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

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

Horrible draw in the seeding. You get to take on a Oregon squad that dropped 70 in the 1st Round.. Going to be a offensive shootout for sure.

I expected a 70-68 type of game lol, but was pleasantly surprised. The road keeps getting tougher...now we've got Bama..

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

2026 College Football Playoff Semifinal Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 9, 2027
	@
#5 Ball State Cardinals (14-0, Away)		#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2, Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 546.4 Total Offensive Yards 422.2 349.6 Passing Yards 310.0 196.7 Rushing Yards 99.4 53.7 Points Per Game 36.7 Defensive Stats Comparison 369.2 Total Yards Allowed 355.7 315.8 Passing Yards Allowed 250.3 53.4 Rushing Yards Allowed 105.3 64 Sacks 33 17 Interceptions 20 25.7 Points Per Game 24.0 Injury Report FS Keon Sabb (91) Compound Foot Fracture (2 Weeks) C Parker Brialsford (88) Broken Collarbone (6 Weeks) Game Notes New Orleans, LA – Ball State delivered a defensive masterpiece in last week’s thrilling overtime victory against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. However, the challenge ahead is even steeper as the Cardinals head to the Caesars Superdome for a Sugar Bowl showdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide. With the game taking place in New Orleans, the Tide will enjoy what feels like a home-field advantage in this high-stakes matchup. This Alabama team, while still dominant, has a different identity than past iterations. The Crimson Tide boasts the second-ranked offense in the nation, but their defense has shown cracks, ranking near the bottom in total yards allowed. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan, who finished as the Heisman runner-up to Semonza, is determined to lead Alabama back to the National Championship for the first time since the departure of legendary coach Nick Saban. The question is whether Ball State’s Cardinals can summon another extraordinary defensive effort to contain Alabama’s high-octane attack. Will the magic of their miraculous season continue, or has the clock struck midnight on their Cinderella run? All eyes will be on New Orleans to find out.

Alabama Crimson Tide 91/91/91 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR Jeremiah Smith (93)	SR Jalen Hale (86)	FR Anthony Wilcox (75)
TE	SO(RS) Jay Lindsey (86)	SR(RS) Danny Lewis Jr (80)	JR(RS) Ty Lockwood (77)
LT	JR(RS) Kadyn Proctor (92)	JR(RS) Miles McVay (86)
LG	JR(RS) Qlaus Alinen (86)	FR(RS) Trey Cosmi (79)
C	JR(RS) Roq Montgomery (79)	JR(RS) Miles McVay (86)
RG	SO Trevor Freeman (81)	SO(RS) William Sanders (77)
RT	JR Casey Poe (83)	JR(RS) Wilkin Formby (83)
WR	JR Ryan Williams (94)	JR(RS) Cole Adams (88)	FR Steve Senior (78)
QB	JR(RS) Dylan Lonergan (85)	SR(RS) Ethan Vasko (84)
HB	JR(RS) Richard Young (89)	JR(RS) Jadarian Price (86)	SO(RS) Andre Devine (78)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR Dylan Stewart (86)	SO(RS) Jeremiah Beaman (86)
LDT	JR(RS) Edric Hill (86)	FR(RS) Terrelle Vickerson (80)
RDT	SO Jon DuVall (79)	SR(RS) Nick James (77)
RDE	SO(RS) Delbert Thompson (83)	SR(RS) Anto Saka (86)
WLB	JR(RS) Keon Keeley (86)	JR(RS) Qua Russaw (85)
MLB	SO George Ybarra (88)	JR(RS) Ty Lee (82)
SLB	SR(RS) Jeremiah Alexander (84)	SO(RS) Cayden Jones (81)
CB	JR Zabien Brown (90)	SO(RS) Zavier Mincey (86)	SR Chance Rucker (82)
SS	SR King Mack (82)	JR(RS) Kameron Howard (79)
FS	JR(RS) Kamari Wilson (87)	JR(RS) Bray Hubbard (82)
CB	SO(RS) Jaylen Mbakwe (86)	JR Mario Buford (83)	SR Chance Rucker (82)

Alabama Crimson Tide Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Dylan Lonergan	299/438 (68%)	4,206	9.6	300.4	91	45	5	180.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Richard Young	178	778	4.4	33	11	6	55.6	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Jeremiah Smith	74	1,235	16.7	11	78	4	88.2	507
Ryan Williams	67	1,008	15.0	12	72	5	72.0	409
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB George Ybarra	78	12	90	0.5	1	5	0	0
DE Dylan Stewart	28	8	36	10	7	0	0	0
DT Terrelle Vickerson	25	10	35	7.5	3	0	0	0
CB Jaylen Mbakwe	48	9	57	0.5	0	6	8	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 9, 2027
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#14 South Carolina Gamecocks (12-3, Away)		#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-2, Home)

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

Turnovers Doom Cardinals In Offensive Showcase

Ball State Cardinals at Alabama Crimson Tide
Jan 9, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #5 BALL (14-0) 22 7 10 14 53 #2 ALA (12-2) 7 28 13 10 58 Top Performers PASS: ALA Dylan Longergan - 20/33, 437 Yds, 6 TD, INT RUSH: BAMA Richard Young - 14 Att, 129 Yds REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 7 Rec, 295 Yds, 4 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL ALA First Downs 23 19 3rd Down Efficiency 6/12 3/10 4th Down Efficiency 1/3 1/1 Total Yards 813 591 Passing Yards 527 437 Rushing Yards 33 - 123 24 - 85 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4 - 35 4 - 31 Turnovers 5 2 Time of Possession 25:11 18:49
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL ALA 10:12 (BALL) Safety 2 0 4:17 (BALL) Christian Davis, 1 Yd run 9 0 0:43 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 63 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 16 0 0:30 (ALA) Cole Adams, 89 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan 16 7 0:00 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 80 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza (Missed XP) 22 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL ALA 7:44 (ALA) Jalen Hale, 44 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan 22 14 1:18 (ALA) Jay Lindsey, 15 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan 22 21 0:56 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 18 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 29 21 0:26 (ALA) Coke Adams, 77 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan 29 28 0:14 (ALA) Jaylen Mbakwe, Returned Interception 41 Yds 29 35 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL ALA 7:40 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 37 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 36 35 6:46 (ALA) Jeremiah Smith, 36 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan (Failed 2PT) 36 41 4:02 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 37 Yd FG 39 41 0:18 (ALA) Ryan Williams, 5 Yd Pass From Dylan Lonergan 39 48 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL ALA 9:32 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 54 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 46 48 8:29 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 12 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 53 48 2:07 (ALA) Alani Hu, 29 Yd FG 53 51 1:52 (ALA) Zabien Brown, Returned Fumble 21 Yds 53 58
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 23/33 527 6 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 13 48 3.6 1 Kadin Semonza 12 63 5.2 0 Nick Presley 8 12 1.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 10 173 17.3 2 Nyck Harbor 7 295 42.1 4 Cam Pickett 2 18 9.0 0 Barry Poutasi 2 27 13.5 0 Nick Presley 2 14 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 6 1 Taran Tyo 6 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Elijah Davis 9 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Tawfiq Byard 8 0 1 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 6 0 (2TFL) 0 (FR) 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 5 1.5 (3TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 4 2 (3TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 3 0.5 (3TFL) 0 (FF) 0 DT Jaiden Cameron 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 6/7 9 37 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 37 37.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 4 61 15.2 0 Christian Davis 7 101 14.4 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 2 1 0.5 0 Alabama Crimson Tide PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Dylan Lonergan 20/33 437 6 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Richard Young 14 129 9.2 0 Dylan Lonergan 7 -47 -6.7 0 Jadarian Price 2 3 1.5 0 Jeremiah Smith 1 0 0.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Cole Adams 6 217 36.1 2 Jeremiah Smith 5 84 16.0 1 Ryan Williams 3 18 6.0 1 Jadarian Price 2 44 22.0 0 Richard Young 2 15 7.5 0 Jay Lindsey 1 15 15.0 1 Jalen Hale 1 44 44.0 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Rod Montgomery 14 0 Trevor Freeman 6 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD LB Cayden Jones 14 0 0 0 MLB George Ybarra 13 0 0 0 FS Kamari Wilson 11 0 0 (FF) 0 CB Jaylen Mbakwe 7 0 2 1 SS King Mack 7 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Hunter Osborne 6 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Keon Keeley 6 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Zavien Brown 5 0 1 (FR) 1 DT Terrelle Vickerson 2 0 0 (FF) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Alani Hu 1/1 7/7 10 29 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Karste Gilliam 3 97 32.3 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cole Adams 4 54 13.5 0 Jalen Hale 1 7 7.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cole Adams 1 8 8.0 0

LEFT - Kadin Semonza showing his excitement after setting a new single season passing touchdown record despite the loss.
CENTER - Jaylen Mbakwe was 2nd in the country in interceptions during the regular season and showed why with two interceptions in the waning moments of the 2nd half, including this snag that was returned for a touchdown and Alabama halftime lead.
RIGHT - Ball State's defense started out on fire with two sacks and this safety, but would blow at 16 point 1st quarter lead in the loss.

New Orleans, LA. - In an electrifying 2026 Allstate Sugar Bowl, #2 Alabama edged #5 Ball State 58-53 in a game that showcased offensive fireworks and critical defensive moments. This high-scoring thriller was the offensive showcase many had anticipated from the Fiesta Bowl clash between Oregon and Ball State but ultimately found here instead.

Ball State came out firing, seizing a commanding 22-7 lead in the first quarter. Nyck Harbor stunned Alabama’s defense with touchdown receptions of 63 and 80 yards from Kadin Semonza, while Christian Davis added a one-yard rushing score, and the defense opened the scoring with a safety. Alabama responded with an 89-yard touchdown bomb from Dylan Lonergan to Cole Adams, keeping the Crimson Tide within reach.

The second quarter saw a seismic shift as Alabama exploded for 28 points, with Lonergan throwing touchdown passes to Jalen Hale, Jay Lindsey, and Cole Adams, who added a dazzling 77-yard catch-and-run score. Jaylen Mbakwe’s 41-yard pick-six off Semonza capped the Tide’s surge, sending Alabama into halftime with a 35-29 advantage. Ball State managed a lone second-quarter touchdown—a 17-yard strike to Philip Onwualu—but two interceptions by Mbakwe, including his defensive touchdown, highlighted Alabama’s momentum shift.

The third quarter continued the back-and-forth battle, with Semonza connecting again with Onwualu on a 37-yard touchdown, his record-breaking 63rd passing touchdown of the season. Ball State kicker Jackson Courville added a 37-yard field goal, but Alabama kept the pressure on. Lonergan threw his sixth touchdown pass of the game, a five-yarder to Ryan Williams, capitalizing on a Ball State fumble to give Alabama a narrow 48-39 lead entering the final quarter.

The drama peaked in the fourth quarter as Ball State reclaimed the lead with two more touchdown passes to Nyck Harbor, who finished with four scores and over 295 receiving yards. However, Alabama’s defense turned the tide late. Alani Hu’s 29-yard field goal brought the Tide within two, and Zabien Brown’s 21-yard fumble return for a touchdown gave Alabama the lead with under two minutes to play. Semonza, despite his incredible 527-yard, six-touchdown performance, was intercepted for the third time by Alabama’s defense - Zabien Brown's 2nd turnover in as many drives - on a desperate final drive, sealing the victory.

Ball State amassed an astounding 650 total yards, including 527 through the air, but their five turnovers proved costly. Meanwhile, Alabama relied on Lonergan’s 437-yard, six-touchdown passing display and a defense that forced three second-half turnovers to secure the win. While Alabama celebrated another Sugar Bowl title, Ball State’s magical season—the best in school history—came just short of reaching the program’s first National Championship, leaving fans wondering what might have been.

South Carolina Gamecocks at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jan 9, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#14 South Carolina Gamecocks (12-3)	0	7	0	13	20
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-2)	10	31	7	0	38

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

National Championship & End Of Season Wrap-Up

Alabama Crimson Tide at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jan 18, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Alabama Crimson Tide (14-2)	7	10	21	0	38
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-3)	0	7	0	20	27

Final Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Jan 19, 2026
RK	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	Alabama	14	2
2	Notre Dame	13	3
3	USC	13	1
4	Ball State	14	1
5	Texas	10	3
6	Oregon	13	2
7	San Jose State	10	3
8	South Carolina	12	4
9	Iowa	9	5
10	Utah	11	3
11	Miami	10	4
12	Georgia Tech	8	5
13	Kansas State	9	4
14	Penn State	8	5
15	Oklahoma	9	4
16	Michigan	9	5
17	Georgia	9	5
18	Toledo	10	4
19	Rutgers	10	4
20	Tulane	8	5
21	Kennesaw State	11	3
22	Tennessee	9	4
23	Louisiana	11	3
24	Coastal Carolina	10	4
25	UAB	11	3

Final Bowl Results
Birmingham Bowl: 17 #22 Coastal Carolina vs Virignia 24
Camellia Bowl: 34 #17 Toledo vs #24 Kennesaw State 14
First Responder Bowl: 35 #23 Rutgers vs Florida International 3
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: 31 Arkansas vs Fresno State 39
Military Bowl: 27 UAB vs Syracuse 26
Pop-Tarts Bowl: 30 Missouri vs Virginia Tech 24
Liberty Bowl: 7 Boston College vs TCU 41
Holiday Bowl: 34 Clemson vs Illinois 14
Texas Bowl: 30 #12 Georgia vs SMU 52
Alamo Bowl: 17 #15 Michigan vs #19 Kansas State 24
Fenway Bowl: 35 NC State vs #20 East Carolina 23
Bahamas Bowl: 27 South Alabama vs Louisiana 35
New Mexico Bowl: 21 Texas State vs Utah State 15
68 Ventures Bowl: 34 Northern Illinois vs Liberty 36
Cure Bowl: 30 Bowling Green vs Jacksonville State 16
LA Bowl: 34 Wisconsin vs UNLV 31
Frisco Bowl: 20 Marshall vs USF 28
Las Vegas Bowl: 13 Texas A&M vs Ohio State 42
Myrtle Beach Bowl: 18 Troy vs Buffalo 21
Boca Raton Bowl: 41 West Virginia vs Charlotte24
Detroit Bowl: 35 Minnesota vs Central Michigan 21
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: 28 Washington State vs Nevada 10
Armed Forces Bowl: 13 Louisana Tech vs Colorado State 24
New Orleans Bowl: 19 #18 Tulane vs Arizona 27
Independence Bowl: 17 BYU vs #25 Iowa State 24
Gasparilla Bowl: 21 Kansas vs UTSA 24
Hawaii Bowl: 17 UCLA vs Oregon State 41
Gator Bowl: 35 #21 Tennessee vs Baylor 27
Duke's Mayo Bowl: 20 Colorado vs Tulsa 28
Sun Bowl: 48 UCF vs Ole Miss 30
Reliaquest Bowl: 28 #13 Penn State vs #16 Oklahoma 31
Citrus Bowl: 20 Boise State vs Kentucky 41
Arizona Bowl: 8 Miami (OH) vs Rice 30
Music City Bowl: 44 LSU vs Michigan State 42

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

Ball State End Of Season Statistics

Ball State Cardinals Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Kadin Semonza	261/359 (72%)	5,344	14.9	356.3	86	65	14	249.6
Chase Harrison	2/2	78	39.0	7.8	67	1	0	592.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Christian Davis	218	1,641	7.5	46	16	19	109.4	3
Kadin Semonza	171	840	4.9	25	5	14	56.0	5
Nick Presley	82	352	4.3	21	1	2	23.5	1
Aidan Laugherty	16	49	3.1	8	0	1	49.0	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Nyck Harbor	58	2,566	44.2	39	86	5	171.1	937
Philip Onwualu	112	1,863	16.6	23	83	3	124.2	1,949
Cam Pickett	28	260	9.3	0	18	3	17.3	91
Nick Presley	15	180	12.0	0	28	2	12.0	82
Theo Hrynkiewicz	14	166	11.9	1	25	1	11.1	45
Christian Davis	17	155	9.1	1	26	0	10.3	170
Barry Poutasi	11	143	13.0	2	25	2	10.2	98
JaMarion McDougle	3	49	16.3	0	20	0	3.3	9
Marvin Mooney	3	34	11.3	0	23	0	2.3	0
Blocking					PCAKE		SACK
Carl Poyer					-		12
Eli Freeman					-		7
Taran Tyo					-		4
Cody Smith					-		3
Arkel Anugwom					0		1
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
SS Tawfiq Byard	59	57	116	8	23	6 (FF)	3	1
FS Isaiah Thacker	41	63	104	1	7	8	0 (FR)	0
CB Blair Schonhorst	45	41	86	4	13	10	4 (FR)	0
LB Ethan Evers	31	43	74	7	16	4 (2FF)	2 (FR)	0
FS Elijah Davis	29	45	74	1.5	6	6	1	0
SS Devin Teague	32	39	71	0.5	4	2 (FF)	1	0
MLB Dalton Townsel	33	36	69	5.5	18	3	1	1
CB Jalon Jones	27	33	60	0	3	7	1	0
CB Willizhuan Yates	16	32	48	0	0	2	2	1
CB Kaleb Purdy	14	29	43	0	1	11	3	2
LB Caden Johnson	20	18	38	6	17	1 (FF)	0	0
DE Kenneth Merrieweather	18	20	38	14	22	0	0	0
DT Jaiden Cameron	10	25	35	4	11	0	0 (FR)	1
DE Cameron Jones	11	15	26	6	12	0	0	0
DE Scott Humphries	7	15	22	7	10	0	0	0
DE Dakari Frazier	6	14	20	3.5	9	1	0	0
LB Dejuan Echoles Jr	6	9	15	1	1	0	0	0
MLB JaMichael Tabor	5	6	11	0	1	0	0	0
DT Brenan Vernon	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	0
	Kickoffs					Punts
Returning	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	RET	AVG	TD
Philip Onwualu	31	517	16.7	41	0	43	9.8	2
Christian Davis	39	614	15.7	0	0
	Field Goals				Extra Points
Kicking	FGM	FGA	PCT	LONG	XPM	XPA	PCT	PTS
Jackson Courville	10	10	100	47	107	109	98	137
Punting	PUNTS	YDS	LONG	AVG	NET	BP	IN20	TB
Carson Holmer	20	811	47	40.5	734	0	1	2

Records Set In 2026:
Nyck Harbor - NCAA/MAC/Ball State Career Receiving Touchdowns - 63
Nyck Harbor - MAC/Ball State Career Receiving Yards - 4,272
Kadin Semonza - MAC/Ball State Career Passing Touchdowns - 123
Nyck Harbor - NCAA/MAC/Ball State Single Season Receiving Yardage - 2,566
Kadin Semonza - NCAA/MAC/Ball State Single Season Passing Touchdowns - 65
Nyck Harbor - NCAA/MAC/Ball State Single Season Receiving Touchdowns - 39
Kadin Semonza - MAC/Ball State Single Season Passing Yards - 5,344
Philip Onwualu - Ball State Single Season Receptions - 112
Kenneth Merrieweather - Ball State Single Season Sacks - 14

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

Coaching Carousel 2026

Akron - Eli Babers (CPU) FIRED // Mike Norvell (Florida State) HIRED
Arizona - Brent Brennan LEFT // Sean Lewis HIRED
Arizona State - Brad Mixon FIRED // Elijah Drinkwitz (Stanford) HIRED
Auburn -* Hugh Freeze FIRED // Jeff Traylor (UTSA) HIRED
Buffalo - Peter Lembo LEFT // Charles Huff (Purdue) HIRED
Cal - Justin Wilcox FIRED // Dean Boykins (CPU - Colorado State) HIRED
Coastal Carolina - Pat Nadruzzi LEFT // Jay Sawvel (Wyoming) HIRED
Colorado State - Dean Boykins LEFT (CPU Stanford) // Hayden Oordt (CPU) HIRED
East Carolina - Mark Stoops LEFT // Willie Fritz (Houston) HIRED
Florida State - Mike Norvell FIRED // Tim Skipper (Nebraska) HIRED
Hawaii - Timmy Chang FIRED //GRIGGS (CPU) HIRED
Houston - Willie Fritz FIRED // Biff Poggi (South Alabama) HIRED
James Madison - Tyrone Blum LEFT // Michael Scherer (UNLV DC) HIRED
Kent State - Sonny Cumbie FIRED // KAMARA (CPU) HIRED
Louisiana - JJ Marler LEFT // Jim L Mora (UConn) HIRED
Louisiana Tech - Denario Blunt LEFT // Thomas Hammock (NIU) HIRED
Northern Illinois - Thomas Hammock LEFT // Justin Wilcox (Cal) HIRED
NC State - Dave Doeren LEFT* // Andy Avalos (TCU DC) HIRED
Nebraska - Tim Skipper LEFT // Brent Brennan (Arizona) HIRED
North Texas - Alex Golesh FIRED // Mario Cristobal (Oklahoma) HIRED
Oklahoma - Mario Cristobal FIRED // Dave Doeren (NC State) HIRED
Oklahoma State - Brent Pry FIRED // Greg Schiano (Rutgers) HIRED
Purdue - Charles Huff FIRED // JJ Marler (CPU) HIRED
Rutgers - Greg Schiano LEFT // Kemani Durant (CPU) HIRED
Sam Houston - KC Keeler LEFT // Jonathan Smith (USF) HIRED
San Diego State - Sean Lewis FIRED // Hugh Freeze (Auburn) HIRED
South Alabama - Biff Poggi LEFT // Antoine Westerman (CPU) HIRED
South Carolina - Shane Beamer LEFT // Pat Nadruzzi (Coastal Carolina) HIRED
Stanford - Elijah Drinkwitz LEFT // Mark Stoops (East Carolina) HIRED
Texas State - Dean Kennedy LEFT // GJ Kinne (Tulsa) HIRED
Toledo - Josh Genus (CPU) LEFT // Blake Harrell (ECU DC) HIRED
Troy - Gerad Parker FIRED // KC Keeler (Sam Houston) HIRED
UL Monroe - Bryant Vincent FIRED // Jermaine Peter (CPU) HIRED
UConn - Jim L More LEFT // Mick Ramsour (CPU) HIRED
USF - Jonathan Smith LEFT // Timmy Chang (Hawaii) HIRED
UTSA - Jeff Traylor LEFT // Peter Lembo (Buffalo) HIRED
Western Michigan - Tim Chamberlin (CPU) LEFT // Willie Shor (CPU) HIRED
Washington - Jedd Fisch FIRED // Shane Beamer (South Carolina) HIRED
Wyoming - Jay Sawvel FIRED // Gerad Parker (Troy) HIRED

The biggest shock of the coaching carousel in 2026 was the decision by Oklahoma to part ways with Mario Cristobal after only two years in Norman. Despite a 9-4 finish on the season, an improvement from a 6-7 1st season, the brass at Oklahoma see it was championship or bust and opted to send the former Hurricane coach packing. NC State's Dave Doeren was brought in to jump start the program, a puzzling decision after Doeren's Wolfpack struggled this season after making the CFP in 2025.

Washington was rumored to be in the running for Ball State HC Nash Savage, but the 2nd year coach reportedly stuck to his decision to forgo moving closer to his home state of Alaska, informing the Huskies of his decision to stay in Muncie before the start of the College Football Playoff.

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

2026 NFL Draft Results

*No Ball State players selected despite 30 graduations*
Alabama WR Ryan Williams (94) - 1st Round
Alabama WR Jeremiah Smith (93) - 1st Round
Alabama T Kadyn Proctor (92) - 1st Round
Clemson WR Tyler Brown (91) - 1st Round
Clemson CB Avieon Terrell (90) - 1st Round
Colorado T Jordan Seaton (95) - 1st Round
Colorado State QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (86) - 7th Round
Duke QB Maalik Murphy (89) - 3rd Round
Georgia WR London Humphreys (94) - 1st Round
Georgia CB Julian Humphrey (88) - 3rd Round
Indiana DT Tyrique Tucker (87) - 3rd Round
Iowa State HB Carson Hansen (92) -1st Round
Kansas State QB Avery Johnson (90) - 1st Round
Kansas State DE Tobi Osunsanmi (89) - 3rd Round
Liberty DE TJ Bush JR (90) - 2nd Round
Louisiana HB Bill Davis (88) - 4th Round
Minnesota HB Darius Taylor (96) - 1st Round
NC State QB Alonza Barnett III (91) - 1st Round
Oregon DE Matayo Uiagalelei (88) -4th Round
Oregon QB Dante Moore (87) - 7th Round
SMU QB Kevin Jennings (88) - 4th Round
Syracuse LaQuint Allen (90) - 2nd Round
Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava (91) - 1st Round
UAB QB Jalen Kitna (89) - 2nd Round
UNLV HB Jai'Den Thomas (87) - 7th Round
USC HB Raleek Brown (91) - 2nd Round
USC FS Kamari Ramsey (90) - 2nd Round

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

Ball State Utilizes Transfer Portal Again - Add 8 Transferees

Muncie, IN. - After Ball State’s remarkable season ended just shy of achieving the ultimate goal—the National Championship—Coach Savage had little time to celebrate. With 30 seniors graduating at season’s end, the second-year head coach entered the offseason with only 10 commitments. Once again, Savage relied heavily on the transfer portal to strengthen the team ahead of the 2027 season, focusing primarily on bolstering the defensive unit.

On the offensive side, Dee Katula stands out as the sole transfer addition, but he’s poised to make a significant impact. Katula’s precision route-running is expected to complement key players Nyck Harbor and Philip Onwualu, helping Ball State maintain offensive momentum when defenses focus on its star duo. “Nyck and Phil have been outstanding, and the numbers speak for themselves,” Savage said. “But when teams key on one—or even both—our offense can stall. Bringing in Dee will keep the chains moving and prevent defenses from locking down on any single player.”

Defensive linemen Jamie Durate (Texas Tech) and Cam Chmura (Marshall) aim to fill the void left by Jaiden Cameron, while cornerbacks Jacobi Oliphant Jr. and Warren Hart look to stabilize a secondary that struggled at times last season and is now without its three starters.

Despite increasing national interest in the program, Ball State still faces challenges in landing top-tier talent, as blue-blood programs remain the preferred choice for many recruits. For instance, former Louisville defensive tackle William Spencer, who initially listed Ball State as his second choice, ultimately chose Notre Dame after visits to Ohio State and South Bend. Similarly, Illinois center TJ McMillen and Toledo tackle Paris Patterson Jr. both opted for Michigan over Ball State. “The perception of our program is improving, but the traditional powerhouses still dominate,” Savage noted. “We need consistent success and regular appearances in the national spotlight to change that.”

However, the Cardinals made significant strides with high school recruits, signing six 4-star players—their highest number since star ratings were introduced—including ESPN Top 300 standout Terrance Madison (#41 overall).

Timote Dove’s recruitment underscores this shifting perception. Initially listing Ball State fifth behind hometown programs Florida State and Miami, Dove had received minimal attention from those schools despite an early scholarship offer. Ball State, on the other hand, remained persistent, maintaining regular communication with Dove, his family, and friends throughout the cycle. When Florida State and Miami made a late push, Ball State’s relentless effort ultimately won him over. “This kind of commitment is becoming our trademark, and I believe we’ll see even more success like this in the future,” Savage said.

In total, Ball State secured the 27th-ranked recruiting class, featuring six 4-star players, 10 3-stars, and eight transfers.

Ball State's 2026 Recruiting Class

	Name	Position	Tendency	Height	Weight	Hometown	National Rating
4*	Terrance Madison	T	Power	6'8	291	Union, KY	41
4*	Greg Vernon	ATH (LB)	Speed Rush	6'1	228	Oak Park, MI	121
4*	Cortez Duval	ATH (HB)	Receiving	5'10	187	Carmel, IN	207
4*	Pat Ruggins	S	Hybrid	6'1	190	West Chester, OH	296
4*	Timote Dove	DT	Run Stop	6'3	298	Jacksonville, FL	317
4*	Titus Awe	ATH (QB)	Scrambler	6'4	203	Attalla, AL	333
3*	Jeremy Maslowski	S	Run Support	6'0	224	Crystal Lake, IL	488
3*	Cooper Mahoney	CB	Man To Man	5'11	177	Hilliard, OH	507
3*	Stephen Hippenhammer	DE	Speed Rush	6'5	253	Madison, GA	522
3*	Jonathan LaCosse	WR	Deep Threat	6'3	192	Dearborn, MI	802
3*	Jimmy Hurns	CB	Man To Man	6'1	173	Virginia Beach, VA	893
3*	Jarrad Ogle	ATH (LB)	Speed Rush	6'2	242	Paintsville, KY	899
3*	Darrelle Stephen	K	Power	6'1	193	Cincinnati, OH	905
3*	Tyler Carraway	G	Agile	6'5	321	Lafayette, IN	1369
3*	Marcus Badie	CB	Man To Man	6'2	171	Flossmoor, IL	1722
3*	Diego Camacho	MLB	Run Stopper	5'11	236	Canton, OH	1816
Transfer	Dee Katula	WR	Route Runner	6'2	175	Oregon State	FR
Transfer	Cam Chmura	DT	Power Rusher	6'3	291	Marshall	SO
Transfer	Jason Cross Jr	S	Zone	6'1	182	Colorado State	SO
Transfer	Jacobi Oliphant Jr	CB	Man To Man	6'4	195	Oklahoma State	SO
Transfer	Warren Hart	CB	Slot	6'2	198	Middle Tennessee	FR
Transfer	Glenn McCord	MLB	Field General	6'3	232	Iowa	FR
Transfer	Kyle Fong	LB	Power Rusher	6'1	253	Army	SO
Trasnfer	Jamie Durate	DE	Power Rusher	6'5	248	Texas Tech	FR
3*	Callum Cleveland	DT	Power Rusher	6'5	301	Dayton, OH *JUCO*	1760
3*	Rashad Bunting	T	Power	6'7	288	Westfield, IN *JUCO*	1647

Transfer Portal Results

Name	Position	Previous School	New School
James Ringo (SO)	G	Florida State	Miami
TJ Capers (JR)	MLB	Louisville	Miami
Damarrion White (SO)	DE	Fresno State	USC
Jordan Lovett (SO)	HB	Troy	Georgia
Noah Dunham (JR)	C	Washington State	Oregon State
DJ Lagway (JR)	QB	Florida	SMU
D'Mon Marble (SO)	SS	Purdue	Clemson
Adonijah Green (JR)	DE	Louisville	Georgia
CJ Ziemann (SO)	SS	Rutgers	Syracuse
Tackett Curtis (JR)	MLB	Wisconsin	LSU
Dallan Hayden (JR)	HB	Colorado	Tennessee
Cayden Bowie (JR)	G	Houston	Alabama
Quay'sheed Scott (JR)	CB	Kentucky	Tennessee
Jaden Platt (JR)	TE	Texas A&M	Texas
Jarvis Durr (JR)	HB	South Alabama	LSU
Marquese Williams (JR)	HB	Akron	Penn State
Will James (JR)	CB	Southern Miss	Tennessee
Cai Bates (SO)	CB	Floirda State	Miami
Trae'von Dunbar (SO)	HB	West Virginia	NC State
William Spencer (SO)	DT	Louisville	Notre Dame
Grant Buckey (JR)	DE	UCLA	Stanford
Jerico Washington Jr (JR)	CB	Clemson	Alabama
TJ McMillen (JR)	C	Illinois	Michigan
Jalen Brown (JR)	WR	Florida State	Miami
Chris Durr Jr (JR)	WR	Wyoming	Ohio State
Patrick Patterson Jr (JR)	T	Toledo	Michigan
Jason Steele (JR)	C	Boise State	UCLA

Top Recruiting Classes - 2026
RK	TEAM	5	4	3	2	1	TOTAL
1	Alabama	8	16	3	0	0	27
2	Oregon	3	29	2	0	0	34
3	Penn State	3	22	8	0	0	33
4	Notre Dame	2	22	10	0	0	34
5	Miami	2	26	5	0	0	33
6	Georgia	2	23	7	0	0	32
7	Oklahoma	1	23	9	0	0	33
8	Texas	1	17	8	0	0	26
9	Ohio State	2	15	8	0	0	25
10	Wisconsin	0	19	16	0	0	35
11	Tennessee	0	18	13	0	0	31
12	Clemson	2	13	10	0	0	25
13	Florida	1	14	17	0	0	32
14	LSU	0	14	17	0	0	31
15	Virginia Tech	0	13	12	1	0	26
16	SMU	0	12	7	11	0	30
17	South Carolina	0	10	13	12	0	35
18	NC State	0	13	21	0	0	34
19	Ole Miss	0	10	22	0	0	32
20	USc	0	10	16	0	0	26
21	Arizona State	1	6	11	13	0	31
22	Syracuse	0	9	20	4	0	33
23	Illinois	0	9	11	1	0	21
24	Texas A&M	0	9	15	0	0	24
25	Auburn	0	10	11	0	0	21

[redsox907]

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

2027 Pre-Season All Americans & Top 25

Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Aug 1, 2027
RK	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	Alabama	91	91	91
2	Texas	89	89	90
3	Miami	86	86	86
4	South Carolina	86	85	87
5	Notre Dame	90	90	90
6	Georgia	91	90	92
7	Georgia Tech	80	80	81
8	Iowa	84	84	85
9	Penn State	86	87	86
10	Oklahoma	88	86	90
11	Michigan	86	86	87
12	Oregon	88	87	90
13	Tennessee	87	87	87
14	Kansas State	83	82	84
15	Utah	85	86	85
16	USC	85	85	85
17	Virginia Tech	84	84	84
18	Wisconsin	85	85	86
19	Ball State	86	87	86
20	Iowa State	84	84	84
21	LSU	86	87	86
22	Kentucky	83	82	84
23	San Jose State	77	75	79
24	Missouri	85	85	85
25	Clemson	86	86	87

NCAA & MAC All Americans

2027 NCAA 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Arch Manning, Texas			Sr.
HB	Jerrick Gibson, Texas			Sr.
HB	Jordan Lyle, Miami			Sr.
WR	TJ Moore, Clemson			Sr.
WR	Ny Carr, Miami			Jr.
WR	Tyler Williams, Minnesota			Sr.
TE	Andrew Rappleyea, Penn State			Jr.
OL	Bo Hughley, Georgia			Sr.
OL	Alex Koerner, Penn State			So.
C	Cooper Cousins, Penn State			Sr.
OL	Isaac McElmurry, Michigan			So.
OL	Kevin Haywood, Wisconsin			Jr.
DL	Dylan Stewart, Alabama			Sr.
DL	Colin Simmons, Texas			Jr.
DL	Josh Horton, Miami			Sr.
DL	Terrance Green, Oregon			Sr.
LB	Qua Russaw, Alabama			Sr.
LB	Sammy Brown, Clemson			Sr.
LB	DaKaari Nelson, Penn State			Sr.
DB	OJ Frederique Jr, Miami			Sr.
DB	Zabien Brown, Alabama			Sr.
DB	Joenel Aguero, Georgia			Sr.
DB	Jaylen McClain, Ohio State			Sr.
P	Tyler White, Texas A&N			Sr.
K	Max Gilbet, Tennessee			Sr.

2027 NCAA 2nd Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Air Nolan, Ohio State			Jr.
HB	Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma			Sr.
HB	Shakim Granger, Miami			So.
WR	Jsohua Trautwein, Ohio State			So.
WR	Cole Adams, Alabama			Sr.
WR	Zion Kearny, Oklahoma			Jr.
TE	Jay Lindsey, Alabama			Jr.
OL	Dennis Folk, Penn State			So.
OL	James Ringo, Miami			Jr.
C	DJ Chester, LSU			Sr.
OL	Ty Chan, Notre Dame			Sr.
OL	Brandon Baker, Texas			Jr.
DL	Jordan Mayer, Penn State			Sr.
DL	Kevin Raimann, Texas			So.
DL	Artavius Jones, Miami			Jr.
DL	Kayden McDonald, Ohio State			Sr.
LB	Joe Phillips, Auburn			Sr.
LB	Randy Willis, Nebraska			Jr.
LB	Cameron Lindsey, Pittsburgh			Jr.
DB	Ellis Robinson IV, Penn State			Sr.
DB	Xavier Lucas, Wisconsin			Jr.
DB	Kylin Jackson, LSU			Sr.
DB	Jason Helton, Notre Dame			Sr.
P	Declan Duley, Illinois			Sr.
K	Kyle Konrady, Iowa State			Sr.

2027 MAC 1ST Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Lucian Anderson III, Bowling Green			Sr.
HB	Lamar Sperling, Buffalo			Sr.
HB	Deion Brown, Eastern Michigan			Sr.
WR	Philip Onwualu, Ball State			Jr.
WR	Duane Wicks, Northern Illinois			So.
WR	Tashi Braceful, Toledo			Jr.
TE	Cory Chabera, Miami (OH)			Jr.
OL	Tyrone Davis, Buffalo			Sr.
OL	Carl Campanaro, Kent State			Jr.
C	Eric Foster, Bowling Green			So.
OL	Tye Scioli, Buffalo			So.
OL	Cole Rhett, Toledo			Sr.
DL	Scott Humphries, Ball State			Jr.
DL	Carlos Hazelwood, Toledo			Jr.
DL	Julias Barnett, Central Michigan			Jr.
DL	Reggie Jean, Northern Illinois			Sr.
LB	Nylan Brown, Kent State			Jr.
LB	Khari Johnson, Central Michigan			Sr.
LB	Alijah Wiliams, Bowling Green			Sr.
DB	Dewayne Gorman, Toledo			So.
DB	Tony Mathis, Ohio			Sr.
DB	Isaiah Thacker, Ball State			Sr.
DB	Larry Yates, Bowling Green			Sr.
P	Ryan Millmore, Western Michigan			Sr.
K	Kellan McLaughlin, Miami (OH)			Sr.

2027 MAC 2nd Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Kadin Semonza, Ball State			Sr.
HB	Rickey Hunt Jr, Ohio			Sr.
HB	Jaylen Poe, Northern Illinois			Sr.
WR	George Dimopoulos, Northern Illinois			Sr.
WR	Zy'marion Lang, Toledo			Jr.
WR	Dashawn Martin, Kent State			Sr.
TE	Theo Hrynkiewicz, Ball State			Jr.
OL	Matt Hofer, Toledo			Jr.
OL	Eli Freeman, Ball State			Sr.
C	Julian Henderson, Bowling Green			Jr.
OL	Johnny Church, Western Michigan			So.
OL	Braylon Smith, Kent State			Sr.
DL	Cameron Jones, Ball State			Jr.
DL	Kenneth Merrieweather, Ball State			Sr.
DL	Wayne Peart II, Toledo			Jr.
DL	Ian Van der Merwe, Bowling Green			Sr.
LB	Jayden Studio, Kent State			Sr.
LB	Cameron Pena, Bowling Green			Jr.
LB	Ethan Evers, Ball State			Sr.
DB	Nicholas Deloach Jr, Bowling Green			Sr.
DB	Jaion Jackson, Central Michigan			Sr.
DB	Tracy Revels, Bowling Green			Sr.
DB	Anthony Stewart, Toledo			So.
P	Joseph Castle, Akron			Sr.
K	Viliami Yoo, Eastern Michigan			Jr.

[Deuce2223]

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

Despite losing, still looked/sounded like a fun game to play.

It's interesting that Washington made a run at Coach Savage. Both the Huskies and Trojans are making offers to Coach Miller. Both rosters are loaded and I am sure playing in front of 60,000 fans in the Bg Ten would be more exciting then 16,000 in CUSA.

What would be your dream list of schools you would like to potentially take.

I know me even though i have plans to keeps ties to FIU even after I leave, playing with Logan and getting a look at my 4* QB's for a full season is still super major draw for me to stay.

Well recruiting is still pretty easy in terms of landing 4* and 3* to FIU, I pretty much don't even leave the state unless a recruit has me Top 8 to start the year. Landing the 4* and potential 5* i would really like isn't going to happen anytime soon. Miami, Florida, Florida State all go hard after any instate 5* and most of the top 4* talent is getting offers from Georgia, Oregon, Alabama ect..

I am guessing you face the same struggles in the MAC, and being in Indiana with less instate kids. Top talent is going to probably be offered by all the Big Ten schools and Notre Dame

[redsox907]

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

2027 Ball State Pre-Season Recruiting

Muncie, IN. - Ball State continues to make strides in high school recruiting under Coach Nash Savage, building on their impressive 26-3 record over the past two seasons. After signing a program-best six 4-star recruits last offseason, Savage and his team are poised to maintain that momentum heading into 2027, with nine 4-star prospects currently on their big board as the season begins.

“We haven’t broken into the 5-star recruit territory yet,” Savage admitted. “Last year, we had a shot with Alex Carmazzi, but he ultimately chose Ohio State. This year, there aren’t any local 5-star prospects listing us as a preseason favorite, so we’ve shifted our focus back to locking in as many 4- and 3-star recruits as possible.”

With only 15 seniors graduating this year, compared to 30 last season, Ball State has the flexibility to pursue higher-tier recruits and take a more strategic approach.

“Last year, we balanced targeting top-tier players with ensuring depth through solid 3-star additions,” Savage explained. “This season, we need to replace key contributors, so we’re prioritizing high-quality recruits to maintain and elevate our program’s success.”

Ball State Recruiting Rankings - 2026
Championship Contender: A- 26th (25th - 2026)
Program Tradition: B- 56th (107th - 2026)
Campus Lifestyle: C- 130th
Stadium Atmosphere: C- 98th (130th - 2026)
Pro Potential: D+ 103rd (42nd - 2026)
Brand Exposure: C 91st (106th - 2026)
Academic Prestige: C 85th
Conference Prestige: C- 10th (11th - 2026)
Coach Stability: D+ 108th (102nd - 2026)
Coach Prestige: A- 19th (65th - 2026)
Athletic Facilities: D+ 108th
Team Prestige: 2 1/2 *

Caliber	Name	Position	Height	Weight	Hometown	Tendency	NAT/STA/POS
4*	Spencer Lewis	WR	5'9	202	Oak Lawn, IL	Deep Threat	42/3/2
4*	PJ Barmore	ATH	6'1	195	Belleville, MI	Scrambled	44/5/5
4*	Daryl Pope	WR	6'3	195	Indianapolis, IN	Physical	46/1/4
4*	Jelani Philip	MLB	6'3	238	Naperville, IL	Field General	77/4/5
4*	Duke de Beer	LB	6'4	262	Belleville, MI	Power Rusher	102/7/1
4*	Matt Etienne	LB	6'1	234	Bloomfield Hills, MI	Pass Coverage	125/8/2
4*	Joseph Stove	MLB	6'1	228	Merrillville, IN	Pass Coverage	200/4/13
4*	John Stock	S	6'2	195	Sumter, SC	Hybrid	241/7/11
4*	Kyree Artmore	DE	6'4	281	Chicago, IL	Run Stopper	306/9/23
3*	Bart Blackstock	LB	6'0	234	Mooresville, IL	Pass Coverage	494/11/29
3*	Frank Snyder	WR	5'9	187	Huntington, IL	Deep Threat	577/13/67
3*	Devin Todman	HB	6'0	232	Grandview, MO	Power Back	615/7/60
3*	Devin Blunt	G	6'5	312	West Branch, MI	Power	656/10/12
3*	Tyreke Rhodes	T	6'7	290	Fort Wayne, IN	Power	657/17/20
3*	Scott Landry	C	6'1	288	Sterling, VA	Agile	666/15/16
3*	Noah Meeks	G	6'2	312	Saline, MI	Power	671/19/36
3*	Tyler Warmack	QB	6'4	210	San Mateo, CA *JUCO*	Field General	1735/135/139

[redsox907]

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

Despite losing, still looked/sounded like a fun game to play.

It's interesting that Washington made a run at Coach Savage. Both the Huskies and Trojans are making offers to Coach Miller. Both rosters are loaded and I am sure playing in front of 60,000 fans in the Bg Ten would be more exciting then 16,000 in CUSA.

What would be your dream list of schools you would like to potentially take.

I know me even though i have plans to keeps ties to FIU even after I leave, playing with Logan and getting a look at my 4* QB's for a full season is still super major draw for me to stay.

Well recruiting is still pretty easy in terms of landing 4* and 3* to FIU, I pretty much don't even leave the state unless a recruit has me Top 8 to start the year. Landing the 4* and potential 5* i would really like isn't going to happen anytime soon. Miami, Florida, Florida State all go hard after any instate 5* and most of the top 4* talent is getting offers from Georgia, Oregon, Alabama ect..

I am guessing you face the same struggles in the MAC, and being in Indiana with less instate kids. Top talent is going to probably be offered by all the Big Ten schools and Notre Dame

I expected to lose the game, but a game ending INT is not what I had in mind. But it happens. So far the HC offers I've gotten were Nevada and SJSU in 2025, then Washington and Cal offered this year. Plus a handful of coordinator jobs at P5 schools.

I'm more than likely going to stay away from the west coast, so Pac-12 and MWC, and the Big Ten just to avoid getting bored with the same base schools again. SEC is definitely my dream to end up at, but Big 12 or ACC I wouldn't completely hate either. Ole Miss / Mississippi St are the two I think would be my preferred destinations, SEC schools that have a solid base but haven't been good in a while. Florida State, Oklahoma, and OK St were all available in the offseason and I would have probably taken one of those if offered, rebuilding FSU in the SEC seems like it would be a decent challenge. But if something big opened up and I was offered (Texas, ND, Clemson, etc.) I would probably take it in a heartbeat lol.

As far as recruiting goes, having Ohio State and Notre Dame in your top two pipeline states is rough. Carmazzi I was actually leading in at one point last year, then ND and Ohio State swopped in and cleared me out. None of the 5* in my pipeline had interest and any of the ones I would have wanted had either Michigan, Ohio State, or Notre Dame in their top 3 already. I've only got 500 hours to spend, so I didn't want to dump 50 a week into a losing cause.

I don't think I mentioned it in the beginning, but I'm not investing any coaching points into the recruiting tree this time around. Any boosts I get will be from coordinators soley and I'm using my points in the Motivator and Architect skills to boost players progression. I might not be able to get the top players via recruiting, but I can make them better and I think that blends more with how a coach at Ball State would need to stay competitive realistically anyways.

I'll touch on it in my season preview, but this feels like the "last hurrah" for Savage at Ball State. I anticipate with another 10+ win season he'll get a few more offers from quality P5 schools and with Semonza leaving after the season it would be a nice transition, having a new coach take over with a new QB.

[redsox907]

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

2027 Ball State Season Preview

Muncie, IN. - The prevailing sentiment at the Ball State Cardinals’ spring game was clear: This is our year. After finally breaking through last season with a Heisman-winning quarterback and a young, offensively gifted head coach, the program is poised to make a national statement.

Beneath the optimism, however, lies a sense of urgency: This may have to be their year. Quarterback Kadin Semonza is heading into his final season. Star wide receiver Nyck Harbor and wide receiver Philip Onwualu are likely NFL-bound. And looming over it all is the future of head coach Nash Savage.

“It’s only a matter of time until one of these Power Five schools—especially one that’s been struggling—sees a young offensive savant and thinks, ‘He’s the guy to turn it around,’” remarked Kirk Herbstreit on ESPN’s College GameDay season preview.

Savage has already turned down head coaching offers from Nevada, San Jose State, California, and Washington over the past two seasons. However, the writing on the wall suggests he won’t be in Muncie forever. This adds even more pressure on Ball State to capitalize on its talented roster and coach while they still can.

Despite the challenges ahead, the Cardinals have the tools to remain competitive against top programs. Their schedule leaves little room for error, starting with three consecutive games against ranked opponents from the Big Ten and SEC. Ball State will open the season in Iowa City, host Kentucky in Muncie, and then travel to Happy Valley for a clash with Penn State.

Defense remains a question mark, particularly with the loss of depth in the secondary. And while Semonza will have his reliable duo of Harbor and Onwualu, the team must determine whether a third playmaker can emerge—or if the two stars will be enough to carry the load.

Still, the potential for record-breaking performances provides plenty of excitement. Semonza enters his senior season just 32 touchdown passes shy of breaking Case Keenum’s career record of 155. Meanwhile, Harbor, sitting just over 1,000 yards from Corey Davis’ all-time receiving record of 5,285 yards, will aim to solidify his place in college football history.

The Cardinals proved last season they can produce eye-popping numbers. But this season will hinge on their ability to avoid turnovers, sustain offensive production against elite talent, and generate enough defensive stops to hold onto leads.

Coach Savage and the Ball State Cardinals will look to answer those questions when they take the field at Kinnick Stadium on September 4th to kick off their 2027 campaign.

Ball State Cardinals 2027 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 4	at #8 Iowa (9-5)
Sep 11	vs #22 Kentucky (9-4)
Sep 18	at #9 Penn State (8-5)
Sep 25	vs BYE
Oct 2	at Western Michigan (5-7)
Oct 9	vs Toledo (10-4)
Oct 16	vs Bowling Green (7-6)
Oct 23	at Central Michigan (6-7)
Oct 30	at Miami (OH) (6-7)
Nov 6	vs Ohio (4-8)
Nov 13	at Northern Illinois (7-6)
Nov 20	vs Kent State (3-9)
Nov 27	vs Akron (1-11)

Name	Position	Class	Original OVR	Current OVR
Kadin Semonza	QB	SR(RS)	80	84
Emory Williams	QB	SR(RS)	77	81
Titus Awe	QB	FR	71	71
TJ Horton	HB	SR(RS)	71	80
Legend Ogbagu	HB	FR(RS)	64	76
Cortez Duva	HB	FR	76	76
Christian Davis	HB	SR(RS)	71	75
Philip Onwualu	WR	JR	74	87
Nyck Harbor	WR	SR(RS)	78	81
Dee Katula	WR	SO(RS)	81	81
RJ Mukes III	WR	SR(RS)	59	77
Barry Poutasi	WR	SO(RS)	64	75
Jonathan Lacosse	WR	FR	65	65
Theo Hrynkiewicz	TE	JR(RS)	67	82
Carson Bruhn	TE	JR(RS)	76	81
Marvin Mooney	TE	SO(RS)	64	75
Netori Blades	TE	FR(RS)	65	72
Anthony Okine	T	SO(RS)	67	82
Terrance Madison	T	FR	76	76
Carl Poyer	T	JR	70	80
Antonio Cheeks	T	SO(RS)	67	79
James Fritts	T	FR(RS)	71	75
Rashad Bunting	T	SO	72	72
Eli Freeman	G	SR(RS)	70	84
Tristan Cook	G	SR(RS)	75	80
Zach Bandy	G	JR(RS)	66	80
Arkel Anugwom	G	JR(RS)	73	82
Jaden Rasmussen	G	SO(RS)	70	79
Alonzo Atogwe	G	FR(RS)	67	76
Tyler Carraway	G	FR	71	71
Cody Smith	C	SR(RS)	70	81
Isaac Lucas	C	SR(RS)	72	79
Logan Wilbur	C	JR(RS)	65	79
Scott Humphries	DE	JR	71	84
Cameron Jones	DE	JR(RS)	83	84
Ben Marsh	DE	JR(RS)	68	79
Stephen Hippenhammer	DE	FR	69	69
Kenneth Merrieweather	DE	SR(RS)	81	84
Barry Hockenson	DE	SO(RS)	65	78
Rashaud Pepper	DE	FR(RS)	69	74
Jamie Duarte	DE	SO(RS)	74	74
Greg Bushman	DE	FR(RS)	68	73
Devin Lund	DT	SO(RS)	69	80
Brenan Vernon	DT	JR(RS)	74	79
Cam Chmura	DT	JR(RS)	79	79
Imani Miles	DT	FR(RS)	69	75
Tiomte Dove	DT	FR	75	75
Callum Cleveland	DT	SO	67	67
Tucker Foster	LB	SO(RS)	65	81
Greg Vernon	LB	FR	78	78
Kyle Fong	LB	JR	76	76
Jarrad Ogle	LB	FR	75	75
Ethan Evers	LB	SR(RS)	73	83
Amari Jimoh	LB	SO(RS)	69	74
Derek Plummer	LB	FR(RS)	69	69
JaMichael Tabor	MLB	SO	77	83
Dalton Townsel	MLB	JR	70	78
Matthew Scroggins	MLB	FR(RS)	69	77
Glenn McCord	MLB	SO	75	75
Diego Camacho	MLB	FR	68	68
Willizhuan Yates	CB	JR(RS)	76	81
Brandon Nicholson	CB	JR(RS)	77	81
Jordan Suggs	CB	JR(RS)	64	80
Jordan Davis	CB	JR(RS)	72	80
JP Kitchings	CB	SO(RS)	69	77
Timothy Hay	CB	FR(RS)	68	76
Jacobi Oliphant Jr	CB	JR(RS)	76	76
Warren Hart	CB	SO(RS)	76	76
Cooper Mahoney	CB	FR	68	68
Jimmy Hurns	CB	FR	67	67
Marcus Badie	CB	FR	66	66
Isaiah Thacker	FS	SR(RS)	79	86
Elijah Davis	FS	SR(RS)	76	81
Steven Tyree	FS	FR(RS)	67	78
Jason Cross Jr	FS	JR(RS)	77	77
Pat Ruggins	FS	FR	74	74
Devin Teague	SS	SO(RS)	66	81
Cole Earlewine	SS	SR(RS)	69	77
Jeremy Maslowski	SS	FR	67	67
Darrelle Stephen	K	FR	67	67
Nick Pino	P	SO(RS)	72	74

[redsox907]

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

2027 Week One Preview

Matchup Preview *|* September 4, 2027
	@
#19 Ball State Cardinals (, Away)		#8 Iowa Hawkeyes (, Home)
Game Notes Iowa City, IA. - The Ball State Cardinals traveled into Bloomington, Indiana last season and upset the then 9th ranked Indiana Hoosiers to set up a dream season for the Cardinals. Iowa will be looking to stop an encore in its track this weekend. The Hawkeyes have one of the best offensive lines in football and if they can keep James Resar clean, the dual threat QB could have a field day against a Cardinals defense that lived and died by the sack last year.

Iowa Hawkeyes 87/87/87 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Dayton Howard (84)	SR(RS) Jarriett Buie (83)	JR Brendan Wozniak (74)
TE	SR Gavin Hoffman (86)	JR(RS) Patrick Schaller (80)	SR(RS) Zach Ortwerth (79)
LT	SR(RS) Trevor Lauck (88)	SO Tommy Hunt (74)
LG	SR(RS) Leighton Jones (85)	SR(RS) Kade Pieper (84)
C	SR(RS) Cade Borud (88)	SO(RS) Curt Welsh (78)
RG	JR(RS) Cody Fox (81)	SO(RS) Larry Reede (80)
RT	JR(RS) Will Nolan (81)	FR David Calcaterra (74)
WR	SR Reece Vander Zee (86)	JR(RS) KJ Parker (83)	JR(RS) Kane Herzlich (81)
QB	JR(RS) James Resar (81)	SR(RS) Marco Lainez (80)
FB	SR(RS) Rusty Vanwetzinga (78)
HB	SR(RS) Terrell Washington Jr (89)	SR(RS) Kamari Moulton (85)	FR(RS) Rico Woods (80)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Joseph Anderson (84)	JR(RS) Chima Chineke (83)
LDT	SR(RS) Chase Brackney (84)	FR Dwayne Hargreaves (74)
RDT	SO(RS) Melvin Powell (77)	SO(RS) Quincey Dora (73)
RDE	SO(RS) Curt Barnhardt (78)	FR Zac Biggs (74)
WLB	SR(RS) Nolan DeLong (83)	JR(RS) Melvin Pape (83)
MLB	JR Marvin Bowe (89)	SR Derek Weisskopf (83)
SLB	SO(RS) Marlon Hillhouse (82)	FR Jeff Ruud (74)
CB	SR(RS) Teegan Davis (87)	FR(RS) Eric Irving (79)	SO Tommy Ah You (75)
SS	JR DeMaro Bromell (80)	FR Timmy Searles (69)
FS	SR(RS) Zach Lutmer (80)	JR Steven Brown (77)
CB	SR(RS) Kahlil Tate (87)	FR(RS) Juan Lalos (76)	SO Tommy Ah You (75)

Week One MAC Schedule
Buffalo @ #11 Michigan
Northern Illinois @ Nebraska
Akron @ Rutgers
San Diego State @ Eastern Michigan
Toledo @ #22 Kentucky
Southern Miss @ Central Michigan
Bowling Green @ Ohio State
FCS East vs WesternM Michigan


Notable Week One Matchups
#10 Oklahoma @ #25 Clemson
#13 Tennessee @ #17 Virgina Tech
#3 Miami @ #20 Iowa State
#2 Texas @ #4 South Carolina

[redsox907]

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

Cardinals Defense Silences Critics In Road Victory


Kenneth Merrieweather drilling QB James Resar for the 2nd time as Ball State amassed 7 sacks and 3 interceptions in the contest, keeping Resar on edge all afternoon.

Ball State Cardinals at Iowa Hawkeyes
Sep 4, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #19 BALL (0-0) 0 10 3 21 34 #8 IOWA (0-0) 3 0 0 8 11 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 26/32, 294 Yds, 2 TD RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 18 Att, 130 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 3 Rec, 116 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL IOWA First Downs 28 14 3rd Down Efficiency 7/12 1/8 4th Down Efficiency 1/1 1/2 Total Yards 553 325 Passing Yards 294 311 Rushing Yards 34 - 234 14 - (-39) Penalties-Penalty Yards 5 - 45 2 - 15 Turnovers 1 3 Time of Possession 26:41 17:19
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 0:40 (IOWA) Jamie Trueblood, 41 Yd FG 0 3 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 6:22 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 23 Yd FG 3 3 1:53 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 6 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 10 3 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 6:08 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 47 Yd FG 13 3 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 9:37 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 15 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 20 3 4:57 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 3 Yd Run 27 3 2:56 (IOWA) Dayton Howard, 74 Yd Pass From James Resar (2PT) 27 11 1:40 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 2 Yd Run 34 11
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 26/32 294 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 18 130 7.2 2 Christian Davis 13 95 7.3 0 Cortez Duval 3 9 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 9 77 8.5 1 RJ Mukes III 6 34 5.6 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 5 41 8.2 0 Nyck Harbor 3 116 38.6 1 Dee Katula 2 19 9.5 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eli Freeman 9 0 Arkel Anugwom 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Elijah Davis 6 0 0 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 6 0 2 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 2 2 (2TFL) 1 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 3 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Glenn McCord 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humprhies 2 2 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 2/3 4/4 10 48 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 2 74 37.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cole Earlewin 1 2 2.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 23 7.6 0 Iowa Hawkeyes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT James Resar 19/34 311 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD James Resar 7 -59 -8.4 0 Rico Woods 5 18 3.6 0 Terrell Washington Jr 2 2 1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Reece Vander Zee 5 84 16.8 0 Dayton Howard 5 119 23.8 1 Jarriett Buie 4 64 16.0 0 Patrick Schaller 2 14 7.0 0 Gavin Hoffman 2 24 12.0 0 KJ Parker 1 6 6.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Leighton Jones 4 2 Trevor Lauck 0 4 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Khalil Tate 18 0 0 0 DE Joseph Anderson 7 0 (3TFL) 0 0 FS Zach Lutmer 6 0 0 (FF) 0 DT Chase Brackney 6 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Eric Irving 6 0 0 (FR) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jamie Trueblood 1/1 0/0 3 42 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Rhys Dakin 4 159 39.7 2 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Lonnie Mallory 3 46 15.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Lonnie Mallory 2 7 3.5 0

LEFT - Kadin Semonza waving the crowd goodbye after his 3 yard rushing touchdown pushed Ball State's lead to 27-3
CENTER - Dayton Howard hauled in the only touchdown of the day for Iowa late in the 4th quarter, leaving the defense spinning on the route before collecting the ball and finishing off the 74 yard TD.
RIGHT - Willizhuan Yates nabbed two interceptions in the game, including this 2nd Q INT to shut down a potential scoring drive by Iowa while still tied 3-3.

Iowa City, IA. - Add another shocking upset to the ledger after the #19 Ball State Cardinals dismantled the #8 Iowa Hawkeyes on their home turf, dominating in a 34-11 victory. Behind a stellar performance from reigning Heisman Trophy winner Kadin Semonza and a relentless defensive effort, Ball State made a statement to the nation.

The game started slowly, with Iowa taking a 3-0 lead in the first quarter courtesy of a 41-yard field goal by Jamie Trueblood. However, Ball State found their rhythm in the second quarter. Freshman kicker Darrelle Stephen tied the game with a 23-yard field goal, and Semonza connected with Philip Onwualu for a six-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 10-3 halftime lead.

A missed 27-yard field goal by Stephen as time expired in the second quarter kept Iowa within striking distance, but the Cardinals never looked back. Stephen redeemed himself with a 47-yarder early in the third quarter, extending the lead to 13-3.

The fourth quarter turned into a showcase for Semonza and the Cardinals’ balanced attack. Semonza threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Nyck Harbor and added two short rushing touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Iowa’s lone touchdown came on a 74-yard bomb from James Resar to Dayton Howard, but it was too little, too late.

Ball State’s defense was suffocating all game, holding Iowa to just 272 total yards of offense, including an abysmal -39 yards rushing due to seven sacks. The Cardinals’ defensive front harassed Iowa quarterback James Resar all afternoon, forcing three interceptions to go along with the sacks.

On the other side of the ball, Ball State racked up 526 yards of offense, with 294 coming through the air and 234 on the ground. Semonza was nearly flawless, completing 26 of 32 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 130 rushing yards and two scores on 18 carries, putting his dual-threat capabilities on full display.

Freshman kicker Darrelle Stephen overcame early nerves, going 2-for-3 on field goals, including a clutch 48-yarder coming out of halftime. Nyck Harbor chipped in with a crucial 55-yard reception that set up a missed field goal at the end of the second quarter and added a touchdown grab in the fourth quarter.

For Ball State, this win cements their place as a legitimate contender in the 2027 season. However, the Cardinals will face an early challenge after star wide receiver Philip Onwualu left the game late in the fourth quarter. While his presence will be missed, the Cardinals dodged a bullet—Onwualu is set to miss the next three weeks with an abdominal tear but is expected to return when Ball State begins conference play in Week 5.

Meanwhile, Iowa will need to regroup quickly after being outclassed in nearly every aspect of the game.

Week One MAC Results
13 Buffalo @ #7 Michigan 27
17 Northern Illinois @ Nebraska 24
34 Akron @ #24 Rutgers 42
24 San Diego State @ Eastern Michigan 13
39 Toledo @ #19 Kentucky 41
21 Souther Miss @ Central Michigan 34
27 Bowling Green @ Ohio State 35
20 FCS @ Western Michigan 37

Notable Week One Results
56 #6 Oklahoma @ Clemson 35
30 Syracuse @ #18 Penn State 14
31 Arkansas State @ #23 Georgia Tech 23
27 #21 Tennessee @ #12 Virginia Tech 35
24 #3 Miami @ #20 Iowa State 19
28 #8 Texas @ #1 South Carolina 38