 2/2 14 52 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Daniel Bequette 3 95 31.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kedren Young 1 16 16.0 0 Kaseem Lett 1 13 13.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kedren Young 3 28 9.3 0

LEFT - Semonza almost overthrew former trackstar Nyck Harbor on this 47 yard TD late in the 4th Q.
CENTER - Donovan Hinish was a menace for the Irish tallying 3 sacks and the rare "big man" pick six.
RIGHT - Thailand Baldwin skying for the 4th Q INT to keep Ball State within 10 points of the Irish.

South Bend, IN. - The Ball State Cardinals opened their 2025 season with a gritty performance against the reigning National Champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish, ultimately falling short 26-20 in South Bend. Despite the loss, the Cardinals showed resilience and potential under first-year head coach Nash Savage.

Sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza’s rollercoaster outing defined the game. While his 19-yard scramble and clutch passes set up two touchdowns for converted running back Qian Magwood, Semonza’s four turnovers—including a pick-six by Notre Dame’s Donovan Hinish—proved costly.

The Cardinals defense, led by senior linebacker Joey Stemler and cornerback Thailand Baldwin, kept the game within reach by forcing key stops and an interception in the second half. Notre Dame kicker Zac Yoakam was instrumental, accounting for 12 of the Irish’s points with four field goals.

Ball State’s offense came alive late, highlighted by a 47-yard bomb to former South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who hauled in 11 catches on the day. However, the Cardinals’ comeback bid fell short after an interception by Notre Dame’s Christian Gray sealed the game in the final minute.

“No one expected us to be in this game,” said Coach Savage. “To have a lead in the second quarter and come within a few plays of an upset against the national champs speaks volumes about our team’s fight.”

With a bye week ahead, the Cardinals now shift focus to their MAC opener against Toledo, eager to build on a performance that showcased their potential for the season.

Mac Results Week 1

37 Buffalo (1-0) @ Minnesota (0-1) 31
16 Eastern Michigan (0-1) @ Texas State (1-0) 28
38 Miami (OH) (1-0) @ Wisconsin (0-1) 34
31 Ohio (1-0) @ Rutgers (0-1) 13
15 Western Michigan (0-1) @ Michigan State (1-0) 23
17 Wyoming (0-1) @ Akron (1-0) 29
17 Ashford @ Kent State (1-0) 21
43 Toledo (1-0) @ Kentucky (0-1) 41
14 Central Michigan (0-1) @ San Jose State (1-0) 21

NCAA Notable Results Week 1
34 #7 South Carolina (1-0) @ Louisville (0-1) 14
8 #12 Texas @ #1 Ohio State (1-0) 24
14 #20 Ole Miss (0-1) @ USC (1-0) 35
10 #25 Syracuse (0-1) @ #4 Tennessee (1-0) 17
24 #6 Alabama (1-0) @ Florida State (0-1) 14
42 #18 LSU (1-0) @ #21 Clemson (0-1) 25
7 #24 Duke (0-1) @ #16 Iowa State (1-0) 31

[Deuce2223]

Not bad for your 1st game especially going up against a Top-25 rated team..