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

[redsox907]

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

2027 Week Two Preview

Matchup Preview *|* September 11, 2027
	@
#19 Kentucky Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Away)		#10 Ball State Cardinals (1-0, 0-0 Home)
Injury Report TE Willie Rodriguez (80) Abdominal Tear (3 Weeks) WR Philip Onwualu (87) Abdominal Tear (3 Weeks) Game Notes Muncie, IN – The Kentucky Wildcats learned the hard way that the Mid-American Conference (MAC) is no longer a league to overlook. In Week 1, perennial MAC runner-up Toledo nearly pulled off the upset, pushing Kentucky to double overtime in a thrilling 41-39 shootout. A failed two-point conversion was all that separated the Wildcats from defeat, in the first of two games they’ll play against the MAC’s top teams this season. Now, Ball State is ready to prove the gap between second place and first in the MAC is as wide as the Grand Canyon. Fresh off a statement win over 8th ranked Iowa, the Cardinals are aiming to further solidify their reputation as legitimate contenders. Under head coach Nash Savage, Ball State has been fearless against the nation’s best, posting a 5-3 record against ranked teams in his brief tenure. The message is clear: these Cardinals don’t back down. This week, all eyes will be on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Kaiden Semonza as he navigates a critical test without star wide receiver Philip Onwualu, who will miss the next two games. Onwualu has been Semonza’s go-to weapon, tallying over 200 receptions across the last two seasons. In his absence, RJ Mukes III and transfer wideout Dee Katula will need to step up alongside Nyck Harbor to keep the Cardinals’ offense firing on all cylinders.

Kentucky Wildcats 86/85/87 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SO Alexander Duff (80)	JR(RS) David Washington Jr (80)	SO Fredrick Boyett (78)
TE	FR(RS) Enrique Northrop (80)	SR(RS) Mason Williams (77)	SO(RS) Gordon Hitchcok (77)
LT	JR(RS) Julio Dudley (81)	SO(RS) Rafael Barnes (79)
LG	SR(RS) Austin Ramsey (87)	SO(RS) Jamille Hasty (82)
C	SR(RS) Koby Keenum (86)	JR(RS) Aba Selm (86)
RG	SO(RS) Steven Beard (83)	FR Jimmy Bettis (76)
RT	SR(RS) Afernee Crease (77)	SO Lamar Bail (76)
WR	JR Jason Watts (82)	JR(RS) Kyson Anderson (81)	FR(RS) JR Presley (80)
QB	JR(RS) Cutter Boley (82)	SO(RS) John Tyms (73)
HB	SR Jason Patterson (83)	SO(RS) Leland Mahoney (78)	SR Tovani Mizell (75)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR Brian Robinson (88)	SO(RS) Jay Vaughn (80)
NT	FR(RS) George Garnes (85)	SR(RS) Tommy Ziesmer (82)
RDE	JR James Contreras (85)	SO(RS) Ricardo Blount (80)
LOLB	SR(RS) Grant Godfrey (85)	FR(RS) Stephen Lanier (75)
LILB	SR(RS) Devin Smith (86)	FR(RS) Andy Tangelo (79)
RILB	JR Bryce Judovsky (84)	FR Monty Bighill (60)
ROLB	SO Erik Casey (83)	SO Ben Sumner (64)
CB	SR(RS) Nasir Addison (82)	JR(RS) Jiquavious Marshall (79)	JR(RS) Jonathon Gates (76)
SS	SO(RS) Nick Benshaw (78)	FR(RS) Isaac Dobbs (78)
FS	SR Cam Dooley (86)	JR(RS) Jaden Smith (78)
CB	JR Zach Potts (79)	FR(RS) Daniel Velasco (78)	JR(RS) Jonathon Gates (76)

Week Two MAC Schedule
FCS West @ Toledo (1-0)
Marshall (0-0) @ Ohio (0-0)
Central Michigan (2-0) @ Michigan State (1-1)
Western Michigan (1-0) @ Syracuse (1-0)
Coastal Carolina (0-0) @ Eastern Michigan (0-2)
Buffalo (0-1) @ Miami (OH) (1-0)
Kent State (0-0) @ #3 Miami (1-0)
FCS Midwest @ Akron (0-1)

Notable Week Two Matchups
Nebraska (1-0) @ #18 Penn State (0-1)
#16 Iowa (0-1) @ #20 Iowa State (0-1)
#6 Oklahoma (1-0) @ SMU (1-0)
Indiana (0-1) @ #2 Alabama (1-0)

[Deuce2223]

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

Always nice to start the year off with a "W".. Offense took a little while to warm up but you got it going in the 4th.

Looking forward to that Penn Sate matchup. Should be a good challenge for you and let you know where you sit in terms of beating top tier teams..

[redsox907]

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

Always nice to start the year off with a "W".. Offense took a little while to warm up but you got it going in the 4th.

Looking forward to that Penn Sate matchup. Should be a good challenge for you and let you know where you sit in terms of beating top tier teams..

I'm not sure if its the CPU adjusting or me just trying to get the ball to other people, but we definitely had a little rust getting going. They had a 99 speed corner they put on Harbor to start the game, which took away his deep balls for a while. We got it going against Kentucky pretty early, but Penn has some studs on defense so it may be a challenge. But then again, so did Bama and we hung 50 on them, so we'll see.

I switched to Armor and Swords sliders for this season and am really liking them so far. Doesn't feel too cheesy when the CPU gets big plays, but also makes me work for it more on offense.

[redsox907]

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

Cardinals D Continues Strong Start In Home Win


Jordan Suggs skying for the INT, not only the 2nd INT in the quarter for Ball State, but also the 2nd defensive touchdown after Suggs' 88 yard runback.

Kentucky Wildcats at Ball State Cardinals
Sep 11, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #19 UK (1-0) 0 3 7 0 10 #10 BALL (1-0) 7 28 7 7 49 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 19/24, 219 Yds, 2 TD RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 13 Att, 81 Yds, TD REC: UK Enrique Northrop - 6 Rec, 82 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison UK BALL First Downs 12 24 3rd Down Efficiency 5/11 5/10 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 2/3 Total Yards 267 488 Passing Yards 246 258 Rushing Yards 16 - (-15) 29 - 178 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 4 - 30 Turnovers 3 0 Time of Possession 17:25 26:35
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING UK BALL 5:05 (BALL) Christian Davis, 7 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING UK BALL 6:55 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 0 14 4:22 (BALL) Brandon Nicholson, Returned Interception 28 Yds 0 21 1:51 (BALL) Jordan Suggs, Returned Interception 88 Yds 0 28 0:13 (UK) Jacob Kauwe, 40 Yd FG 3 28 0:05 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 72 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 35 THIRD QUARTER SCORING UK BALL 10:54 (BALL) Steven Tyree, Returned Fumble 12 Yds 3 42 3:11 (UK) Enrique Northrop, 1 Yd Pass From Cutter Boley 10 42 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING UK BALL 9:04 (BALL) Christian Davis, 1 Yd Run 10 49
Kentucky Wildcats PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Cutter Boley 16/21 219 1 2 John Tyms 3/6 27 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jason Patterson 8 30 3.7 0 John Tyms 4 -14 -3.5 0 Cutter Boley 4 -31 -7.7 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Enrique Northrop 6 82 13.6 1 David Washington Jr 4 30 7.5 0 Alexander Duff 3 29 9.6 0 Jason Patterson 2 16 8.0 0 Mason Williams 1 6 6.0 0 Hardley Gilmore IV 1 10 10.0 0 Kyson Anderson 1 23 23.0 0 Jason Watts 1 50 50.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Austin Ramsey 3 1 Afernee Crease 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Bryce Judovsky 11 0 (2TFL) 0 0 FS Cam Dooley 9 0 0 0 MLB Devin Smith 8 0 0 0 CB Jonathan Gates 7 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Vince Griffith 2 1 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jacob Kauwe 1/1 1/1 4 40 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Dante Draft 5 144 28.8 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Fredrick Boyett 3 33 11.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Fredrick Boyett 1 3 3.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 19/24 219 2 0 Titus Awe 4/6 39 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 13 81 6.2 1 Cortez Duval 7 50 7.1 0 Kadin Semonza 6 34 5.6 1 Titus Awe 3 13 4.3 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 9 77 8.5 0 Dee Katula 4 36 9.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 3 29 9.6 0 Nyck Harbor 3 87 29.0 1 Christian Davis 1 7 7.0 1 Barry Poutasi 1 9 9.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 11 11.0 0 Cortez Duval 1 2 2.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 7 0 Anthony Okine 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Dalton Townsel 7 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 6 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 6 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 5 1.5 (3TFL) 0 0 DT Devin Lund 3 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Brandon Nicholson 3 0 1 1 CB Jordan Davis 3 0 0 (FF) 0 LB Ethan Evers 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Jordan Suggs 2 0 (1TFL) 1 1 LB Glenn McCord 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Steven Tyree 2 0 0 (FR) 1 DE Scott Humphries 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 0/0 7/7 7 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 2 62 31.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 2 33 16.5 0 Cortez Duval 1 15 15.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 2 4 2.0 0

LEFT - Semonza reminding the Wildcats who he is after 1 yard TD run put Ball State up 14-0 early.
CENTER - Cutter Boley didn't find Muncie very welcoming after 2 interceptions and 7 sacks but the Cardinals D, but was able to put a touchdown on the board on his final drive before hitting the showers early.
RIGHT - Semonza and Harbor needed only one play and 5 seconds to put the early dagger on the board, as the duo connected for their XX touchdown with just 1 second on the clock to close out the half with a 35-3 lead.

Muncie, IN. - The #10 Ball State Cardinals delivered a statement win Saturday, dismantling the #19 Kentucky Wildcats 49-10 in a game defined by defensive dominance and explosive plays.

Ball State set the tone early, scoring on their opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kadin Semonza to Christian Davis. The Cardinals only had three offensive possessions in the first half, but they maximized every opportunity, scoring touchdowns on all three.

The second quarter belonged to Ball State’s defense. After Semonza extended the lead with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, the Cardinals’ defense took over. Corner Brandon Nicholson intercepted Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley and returned it 28 yards for a score. As if one wasn't enough, corner Jordan Suggs followed suit, picking off Boley and racing 88 yards to the end zone on the Wildcats next possession.

Kentucky’s only first-half points came from Jacob Kauwe’s 40-yard field goal, but Ball State answered emphatically. With just five seconds left in the half, Semonza connected with Nyck Harbor for a stunning 72-yard touchdown, giving Ball State a commanding 35-3 halftime lead.

The third quarter began disastrously for Kentucky as the opening kickoff was fumbled and scooped up by Ball State’s redshirt freshman safety Steven Tyree, who returned it 12 yards for a touchdown. This play pushed the Cardinals’ lead to 42-3 before Kentucky’s offense even touched the ball in the second half.

The Wildcats finally found the end zone later in the quarter, with Cutter Boley hitting Enrique Northrop for a 1-yard touchdown pass. However, Ball State capped off their dominant performance in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Christian Davis, his second score of the game.

Ball State’s defense was the star of the game, forcing three turnovers—including two pick-sixes—and adding a special teams touchdown to their tally. The defense was relentless, recording seven sacks and keeping Kentucky’s offense under constant pressure. On the offensive side, sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza led a clinical attack, accounting for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and helping the Cardinals score touchdowns on all three first-half possessions. Kentucky, on the other hand, struggled mightily, undone by turnovers, a lack of offensive rhythm, and an inability to protect their quarterback, managing just one touchdown late in the game.

Ball State improves to 2-0 on the season, making an early case as one of the nation’s top teams as they prepare for their 3rd straight ranked matchup, traveling to Happy Valley next week. Meanwhile, Kentucky will need to regroup as they fall to 1-1.

Week Two MAC Results
17 FCS West @ Toledo (1-1) 31
24 Marshall (0-1) @ Ohio (1-0) 27
19 Central Michigan (2-1) @ Michigan State (2-1) 20
0 Western Michigan (1-1) @ #25 Syracuse (2-0) 41
10 Coastal Carolina (1-0) @ Eastern Michigan (0-3) 6
34 Buffalo (1-1) @ Miami (OH) (1-1) 26
10 Kent State (0-1) @ #3 Miami (3-0) 24
29 FCS Midwest @ Akron (1-1) 32

Notable Week Two Results
14 Nebraska (1-1) @ #16 Penn State (1-1) 63
17 #23 Iowa (0-2) @ #19 Iowa State (1-1) 24
20 #14 Oklahoma (1-1) @ #20 SMU (2-0) 24
31 Indiana (0-2) @ #2 Alabama (2-0) 34

[redsox907]

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

2027 Week Three Preview

Matchup Preview *|* September 21, 2027
	@
#10 Ball State Cardinals (2-0, 1-0 Away)		#16 Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1, 1-1 Home)
Injury Report WR Philip Onwualu Abdominal Tear (2 Weeks) HB Corey Smith (89) Broken Fibula (9 Weeks) Game Notes University Park, PA – Beaver Stadium is set to host one of the most anticipated matchups of the young season as the #10 Ball State Cardinals take on the #16 Penn State Nittany Lions. For the Cardinals, this game represents a monumental moment in program history as they face one of college football’s most storied programs on the road. “This is a huge test for us,” Ball State head coach Nash Savage remarked. “I know we’ve beaten higher-ranked teams before, but going into Happy Valley is always a challenge, regardless of where Penn State stands in the rankings.” The Nittany Lions stumbled out of the gate in their season opener, falling 30-14 to Syracuse in a game where their rushing attack was nearly non-existent, finishing with just eight yards on the ground. However, head coach James Franklin’s squad rebounded in emphatic fashion last week with a 63-14 rout of Nebraska. The offense looked rejuvenated, amassing 473 total yards (343 passing, 130 rushing) in a dominant performance. Meanwhile, Ball State enters this matchup undefeated, following an impressive 49-10 dismantling of Kentucky. The Cardinals’ offense found its rhythm in Week 2 after a slower start in their 34-11 win over Iowa. A key to Ball State’s early-season success has been their ferocious pass rush, with six defenders already reaching double-digit sack totals through two games. This aggressive approach has allowed the Cardinals’ secondary to play loose and capitalize on turnovers. However, Penn State’s massive offensive line could prove to be a formidable countermeasure. If the Nittany Lions can control the line of scrimmage, it could neutralize the Cardinals’ ability to generate big plays on defense. With both teams riding high stakes into this matchup, the stage is set for a thrilling battle under the lights at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions 91/91/91 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Josiah Brown (85)	SO Lee Haynos (76)	SO Joe Kosier (74)
TE	JR(RS) Andrew Rappleyea (91)	JR(RS) Luke Reynolds (88)	SO(RS) Rob McAllister (82)
LT	SO(RS) Clayton Rochell (90)	SR(RS) J'ven Williams (85)
LG	SO(RS) Alex Koerner (90)	SO(RS) Louis Spaulding (82)
C	SR Cooper Cousins (88)	SO(RS) Alex Koerner (90)
RG	FR(RS) Damon Thompson (84)	FR Eric Clemens (75)
RT	SO(RS) Dennis Folk (88)	SR(RS) Chimdy Onoh (85)
WR	SO(RS) Alexander Selzner (85)	SO Brady Burns (79)	FR(RS) Paul McCaskil (74)
QB	SR(RS) Sam Leavit (84)	SR(RS) Jaxon Smolik (83)
FB	FR Dillon Montgomery (70)
HB	SR(RS) Cam Wallace (87)	SR(RS) Marquese Williams (85)	SO(RS) Jamichael Chestnut (81)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Jordan Mayer (88)	SR Mason Robinson (84)
LDT	JR(RS) Xavier Gilliam (86)	SR Liam Andrews (85)
RDT	SR(RS) Amari Everett (84)	FR Miles Hurt (67)
RDE	JR(RS) Mylachi Williams (84)	SO(RS) Marques Muamba (84)
WLB	SR(RS) Dakaari Nelson (88)	SO(RS) TJ Genus (82)
MLB	JR(RS) Anthony Speca (84)	SR(RS) Semaj Bridgeman (80)
SLB	SR(RS) Josiah Trotter (85)	JR(RS) Kari Jackson (78)
CB	SR Ellis Robinson IV (89)	JR(RS) Jon Mitchell (83)	FR Paul Faulk (80)
SS	SR Vaboue Toure (80)	SO Scott Luck (77)
FS	SO(RS) Johnny Daniels (81)	SO John Bouye (80)
CB	SR(RS) Elliont Washington II (85)	JR(RS) Braydon Lee (81)	FR Paul Faulk (80)

Week Three MAC Schedule
Ohio (1-0) @ West Virginia (1-0)
Northern Illinois (1-1) @ Colorado (1-1)
#19 Iowa State (1-1) @ Bowling Green (0-1)
#11 Utah (2-0) @ Kent State (0-1)
Toledo (1-1) @ Tulsa (1-0)
Akron (1-1) @ #18 Tennessee (1-1)
Cincinnati (1-0) @ Miami (OH) (1-1)
Arizona (2-0) @ Buffalo (1-1)

Notable Week Three Matchups
#2 Alabama (2-0) @ Ohio State (2-0)
#20 SMU (2-0) @ #13 USC (2-0)
#24 Illinois (1-0) @ #17 Missouri (1-0)
#4 Notre Dame (3-0) @ Clemson (1-1)

[redsox907]

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

We. Are. Ball State!


RJ Mukes III has filled in for Philip Onwualu admirably and his hardwork payed off with a 47 yard touchdown to open the scoring for Ball State.

Ball State Cardinals at Penn State Nittany Lions
Sep 21, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #10 BALL (2-0) 14 7 14 7 42 #16 PSU (1-1) 0 6 0 15 21 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 16/22, 328 Yds, 4 TD RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 15 Att, 85 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 3 Rec, 148 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL PSU First Downs 20 18 3rd Down Efficiency 5/10 4/13 4th Down Efficiency 2/3 1/2 Total Yards 574 387 Passing Yards 328 268 Rushing Yards 34 - 163 22 - 43 Penalties-Penalty Yards 2 - 20 3 - 25 Turnovers 0 0 Time of Possession 22:31 21:29
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL PSU 9:39 (BALL) RJ Mukes III, 47 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 0 1:30 (BALL) Christian Davis, 1 Yd Run 14 0 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL PSU 10:07 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 55 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 21 0 7:20 (PSU) James Allgeier, 44 Yd FG 21 3 2:02 (PSU) James Allgeier, 23 Yd FG 21 6 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL PSU 5:10 (BALL) Christian Davis, 1 Yd Run 28 6 2:10 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 80 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 35 6 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL PSU 6:53 (PSU) Josiah Brown, 1 Yd pass From Sam Leavitt 35 13 2:29 (PSU) Alexander Selzner, 20 Yd pass From Sam Leavitt (2PT) 35 21 1:47 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 13 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 42 21
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 16/22 328 4 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 15 85 5.6 2 Kadin Semonza 14 54 3.8 0 Cortez Duval 4 17 4.2 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 7 7.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 6 52 8.6 1 Nyck Harbor 3 148 49.3 3 Barry Poutasi 3 27 9.0 0 Dee Katula 2 24 12.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 16 16.0 0 Theo Hryniewicz 1 61 61.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Anthony Okine 1 1 Arkel Anugwom 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Devin Teague 7 0 0 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 6 0 (3TFL) 0 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 4 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 4 1 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Cameron Jones 1 1 (TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 0/0 6/6 6 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 2 88 44.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 3 43 14.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 4 40 10.0 0 Penn State Nittany Lions PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Sam Leavitt 25/37 268 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Cam Wallace 15 79 5.2 0 Sam Leavitt 5 -35 -7.0 0 Marquese Williams 2 -1 -0.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Josiah Brown 10 119 11.9 1 Luke Reynolds 5 63 12.6 0 Andrew Rappleyea 4 25 6.2 0 Brady Burns 2 17 8.5 0 Cam Wallace 2 29 14.5 0 Alexander Selzner 1 20 20.0 1 Dillon Montgomery 1 -5 -5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Cooper Cousins 15 0 Dennis Folk 7 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Jon Mitchell 10 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Marques Muamba 7 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Jordan Mayer 6 1 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Dakaari Nelson 5 0 (3TFL) 0 0 DT Liam Andrews 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG James Allgeier 2/2 1/1 7 46 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Kevin Phifer 5 218 43.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Christian Carter 5 76 15.2 0

LEFT - Nyck Harbor usually goes over the top for long touchdown, but instead showcased his elusiveness on a 55 yard jet sweep to give Ball State an early 21-0 lead.
CENTER - Sam Leavitt rallied Penn State to two 4th quarter scores, somehow getting this pass away for a 20 yard TD strike, but a 3rd drive in the 4th Q ended on downs and lead to Harbor's 3 TD, putting the game out of reach.
RIGHT - Ball State's defense kept Levitt off balance early with a pair of sacks to force quick punts on the Nittany Lions first two possessions.

University Park, PA – The Ball State Cardinals silenced a packed Beaver Stadium on Saturday, delivering a dominant 42-21 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions. Quarterback Kadin Semonza led the charge, throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns, while Nyck Harbor electrified the field with three scoring receptions, including an 80-yard bomb in the third quarter.

The Cardinals wasted no time setting the tone. Christian Davis opened the game with a 24-yard run, followed shortly by Semonza connecting with RJ Mukes III for a 47-yard touchdown. On their second possession, Ball State orchestrated a meticulous 14-play drive, capped by a 1-yard Davis touchdown, to take a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Penn State’s offense stumbled out of the gate, managing just one first down in their opening two drives while surrendering two sacks.

Nyck Harbor added to Ball State’s lead with a dazzling 55-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, stretching the margin to 21-0. Penn State finally responded with two field goals from James Allgeier, narrowing the deficit to 21-6 at halftime.

Ball State’s defense came out of the break firing, forcing a three-and-out on Penn State’s first possession. Semonza and the offense capitalized, crafting another methodical drive that ended with Davis’ second 1-yard rushing touchdown of the game. Moments later, Semonza delivered the play of the day, finding Harbor for an 80-yard touchdown strike to extend the lead to 35-6.

The Nittany Lions showed life in the fourth quarter as quarterback Sam Leavitt threw a pair of touchdown passes—one to Josiah Brown and another to Alexander Selzner, who also converted a two-point try to pull within 35-21. However, Ball State quickly quelled any hopes of a comeback. Following a failed onside kick by Penn State, Semonza connected with Harbor for a 13-yard score, putting the game out of reach at 42-21.

Ball State’s offense was electric, amassing 491 total yards, with 328 coming through the air and 163 on the ground. Quarterback Kadin Semonza was stellar, completing 16 of 28 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Nyck Harbor proved to be unstoppable, hauling in three receptions for 148 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yard highlight reel score. Running back Christian Davis contributed 72 rushing yards and two short touchdown runs. On the other side, Penn State’s offense managed 311 total yards, with 268 coming through the air. However, their rushing attack was largely stifled, gaining only 43 yards after accounting for four sacks by Ball State’s swarming defense.

Ball State’s defensive dominance set the tone, holding Penn State’s rushing attack in check and generating consistent pressure with four sacks. Penn State’s struggles on the ground were magnified by their strategic choices, as the team attempted no rushes in the first quarter and only nine in the first half, drawing criticism for their lack of balance. RJ Mukes III played a crucial role for Ball State in relief of the injured Philip Onwualu, stepping up with six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Penn State’s late rally highlighted Sam Leavitt’s resilience as he threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Ball State’s commanding lead.

Ball State improves to 3-0 and solidifies their top-10 ranking, while Penn State falls to 1-2 and faces mounting pressure to regroup after disappointing performances to start the 2027 campaign.

Week Three MAC Results
17 Ohio (2-0) @ West Virginia (1-2)
6 Northern Illinois (1-2) @ Colorado (2-1) 31
34 #18 Iowa State (2-1) @ Bowling Green (0-2) 0
23 #11 Utah (3-0) @ Kent State (0-2) 21
35 Toledo (2-1) @ Tulsa (1-1) 30
14 Akron (1-2) @ #17 Tennessee (2-1) 40
27 Cincinnati (1-1) @ Miami (OH) (2-1) 31
17 Arizona (2-1) @ Buffalo (2-1) 38

Notable Week Three Results
38 #2 Alabama (3-0) @ Ohio State (2-1) 30
17 SMU (2-1) @ #12 USC (3-0) 24
22 Illinois (1-1) @ #16 Missouri (2-0) 41
28 #15 Notre Dame (3-1) @ #25 Clemson (2-1) 42

[Deuce2223]

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

It's a bummer PDU fell to Syracuse in the Sim's love of upsets. It makes your win not as big in terms of the computer rankings but still a huge win for the program.

[redsox907]

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

HC Nash Savage Joins The Pat McAfee Show



Pat McAfee: Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is arguably the hottest head coach in the country—Nash Savage of Ball State! Coach, I gotta say, I was with the College GameDay crew at University Park last week, and I have never, and I mean NEVER, heard Beaver Stadium that quiet. Harbor’s third-quarter touchdown? Dead silence. You could hear a pin drop in there. Hats off to your squad. How’d you get your team ready for that absolute madhouse of an environment?

Nash Savage: Thanks, Pat. “Happy Valley” is one of the toughest places to play, no doubt about it. Honestly, there’s only so much you can do to prepare for that kind of chaos. We just blasted “Mo Bamba” at practice every day to try and simulate the noise. But seriously, we kept it simple. Kadin and Nyck have such great chemistry, but I told them early on we were sticking to the script. Beaver Stadium can flip on a dime; one big play, and the place erupts, and suddenly momentum’s gone. Going into the third, I pulled them aside and said, “If he’s looking, you’re booking.” Kadin got the look from Nyck, and boom—he let it rip.

Pat McAfee: That had to be one of the biggest wins in Ball State history, yeah?

Nash Savage: It’s up there, for sure. I think winning the Fiesta Bowl last year still holds the top spot, but for a regular-season win? Probably the biggest in program history.

Pat McAfee: Alright, Coach, let’s talk about this culture shift in Muncie. Before you got there, the program had, what, four wins all-time against ranked teams? Now you’re sitting at 7-3 against ranked squads in just over two years. How’d you pull that off?

Nash Savage: Five wins, Pat. But yeah, only one against a non-MAC opponent. The key? Setting the standard from Day 1. I told the team, “We’ve got the talent to compete right now.” But talent isn’t enough—you’ve got to execute every day with excellence. My first game was against Notre Dame, and while we didn’t win, we were in it until the final whistle. That showed the players I wasn’t just blowing smoke—they could trust me. Now, every guy in that locker room steps onto the field expecting to win, no matter who’s on the other sideline.

Pat McAfee: Let’s shift to Kadin for a second. He crushed it last season, won the Heisman—no question. But watching him on Saturday? He might be even better this year. The stats aren’t as eye-popping, but the command, the poise… he looks like a QB on another level.

Nash Savage: Three years in the system, Pat. He owns it now. Kadin knows the playbook inside out, and we’ve built such a solid connection. There’ve been so many crunch-time moments where I’m calling the play, and he’s already nodding, finishing my sentence. That comfort and confidence? That’s why he looks so poised. He knows exactly where everyone’s going to be and trusts them to get there.

Pat McAfee: Last season ended with that heartbreaking Sugar Bowl interception. Is it National Championship or bust for you guys this year?

Nash Savage: That’s the goal every year, Pat. From Day 1, I’ve told this team: we’re aiming for a National Championship. If that’s not your mindset, you’re not preparing like a champion, and you’re probably not going to have the chance to be one.

Pat McAfee: You’re in the national spotlight now, but you’re also still in the Mid-American Conference. One loss can crush your playoff hopes. How do you handle that pressure?

Nash Savage: The 12-team playoff format helps, but you’ve got to be ranked high enough to earn and win the conference to lock in a bye, and if you’re not, one bad loss can ruin everything. We know that. It means every game matters—Akron, Toledo, whoever—there’s no room for an off day. My high school coach used to say, “Pressure does two things: bursts pipes or shapes diamonds.” We embrace that pressure and use it to make sure we’re sharp every week, ready for anyone who wants the smoke.

Pat McAfee: Rumor has it you’ve turned down offers from at least two Power Five schools. You’ve said before you don’t have a dream destination, but why turn those opportunities down?

Nash Savage: Honestly, Washington was the only one I seriously considered. I had a few conversations with Deborah Goldstein (UW AD) leading up to the Fiesta Bowl. Afterward, I sat down with Kadin and told him about the offer. I owed him that. He could’ve left before all this and stayed because he believed in me. Least I could do was show him the same respect. He said he’d support me no matter what, but I decided we needed one more run. Whether we’re chasing our first championship or defending one, I wanted to be here for his final season in Muncie.

Pat McAfee: So does that mean this is your last ride in Muncie?

Nash Savage: Not necessarily. I said it last year, and I’ll say it again: if the right offer comes along, I’ll consider it. I turned down Washington, and I’m at peace with that decision. But if I’m here next year leading the team without Kadin? I’m still doing what I love, and I’ve got zero complaints.

Pat McAfee: Wherever you end up, Coach, anyone who lines up against you better be ready for a dogfight. Best of luck the rest of the way, and here’s hoping we see you and your squad in the playoffs.

[redsox907]

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

2027 Week Five Preview

Matchup Preview *|* October 2, 2027
	@
#9 Ball State Cardinals (3-0, 2-0 Away)		Western Michigan Broncos (2-1, 1-0 Home)
Injury Report DT Dalton Gustwiller (78) Quad Tear (2 Weeks) G Johnny Church (85) Torn Labrum (1 Week) DE Kion Tolbert (74) Broken Toe (3 Weeks) Game Notes Kalamazoo, MI. - The Broncos are off to a promising start to 2027 with a 2-1 record, although they stumbled hard in their lone contest vs ranked opponents - a 41-0 beatdown by the Orange. Ball State has yet to lose a conference matchup under Nash Savage's watch and if the beatdown by #23 Syracuse is any indication, that will likely remain the case following this showdown in Kalamazoo.

Western Michigan Broncos 79/79/80 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR Jayquan Reid (82)	JR Brian Scharff (77)	JR(RS) Jared Lamp (74)
TE	SO(RS) Wayne Juszczyk (80)	JR(RS) Connie Hewitt II (79)	SO(RS) Emmett Stepnoski (70)
LT	JR(RS) Gavin Dabo (80)	JR(RS) Jack Parker (75)
LG	JR(RS) Conor Kenzinger (76)	SO Tevita Oshinowo (71)
C	SO(RS) Taron Hodges (79)	JR(RS) Jeremy Schleicher (73)
RG	SO(RS) Dylan Barknow (82)	SO(RS) David Paredes (79)
RT	SO LaDarius Addae (77)	FR(RS) Jeremy Lawson (73)
WR	SO(RS) Kyle Vaughn (83)	JR(RS) Tony Martin (78)	SO(RS) JC Robinson (74)
QB	JR(RS) JD Davis II (82)	JR Marquise Moffett (72)
FB	JR Devonate Tobias (82)
HB	JR(RS) Tre' Hartwell (75)	SO(RS) Tim Hart (75)	JR Robert Witherspoon (73)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SO(RS) Alex Lester (85)	JR(RS) Razah Townsend (78)
LDT	JR(RS) Sid Kaba (77)	FR(RS) JT Isaacs (71)
RDT	FR(RS) Cortez Kindred (73)	FR Lamont Bulluck (58)
RDE	JR(RS) Joshua Lloyd (79)	FR David Haydel (60)
WLB	JR(RS) Brendan Budeselich (78)	JR Dillon Houser (75)
MLB	SO(RS) Tony Aguilera (77)	JR(RS) Derek Pennington (75)
SLB	JR Cole Kane (72)	FR(RS) DaMarious Alexander (70)
CB	SO(RS) Dallas Suttle (83)	SR(RS) Josh Franklin (80)	JR Dareon Ezeike (76)
SS	SR LaShawn Newkirk (75)	SR(RS) Josh Franklin (80)
FS	JR(RS) Angelo Stockstill (80)	FR Kevin Finger (61)
CB	JR(RS) Jameson Young (84)	SO(RS) Matt Weinsteen (80)	JR Dareon Ezeike (76)

Western Michigan Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
JD Davis II	68/95	793	8.2	261.0	55	7	3	158.8
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Tre' Hartwell	34	98	2.9	22	1	1	32.7	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Tony Martin	17	255	15.0	4	49	0	85.0	106
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Derek Pennington	17	4	21	0	0	0	0	0
DT Cortez Kindred	6	2	8	1	2	0	0	0
DE Alex Lester	6	3	9	2	0	2	0	0
CB Jameson Young	9	2	11	0	0	0	3	0

Week Five MAC Schedule
Northern Illinois (1-3) @ Bowling Green (0-3)
Ohio (2-1) @ Buffalo (3-1)
Akron (1-3) @ Toledo (2-1)
Miami (OH) (2-2) @ Eastern Michigan (0-3)
Kent State (1-2) @ Central Michigan (3-1)

Notable Week Five Matchups
Ohio State (2-1) @ #17 Iowa (1-2)
#7 Oregon (4-0) @ Colorado (3-1)
#2 Alabama (4-0) @ #4 Georgia (4-0)
#5 Michigan (3-0) @ #10 Wisconsin (3-0)
#23 Syracuse (3-1) @ #20 NC State (3-0)
#15 Tennessee (3-1) @ #6 Texas (3-1)

[redsox907]

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

Ball State's 2nd Half Surge Buries Broncos


Kadin Semonza's rushing ability puts enormous pressure on the defense, evidence by this wide open touchdown after Semona started to takeoff, before pulling up and firing a 22 yard dart for the TD.

Ball State Cardinals at Western Michigan Broncos
Oct 2, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #9 BALL (3-0) 7 14 14 24 59 WMU (2-1) 7 14 0 7 28 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 18/26, 485 Yds, 6 TD, INT RUSH: WMU Tre' Hartwell - 16 Att, 66 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 3 Rec, 148 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL WMU First Downs 22 25 3rd Down Efficiency 4/7 4/12 4th Down Efficiency 1/2 1/1 Total Yards 717 449 Passing Yards 485 299 Rushing Yards 25 - 197 29 -87 Penalties-Penalty Yards 5 - 30 1 - 10 Turnovers 2 3 Time of Possession 21:17 22:43
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL WMU 6:23 (BALL) Legend Ogbogu, 22 Yd pass From Kadin Semonza 7 0 3:22 (WMU) Connie Hewitt II, 2 Yd Pass From JD Davis II 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL WMU 5:32 (WMU) Tre' Hartwell, 1 Yd Run 7 14 1:48 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 27 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 14 14 1:06 (WMU) Tony Martin, 35 Yd pass From JD Davis II 14 21 0:54 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 85 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 21 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL WMU 8:05 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 81 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 28 21 3:36 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 66 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 35 21 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL WMU 9:25 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 6 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 42 21 7:18 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 14 Yd Run 49 21 5:25 (WMU) Tre' Hartwell, 18 Yd Run 49 28 2:41 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 45 Yd FG 52 28 2:18 (BALL) Cortez Duval, 14 Yd Run 59 28
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 18/26 485 6 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 14 80 5.7 1 Christian Davis 9 100 11.1 0 Cortez Duval 2 17 8.5 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 6 71 11.8 0 Philip Onwualu 5 123 24.6 2 Nyck Harbor 3 178 59.3 3 Dee Katula 2 30 15.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 61 61.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 22 22.0 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Anthony Okine 3 2 Arkel Anugwom 3 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 12 0 (2TFL) 0 0 FS Elijah Davis 11 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 10 0 1 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 7 0 1 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 7 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Brandon Nicholson 6 0 1 0 LB Tucker Foster 4 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 4 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Devin Lund 2 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 2 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 1/1 8/8 11 45 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 1 18 18.0 0 Cortez Duval 1 13 13.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 1 1.0 0 Western Michigan Broncos PASSING C/A YDS TD INT JD Davis II 32/41 299 2 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Tre' Hartwell 16 66 4.1 2 JD Davis II 8 -28 -3.6 0 Robert Witherspoon 5 50 10.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Tony Martin 8 85 10.6 1 Jayquan Reid 7 63 9.0 0 Tre' Hartwell 6 56 9.3 0 Brian Scharff 4 55 13.8 0 Wayne Juszczyk 4 18 4.5 0 Kyle Vaughn 1 12 12.0 0 JC Robinson 1 8 8.0 0 Connie Hewitt II 1 2 20 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Gavin Dabo 2 2 Ladarius Addae 7 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Angelo Stockstill 10 0 0 0 MLB Derek Pennington 6 0 0 0 MLB Tony Aguilera 5 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Alex Lester 5 1 (3TFL) 0 0 DE Razah Townsend 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Sid Kaba 3 0 0 (FF) 0 CB Josh Franklin 3 0 1 0 LB Brendan Budeselich 2 0 0 (FR) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Rishard Pepper 0/0 4/4 4 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Ryan Millmore 4 125 31.3 3 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Brian Scharff 5 63 12.6 0

LEFT - Ball State had the Broncos passing game strapped in for the most part, registering 3 interceptions and 4 sacks on the afternoon.
CENTER - Tre' Hartwell plowing into the endzone to finally end Ball State's 35-0 run dating back to the 2nd quarter.
RIGHT - Nash Savage wasted little time knocking the rust off of Philip Onwualu, who missed the last two games with a abdominal tear, seen here getting the edge on his 81 yard TD jaunt in the 4th quarter

Kalamazoo, MI – It was a tale of two halves at Waldo Stadium, as #9 Ball State (4-0) turned a first-half shootout into a second-half showcase, overwhelming Western Michigan (2-2) in a 59-28 victory. The Cardinals, powered by a career day from quarterback Kadin Semonza, lit up the scoreboard with a mix of explosive plays and a suffocating second-half defensive effort.

The opening half was as competitive as it gets, with both teams trading touchdowns and big plays. Ball State struck first with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kadin Semonza to Legend Ogbogu, but Western Michigan answered quickly with a 2-yard pass from JD Davis II to Connie Hewitt II to knot the score at 7.

In the second quarter, Western Michigan leaned on running back Tre’ Hartwell, who punched in a 1-yard score to give the Broncos their first lead. Ball State responded with Semonza hitting Nyck Harbor for a 27-yard touchdown to tie things back up at 14. The Broncos regained momentum with JD Davis II connecting on a 35-yard strike to Tony Martin, but the Cardinals came roaring back as Semonza launched an 85-yard bomb to Harbor, who burned the defense to bring Ball State even again at halftime, 21-21.

Despite the back-and-forth action, turnovers plagued Ball State early, with a first-quarter interception and a second-quarter fumble giving Western Michigan extra possessions. At the break, the Cardinals had totaled 260 yards of offense but were deadlocked with the Broncos, who tallied 218 yards.

Whatever adjustments Ball State made at halftime worked to perfection. The Cardinals seized control in the third quarter, keeping Western Michigan off the scoreboard while exploding for two massive touchdowns. Semonza continued his aerial assault, connecting with Philip Onwualu on an 81-yard touchdown and following it up with a 66-yard strike to Harbor, who finished the day with 178 yards and three touchdowns on just three catches.

In the fourth quarter, Ball State slammed the door shut. Semonza threw his sixth touchdown of the game, finding Onwualu again for a 6-yard score. Semonza then added a 14-yard rushing touchdown, capping an electric day where he totaled 485 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, and seven total touchdowns. Ball State tacked on a 45-yard field goal from Darrelle Stephen and a 14-yard touchdown run by Cortez Duval to put the game completely out of reach.

Western Michigan’s lone bright spot in the second half came from Tre’ Hartwell, who broke free for an 18-yard touchdown run, but by then, the damage was done.

Ball State’s defense stepped up in the second half, forcing three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals stretched their lead. After allowing 218 yards in the first half, the Cardinals tightened up, holding Western Michigan to just 188 total yards in the second half, including a mere 25 rushing yards.


On the other hand, Ball State’s offense exploded for 422 yards after the break, with Semonza and his dynamic receiving duo of Harbor and Onwualu leading the charge. Onwualu, playing in his first game back from injury, hauled in five passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns, providing Semonza with another reliable target.

With the win, Ball State remains undefeated at 4-0 and looks poised to make another deep run in the postseason. Western Michigan, now 2-2, will look to regroup as conference play continues.

Week Five MAC Results
18 Northern Illinois (1-4) @ Bowling Green (1-3) 28
13 Ohio (2-2) @ Buffalo (4-1) 48
10 Akron (1-4) @ #23 Toledo (3-1) 45
28 Miami (OH) (2-3) @ Eastern Michigan (1-3) 38
31 Kent State (2-2) @ Central Michigan (3-2) 28


Notable Week Five MAC Results
13 Ohio State (2-2) @ #13 Iowa (2-2) 20
27 #5 Oregon (5-0) @ Colorado (3-2) 24
22 #1 Alabama (5-0) @ #7 Georgia (4-1) 21
10 #12 Michigan (3-1) @ #4 Wisconsin (4-0) 24
20 Syracuse (3-2) @ #15 NC State (4-0) 38
35 #24 Kentucky (2-2) @ #10 South Carolina (4-1) 34
24 #21 Tennessee (3-2) @ #3 Texas (4-1)

[redsox907]

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

2027 Week Six Preview

Matchup Preview *|* October 9, 2027
	@
#23 Toledo Rockets (3-1, 1-1 Away)		#8 Ball State Cardinals (4-0, 1-0 Home)
Injury Report T Cole Rhett (84) Broken Tailbone (10 Weeks) Game Notes Muncie, IN. - The Rockets of Toledo are considered the 2nd best team in the MAC by all accounts, but share one pivotal stat with the rest of the conference, they've yet to beat Ball State with Nash Savage at the helm. Toledo has gone 0-4 against Ball State in the last two seasons with two conference championship game losses on the ledger. Senior QB RJ Johnson III is out to put the demons to bed. Predecessors Tucker Gleason and John Alan Richter have put up a plethora of yards against the Cardinals, with Gleason setting a MAC single game record in their 2025 MAC CCG shootout, but have come up just short against Semonza and Savage. They may get a Warriors vs Cavs rematch in the MAC CCG, but Toledo is looking to finally make this a rivalry game this week.

Toledo Rockets 81/81/81 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Zy'marion Lang (82)	JR(RS) Brayden Lovelocke (75)	FR(RS) Jared Baniewicz (71)
TE	SO(RS) Damien Harper (78)	JR(RS) Tysen Smith (67)	FR Marquel Lockridge (64)
LT	JR(RS) Evan Dailey (73)	FR Jason Punga (69)
LG	SO(RS) Eric Brindza (79)	FR Clint Heath (67)
C	SR(RS) Grant Zimmerly (76)	FR Ty McCaffrey (65)
RG	FR Tobias Lindsay (68)	FR Clint Heath (67)
RT	JR(RS) Matt Hofer (82)	SO(RS) Sean Teague (70)
WR	JR(RS) Tashi Braceful (83)	SR(RS) Julian Allen (79)	JR(RS) Andy Kehl (72)
QB	SR(RS) RJ Johnson III (83)	SO(RS) Brad Morton (78)
FB	SO Rashaad Dorsey (70)
HB	FR(RS) Melvin Lamp (78)	SO(RS) Walter Godwin (75)	SO(RS) Devin Riemersma (74)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Carlos Hazelwood (85)	SO David Jordan (69)
NT	JR(RS) Wayne Peart II (81)	SR Amir Brisiel (79)
RDE	SO Gerald Donnerson (73)	FR Terrelle Colmer (70)
LOLB	SO Richard Ibrahim (74)	FR Morgan Shockey (69)
LILB	JR Danny Vildor (83)	SO Jayden Snodgrass (74)
RILB	SR Trae Gaston (80)	SO Emanuel Sendejo (71)
ROLB	SO Miles Adeyemi (75)	FR James Foster (64)
CB	SO(RS) Dewayne Gorman (85)	SR(RS) Nicholas Thompson (81)	FR(RS) Diondre Laborn (74)
SS	SO(RS) Anthony Stewart (84)	FR(RS) Pat Veal (77)
FS	FR(RS) Gage Gilliam (77)	SO(RS) Tye Fontaine (77)
CB	JR(RS) Hyajah Miller (84)	SO Matthew Johnson (78)	FR(RS) Diondre Laborn (74)

Toledo Rockets Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
RJ Johnson III	87/121	1,288	10.6	322.0	80	14	2	196.1
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Melvin Lamp	50	210	4.2	24	2	2	52.5	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Zy'marion Lang	22	446	20.3	5	52	1	111.5	197
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Trae Gaston	23	7	30	0	1	4	0	0
DE Carlos Hazelwood	15	3	18	1.5	3	0	0	0
DT Amir Brisiel	4	2	6	2.5	1	0	0	0
CB Dewayne Gorman	17	4	21	0	1	3	2	0

Week Six MAC Schedule
Western Michigan (2-2) @ Northern Illinois (1-4)
Eastern Michigan (1-3) @ Ohio (2-2)
Buffalo (4-1) @ Akron (1-4)
Central Michigan (3-2) @ Miami (OH) (2-3)
Bowling Green (1-3) @ Kent State (2-2)

Notable Week Six Matchups
Louisville (4-1) @ #21 Tennessee (3-2)
#19 Illinois @ Penn State (2-3)
Oklahoma (3-2) @ #3 Texas (4-1)
#7 Georgia (4-1) @ #11 LSU (4-0)
#25 Minnesota (3-1) @ #12 Michigan (3-1)

[redsox907]

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

Defense Sparks 4th Q Comeback To Keep Ball State Perfect


Trailing by 10 following a missed FG, HC Nash Savage challenged his defense to make a play and CB Willizhuan Yates did just that, nabbing the RPO pass for a defensive touchdown to spark the comeback by Ball State.

Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals
Oct 9, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #23 TOL (3-1) 7 14 10 0 31 #8 BALL (4-0) 7 14 0 28 49 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 20/27, 360 Yds, 3 TD, 3 INT RUSH: TOL Dwayne Sullivan - 7 Att, 85 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 4 Rec, 191 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison TOL BALL First Downs 15 24 3rd Down Efficiency 4/11 5/9 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 2/3 Total Yards 316 618 Passing Yards 222 360 Rushing Yards 24 - 55 31 - 175 Penalties-Penalty Yards 2 - 15 3 - 25 Turnovers 2 3 Time of Possession 18:53 25:07
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 4:50 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 6 Yd Run 0 7 0:02 (TOL) Dwayne Sullivan, 15 Yd Run 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 9:37 (TOL) Damien Harper, 20 Yd Pass From RJ Johnson III 14 7 5:16 (BALL) Christian Davis, 7 Yd Run 14 14 3:31 (TOL) Dwayne Sullivan, 1 Yd Run 21 14 1:40 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 47 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 21 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 2:11 (TOL) Darren Norris, 38 Yd FG 24 21 1:10 (TOL) Dewayne Graham, Returned Interception 40 Yds 31 21 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 10:14 (BALL) Willizhuan Yates, Returned Interception 28 Yds 31 28 7:59 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 70 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 31 35 1:49 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 19 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 31 42 1:22 (BALL) Jordan Suggs, Returned Interception 7 Yds 31 49
Toledo Rockets PASSING C/A YDS TD INT RJ Johnson III 13/28 222 1 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD RJ Johnson III 11 -43 -3.9 0 Dwayne Sullivan 7 85 12.1 2 Melvin Lamp 6 13 2.2 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Tashi Braceful 4 50 12.5 0 Damien Harper 3 46 15.3 1 Zy'marion Lang 2 66 33.0 0 Julian Allen 2 40 20.0 0 Dwayne Sullivan 2 20 10.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Matt Hofer 1 2 Evan Dailey 0 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Trae Gaston 15 0 0 0 FS Gage Gilliam 11 0 0 0 CB Dewayne Gorman 7 0 1 1 CB Hyajah Miller 5 0 2 0 DT Wayne Peart II 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Caros Hazelwood 4 0 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darren Norris 1/1 4/4 7 38 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Storm Durbin 4 138 34.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dean Prosch 5 39 7.8 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 20/27 360 3 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 16 108 6.8 1 Kadin Semonza 9 45 5.0 1 Cortez Duval 5 20 4.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 2 2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 9 91 10.1 0 Nyck Harbor 4 191 47.8 3 Dee Katula 4 38 9.5 0 RJ Mukes III 3 40 13.3 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 10 0 Eli Freeman 7 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Devin Teague 10 0 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 4 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 4 2.5 (4TFL) 0 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 4 0 (1TFL) 1 1 LB Glenn McCord 3 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Tucker Foster 2 2 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Matthew Scorggins 1 0.5 0 0 CB Jordan Suggs 0 0 1 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 0/1 7/7 7 NA KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 1 17 17.0 0 Cortez Duval 4 58 14.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 3 8 2.7 0

LEFT - Nyck Harbor getting UP for a touchdown catch and run after breaking the tackle to end the 1st half tied at 21.
CENTER - Dewayne Graham nabbing the 3rd INT of the afternoon on Semonza, silencing the home crowd as he gave Toledo at 10 point lead late in the 3rd Q.
RIGHT - Sophomore LB Tucker Foster and teammates celebrating after Foster's 2nd sack of the day forced a turnover on downs by Toledo with just over 2 minutes in the 4th Q, preserving a 35-31 Cardinals lead.

Muncie, IN. - In a clash of top-25 teams, #8 Ball State mounted an electrifying fourth-quarter comeback to overcome #23 Toledo, securing a 49-31 victory and remaining undefeated at 5-0. The Cardinals erased a 10-point deficit heading into the final quarter, exploding for 28 unanswered points behind a relentless defense and a clutch performance from quarterback Kadin Semonza.

The first half featured an offensive showcase with both teams trading blows. Ball State struck first as Semonza scrambled for a 6-yard touchdown run, but Toledo quickly responded with a 15-yard scoring run by Dwayne Sullivan. The second quarter continued the tit-for-tat pattern. RJ Johnson III connected with Damien Harper on a 20-yard touchdown pass for Toledo, only to see Ball State respond with a 7-yard Christian Davis touchdown run. Both teams added another score each, including a spectacular 47-yard touchdown pass from Semonza to Nyck Harbor, sending the game into halftime knotted at 21-21.

Toledo appeared to take control in the third quarter, fueled by a defense that picked off Semonza and turned it into points. Dewayne Graham returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown, adding to a 38-yard field goal by Darren Norris. Meanwhile, Ball State dominated time of possession and racked up 120 yards of offense but failed to convert key opportunities, including a missed field goal and a turnover on downs. The Rockets carried a 31-21 lead into the fourth quarter, seemingly poised for the upset.

The fourth quarter belonged entirely to Ball State. On the very next play after Darrelle Stephens missed a 43 Yd FG, Willizhuan Yates intercepted Johnson and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown, igniting the home crowd and shifting the momentum. Toledo tried to recover from Ball State’s big defensive play, but their drive stalled just outside the red zone on 4th-and-2 after a crucial sack by Tucker Foster.

From there, Semonza found his rhythm, connecting with Harbor on back-to-back touchdowns, including a 70-yard bomb that effectively sealed the game. Ball State’s defense punctuated the dominant quarter with a second pick-six, as Jordan Suggs returned an interception 7 yards for a score. Toledo managed only 6 yards of offense in the final period, thanks in part to three sacks, including two by LB Tucker Foster.

Ball State’s defense rose to the occasion after a missed field goal early in the fourth quarter. Head coach Nash Savage challenged his players, telling them, “Just because Kadin [Semonza] is having a rough day doesn’t mean we just hang our heads and give up. Go get the ball back!” The defense delivered in spectacular fashion, forcing two turnovers while scoring two defensive touchdowns. Meanwhile, Toledo’s offense collapsed in the final quarter, managing only six total yards while allowing -26 yards from sacks and throwing two pick-sixes.

The win also bolstered Ball State’s recruiting momentum, as they secured commitments from four 4-star recruits, including ATH PJ Barmore (#46) and WR Spencer Lewis (#42)

Week Six MAC Results
18 Western Michigan (2-3) @ Northern Illinois (2-4) 32
24 Eastern Michigan (2-3) @ Ohio (2-3) 19
31 Buffalo (5-1) @ Akron (1-5) 30
49 Central Michigan (4-2) @ Miami (OH) (2-4) 28
23 Bowling Green (2-3) @ Kent State (2-3) 20

Notable Week Six Results
35 #20 Oklahoma (4-2) @ #14 Texas (4-2) 7
29 #5 Georgia (5-1) @ #13 LSU (4-1)
10 #16 Wisconsin (4-1) @ Michigan State 45
20 #9 Iowa (3-2) @ Indiana (2-4) 17
38 #19 Minnesota (4-1) @ #22 Michigan (3-2) 10

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

Around the NCAA Through Week Six

Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Oct 10, 2027
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	1	Alabama (39)	5	0
2	2	Miami (30)	6	0
3	5	Oregon	6	0
4	6	Kansas State	5	0
5	7	Georgia	5	1
6	8	Ball State	5	0
7	9	USC	5	0
8	10	South Carolina	5	1
9	13	Iowa	3	2
10	14	Clemson	4	1
11	16	Louisiana	6	0
12	17	Missouri	4	1
13	11	LSU	4	1
14	3	Texas	4	2
15	18	Utah	4	1
16	4	WIsconsin	4	1
17	20	Iowa State	3	2
18	22	Notre Dame	5	2
19	25	Minnesota	4	1
20	NR	Oklahoma	4	2
21	24	Kentucky	3	2
22	12	Michigan	3	2
23	15	NC State	4	1
24	NR	TCU	4	1
25	NR	Stanford	6	0

Heisman Watch

Heisman Watch - Updated: Oct 10, 2027
NAME	POS	SCHOOL		SEASON STATS
Jaden Rashada	QB	Georgia		2,106 Yds, 27 TD, 6 INT
LaNorris Sellers	QB	South Carolina		1,530 Yds, 14 TD, 0 INT; 255 Yds, 4 TD
Byron Smith	WR	Oregon		29 Rec, 449 Yds, 9 TD; 225 Yds, 1 TD
Dylan Lonergan	QB	Alabama		1,445 Yds, 10 TD, 3 INT
Ricky Ahumaraeze	WR	Northwestern		43 Rec, 765 Yds, 11 TD

League Leaders

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Oct 10, 2027
Passing Yards	YDS	Passing Touchdowns	TD
1. Jaden Rashada, Georgia	2,106	1. Jaden Rashada, Georgia	27
2. CJ Carr, Notre Dame	2,058	2. Kellen Tasby, Tulane	25
3. Ryan Staub, Colorado	1,941	3. Rickie Collins, ULL	23
4. EJ Caminong, SJSU	1,926	4. Aidan Gray, NW	21
5. Judd Anderson, Miami	1,884	5. Austin Novosad, Oregon	21
Carries	CAR	Rushing Yards	YD
1. Bradley Rhoes, Ole Miss	116	1. Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma	614
2. Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma	115	2. Wayne Knight, JMU	610
3. Isaac Brown, Louisville	108	3. Isaac Brown, Louisville	585
4. Jekail Middlebrook, Mid Tenn	108	4. Jordan Lyle	551
5. Derek Boyd II, Hawaii	108	5. Jerrick Gibson, Texas	528
Receptions	REC	Rushing Touchdowns	TD
1. Sacovie White, Georgia	46	1. Jerrick Gibson, Texas	8
2. Ricky Ahumaraeze, NW	43	2. Jordan Lyle, Miami	7
3. Joshua Porter, USF	43	3. Malik Fouts, Nebraska	7
4. Quentin Drake, Houston	41	4. Jadan Baugh, Florida	7
5. Jaden Reddell, Georgia	41	5. Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma	6
Receiving Yards	YDS	Receiving Touchdowns	TD
1. Ricky Ahumaraeze, NW	765	1. Ricky Ahumaraeze, NW	11
2. Sacovie White, Georgia	724	2. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	11
3. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	720	3. Jaquaize Pettaway Oklahoma	11
4. Jelani Priester, WVU	681	4. Dillon Boone, Mizz	10
5. Tykie Andrews, Ok St	676	5. Jett Toussaint, Tulane	10

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Oct 10, 2027
Tackles	TKL	Tackles For Loss	TFL
1. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame	53	1. Kenneth Merrieweather, Ball State	10
2. Alex Wolf, Nebraska	52	2. Levar Talley, Nevada	9
3. Daniel Trejo, WF	51	3. JaMicaehl Tabor, Ball State	8
4. Marquette Major, NIU	50	4. Javon Hammonds, Miami (OH)	8
5. Joey Basanez, Troy	50	5. Luke Rees, Nebraska	8
Sacks	SCK	Interceptions	INT
1. Dominic Hamlin, Orego	12.5	1. Jaden Allen, Arkansas	4
2. Colin Mustard, Louisvile	8.5	2. Williezhuan Yates, Ball State	4
3. Alex Clinton, Syracuse	8	3. Zavier Mincey, Alabama	4
4. Scot Clemens, UCF	8	4. Keion Dunlap, Troy	4
5. Simeon Coleman, Cincinnati	8	5. Dorian Jackson, Troy

Standings

ACC (Carolinas)	Record	Conf Record		ACC (Atlantic)	Record	Conf Record
#8 South Carolina	5-1	2-0		#2 Miami	6-0	2-0
Wake Forest	2-4	2-0		Maryland	4-2	2-1
North Carolina	3-2	1-0		Pittsburgh	3-3	2-2
#10 Clemson	4-1	1-0		West Virginia	2-4	1-1
#22 NC State	4-1	1-1		Virginia Tech	2-3	1-2
Georgia Tech	1-4	0-2		Syracuse	3-3	0-2
Duke	2-4	0-2		Virginia	4-2	0-2

AAC (East Coast)	Record	Conf Record		AAC (Southern)	Record	Conf Record
Temple	2-3	2-1		Florida Atlantic	3-2	3-0
UConn	2-5	2-2		UCF	4-2	3-0
Rutgers	4-2	1-2		UAB	4-1	2-0
Army	1-3	1-3		Charlotte	2-3	1-1
Boston College	3-3	1-3		East Carolina	3-2	1-1
Navy	0-5	0-3		USF	1-4	1-2

Big 12 (North)	Record	Conf Record		Big 12 (South)	Record	Conf Record
#24 TCU	4-1	3-0		#4 Kansas State	5-0	2-0
Texas Tech	3-2	2-0		Nebraska	3-3	2-2
Arkansas	4-2	2-1		#17 Iowa State	3-2	1-1
Texas A&M	3-2	1-2		Kansas	3-2	1-1
SMU	2-3	0-2		#12 Missouri	4-1	1-1
Oklahoma State	2-4	0-3		Houston	1-4	0-2

Big Ten (West)	Record	Conf Record		Big Ten (East)	Record	Conf Record
#9 Iowa	3-2	3-0		Penn State	3-3	2-1
Purdue	3-2	2-0		Cincinnati	2-3	1-1
#16 Wisconsin	4-1	2-1		Indiana	2-4	1-2
Illinois	3-2	1-1		Michigan State	3-3	1-2
#19 Minnesota	4-1	1-1		#22 Michigan	3-2	0-2
Northwestern	3-3	1-2		Ohio State	2-3	0-2

C-USA (West)	Record	Conf Record		C-USA (East)	Record	Conf Record
Baylor	3-2	2-1		#11 Louisiana	6-0	4-0
UTSA	1-4	1-1		Sam Houston	4-1	2-0
Tulsa	2-3	1-1		Tulane	4-2	3-1
New Mexico State	1-5	1-2		LA Tech	3-3	2-1
Texas State	3-3	1-2		Memphis	4-1	1-1
North Texas	1-4	0-2		Rice	2-3	1-1
UTEP	2-3	0-2		UL Monroe	2-3	1-1
New Mexico	0-5	0-3		Arkansas State	2-3	1-2

MAC (South)	Record	Conf Record		MAC (North)	Record	Conf Record
#6 Ball State	5-0	2-0		Buffalo	5-1	3-0
Kent State	2-3	1-1		Bowling Green	2-3	2-0
Northern Illinois	2-4	1-2		Eastern Michigan	2-3	2-0
Ohio	2-3	0-2		Central Michigan	4-2	2-1
Akron	1-5	0-3		Toledo	3-2	1-1
Miami (OH)	2-4	0-3		Western Michigan	2-3	1-2

MWC (Mountain)	Record	Conf Record		MWC (Pacific)	Record	Conf Record
Nevada	2-4	1-2		San Jose State	5-2	4-0
Utah State	2-3	1-2		Fresno State	5-1	3-0
Colorado State	0-5	0-2		#7 USC	5-0	3-0
Air Force	1-4	0-3		UCLA	3-2	2-0
UNLV	1-4	0-3		Hawaii	5-1	2-1
Wyoming	0-6	0-3		San Diego State	2-3	1-1

PAC-12 (Central)	Record	Conf Record		PAC-12 (West Coast)	Record	Conf Record
Arizona	3-2	1-1		#25 Stanford	6-0	4-0
Boise State	3-2	1-1		#3 Oregon	6-0	3-0
#15 Utah	4-1	1-1		Washington	3-2	2-1
BYU	2-3	1-2		Oregon State	2-3	1-1
Colorado	3-3	1-2		Cal	3-3	1-2
Arizona State	1-4	0-2		Washington State	1-4	0-3

PAC-12 (Central)	Record	Conf Record		PAC-12 (West Coast)	Record	Conf Record
Arizona	3-2	1-1		#25 Stanford	6-0	4-0
Boise State	3-2	1-1		#3 Oregon	6-0	3-0
#15 Utah	4-1	1-1		Washington	3-2	2-1
BYU	2-3	1-2		Oregon State	2-3	1-1
Colorado	3-3	1-2		Cal	3-3	1-2
Arizona State	1-4	0-2		Washington State	1-4	0-3

Sun Belt (North)	Record	Conf Record		Sun Belt (South)	Record	Conf Record
Liberty	5-0	5-0		Georgia Southern	4-1	2-0
Kennesaw State	5-1	3-0		Jacksonville State	3-2	2-0
Western Kentucky	5-1	3-0		Coastal Carolina	3-2	1-2
Appalachian State	2-3	2-0		Florida International	3-2	0-2
James Madison	4-1	2-1		Georgia State	1-4	0-2
Old Dominion	3-3	1-3		South Alabama	3-2	0-2
Middle Tenn	2-5	1-4		Southern Miss	2-3	0-2
Marshall	2-3	0-2		Troy	2-3	0-2

[redsox907]

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

Week Seven Preview

Matchup Preview *|* October 16, 2027
	@
Bowling Green Falcons (2-3, 1-2 Away)		#6 Ball State Cardinals (5-0, 2-0 Home)

Bowling Green Falcons 84/84/85 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Cynceir McNeal (78)	SO Billy Khoehler (73)	FR Jamel Cobbs (69)
TE	SR(RS) Jacob Harris (76)	SO(RS) Carl Colon (67)	SO Jaden LeCounte (67)
LT	SR(RS) James Thomas Jr (80)	SO(RS) Patrick Rourke (76)
LG	JR(RS) Dillon Robinson (80)	SR(RS) Adrian George (71)
C	SO(RS) Eric Foster (86)	JR(RS) Julian Henderson (84)
RG	SO(RS) Quincy Burfict (80)	JR(RS) Moritz Schomoranzer (77)
RT	JR(RS) Paul Hatchett (78)	SO(RS) Sam Beckham (72)
WR	SR Caleb Goodloe (79)	SR(RS) Shawn Thigpen (77)	FR(RS) Cornell Miree (72)
QB	SR(RS) Lucian Anderson III (85)	JR Ray Pifer (72)
HB	SR(RS) Chris Edmonds (74)	JR(RS) Jaden Copening (74)	SR(RS) Bryce DeFalco (73)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Elias Owens (78)	FR Cassius Cole (68)
NT	SR(RS) Ian Van Der Merwe (80)	SR(RS) Dayln White (75)
RDE	SR Martreece Dillard (81)	FR(RS) Joel Willett (76)
LOLB	SR(RS) Alijah Williams (82)	SO(RS) David Mauch (75)
LILB	JR Cameron Pena (83)	JR(RS) Dorian Pringle (75)
RILB	SR(RS) Jabari Mitchell (80)	FR Chip McGary (65)
ROLB	JR(RS) Cameron Hicks (83)	SO(RS) Jamar Gilliam (73)
CB	SR(RS) Nicholas DeLoach Jr (84)	SR(RS) Jace Henry (81)	JR(RS) Ronald Moore Jr (80)
SS	SR Larry Yates (87)	SO(RS) Kahlil Zimmons (76)
FS	SR(RS) Tracy Revels (84)	SR TJ Nelson (79)
CB	JR(RS) Kal-el Pascal (81)	SR(RS) Bart Pamphile (81)	JR(RS) Ronald Moore Jr (80)

Bowling Green Falcons Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Lucian Anderson III	112/212	1,347	6.4	269.4	66	10	4	117.9
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Chris Edmonds	64	177	2.8	52	1	1	35.4	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Cynceir McNeal	28	354	12.6	3	28	4	70.8	80
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
CB Nicholas DeLoach Jr	24	7	31	0	0	1	0	0
MLB Jabari Mitchell	23	8	31	1	4	2	0	0
LB Alijah Williams	19	7	26	4	2	0	0	0
FS Tracy Revels	20	5	25	0	0	1	1	0

Week Seven MAC Schedule
Toledo (3-2) @ Buffalo (5-1)
Kent State (2-3) @ Miami (OH) (2-4)
Western Michigan (2-3) @ Eastern Michigan (2-3)
Northern Illinois (2-4) @ Ohio (2-3)

Notable Week Seven Matchups
#12 Missouri (4-1) @ #4 Kansas State (5-0)
Florida (3-2) @ #1 Alabama (5-0)
#7 USC (5-0) @ #18 Notre Dame (5-2)
#16 Wisconsin (4-1) @ #9 Iowa (3-2)

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

Freshman K Darrelle Stephen Kicks Ball State To Victory!


Stephens with the no doubt 40 yard FG with just 16 seconds left to snatch victory away from Bowling Green.

Bowling Green Falcons at Ball State Cardinals
Oct 16, 2027 1 2 3 4 F BGSU (2-3) 7 6 11 11 35 #6 BALL (5-0) 7 7 7 17 38 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 23/32, 344 Yds, 2 TD RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 17 Att, 86 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 9 Rec, 143 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison BGSU BALL First Downs 23 24 3rd Down Efficiency 4/15 2/10 4th Down Efficiency 2/3 1/3 Total Yards 531 530 Passing Yards 366 344 Rushing Yards 27 - 101 31 - 130 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 5 - 50 Turnovers 2 0 Time of Possession 18:33 25:27
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BGSU BALL 9:18 (BGSU) Cornell Miree, 28 Yd Pass From Lucian Anderson III 7 0 2:15 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 11 Yd Run 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BGSU BALL 3:51 (BGSU) Nick Carreon, 20 Yd FG 10 7 0:57 (BALL) Christian Davis, 3 Yd Run 10 14 0:00 (BGSU) Nick Carreon, 22 Yd FG 13 14 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BGSU BALL 9:27 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 60 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 21 6:09 (BGSU) Cynceir McNeal, 4 Yd Pass From Lucian Anderson III (2PT) 21 21 3:51 (BGSU) Nick Carreon, 50 Yd FG 24 21 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BGSU BALL 9:13 (BALL) Christian Davis, 2 Yd Run 24 28 6:19 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 72 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 24 35 3:51 (BGSU) Nick Carreon, 28 Yd FG 27 35 1:50 (BGSU) Cornell Miree, 5 Yd Pass From Lucian Andrerson III (2PT) 35 35 0:16 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 40 Yd FG 35 38
Bowling Green Falcons PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Lucian Anderson III 32/50 366 3 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Chris Edmonds 22 99 4.5 0 Jaden Copening 3 0 0.0 0 Jacob Harris 1 8 8.0 0 Lucian Anderson III 1 -6 -6.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jacob Harris 7 105 15.0 0 Cynceir McNeal 7 90 12.8 1 Chris Edmonds 6 52 8.6 0 Caleb Goodloe 4 57 14.2 0 Carl Colon 4 20 5.0 0 Cornell Miree 2 33 16.5 2 Jaden LeCounte 1 1 1.0 0 Shawn Thigpen 1 0 0.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eric Foster 10 0 James Thomas Jr 8 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Tracy Revels 10 0 0 0 LB Alijah Williams 6 1.5 (5TFL) 0 0 DE Elias Owens 6 1.5 (4TFL) 0 0 DE Cassius Cole 4 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Martreece Dillard 4 1 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Nick Carreon 4/4 1/1 13 51 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Channing Riggs 3 82 27.3 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Conor McMillan 3 38 12.6 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Caleb Goodloe 3 26 8.6 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 23/32 344 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 17 86 5.0 2 Kadin Semonza 12 28 2.3 1 Cortez Duval 1 3 3.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 13 13.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 9 143 15.8 1 RJ Mukes III 4 18 4.5 0 Nyck Harbor 3 90 30.0 1 Dee Katula 2 17 8.5 0 Legend Ogbogu 2 50 25.0 0 Theo Hryniewicz 1 19 19.0 0 Cortez Duval 1 2 2.0 0 Christian Davis 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Anthony Okine 2 2 Eli Freeman 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Brandon Nicholson 13 0 0 (FF) 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 10 0 0 (FR) 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 8 0 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 8 0 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Glenn McCord 8 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 8 0 (1TFL) 0 (FR) 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 4 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Devin Lund 3 0 (1TFL) 0 (FF) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 1/1 5/5 8 40 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 4 162 40.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 3 39 13.0 0 Cortez Duval 1 10 10.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 1 7 7.0 0

LEFT - Two early fumble by BG weren't enough to get Ball State ahead early thanks to two turnovers on 4th down.
CENTER - Lucian Anderson III went 6/7 for 56 yards with a touchdown and two point conversion as he lead Bowling Green back with just under 2 minutes left.
RIGHT - Philip Onwualu seemed to have iced the game with this 72 yard touchdown catch and run, getting around the corner to give Ball State a 11 point lead.

Muncie, IN - In a dramatic finish, #6 Ball State survived a late rally from Bowling Green to secure a 38-35 victory and remain undefeated at 6-0. Freshman kicker Darrelle Stephen’s 40-yard field goal with 16 seconds left proved to be the game-winner in a back-and-forth contest that saw standout performances on both sides.

The first half was a defensive tug-of-war, with both teams struggling to capitalize on key opportunities. Bowling Green struck first with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Lucian Anderson III to Cornell Miree, but Ball State quickly answered with an 11-yard touchdown run by quarterback Kadin Semonza.

The second quarter saw Ball State take a narrow lead thanks to a 3-yard touchdown run by Christian Davis, while Bowling Green relied on kicker Nick Carreon’s steady leg, hitting two field goals to keep the game close. Both teams had miscues, with Bowling Green losing two fumbles and Ball State failing to convert on two fourth-down attempts. At halftime, Ball State held a slim 14-13 lead despite nearly identical offensive production, with both teams hovering around 230 yards.

The third quarter saw Bowling Green surge ahead. After a spectacular 60-yard touchdown pass from Semonza to Nyck Harbor gave Ball State a 21-13 advantage, the Falcons responded with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Cynceir McNeal, followed by a successful two-point conversion. Carreon added a booming 50-yard field goal to give Bowling Green a 24-21 lead heading into the final quarter.

Ball State regained control early in the fourth quarter with a 12-play drive capped by Davis’ second rushing touchdown, putting the Cardinals back on top, 28-24. After a defensive stop, Semonza connected with Philip Onwualu on a 72-yard jet pass that extended the lead to 35-24.

Bowling Green refused to back down. The Falcons converted a fourth down on their next possession and trimmed the deficit to 35-27 with another Carreon field goal. Following a defensive stop, Anderson orchestrated a six-play drive, highlighted by a 5-yard touchdown pass to Miree and a two-point conversion to tie the game at 35 with just 1:51 remaining.

Ball State’s final drive was a model of composure. Semonza opened with a 34-yard catch-and-run by redshirt freshman Legend Ogbogu and followed up with a 13-yard completion to Onwualu, setting up Stephen’s 40-yard field goal. The freshman kicker delivered under immense pressure, giving the Cardinals the lead with 16 seconds left. Bowling Green’s final four Hail Mary attempts fell incomplete, sealing the win for Ball State.

he win was another significant step for Ball State’s program, as the Cardinals secured two more commitments from recruits who attended the game: #46 national WR Daryl Pope and #306 DE Kyree Artmore. The victory keeps Ball State’s perfect season alive and underscores their ability to perform under pressure.

Next, Ball State will look to maintain their momentum as they prepare to head north to face Central Michigan, while Bowling Green, despite falling to 2-4, can take pride in a strong showing against a top-10 opponent.

Week Seven MAC Results
31 Toledo (3-3) @ Buffalo (6-1) 34
20 Kent State (3-3) @ Miami (OH) (2-5) 12
34 Western Michigan (2-4) @ Eastern Michigan (3-3) 38
24 Northern Illinois (3-4) @ Ohio (2-4) 23


Notable Week Seven Results
30 #24 Utah (4-2) @ Oregon State (3-3) 35
28 #9 Missouri (5-1) @ #10 Kansas State (5-1) 25
43 Florida (4-2) @ #12 Alabama (5-1) 42
36 #17 Louisiana (6-1) @ #22 Sam Houston (5-1) 38
24 #7 USC (6-0) @ #20 Notre Dame (5-3) 17
21 #18 Wisconsin (4-2) @ #8 Iowa (4-2) 24