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)

2027 Conference Championship Preview

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#21 Buffalo Bulls (9-3, Away)		#7 Ball State Cardinals (12-0, Home)
Injury Report HB Lamar Sperling (91) Broken Wrist (4 Weeks) DE Jacari Bennett (85) Broken Wrist (2 Weeks) G Tye Scioli (86) Partial ACL Tear (7 Weeks) Game Notes Detroit, MI. - The Buffalo Bulls backed into the MAC Championship game after a close loss to Bowling Green last week, but more important than the loss was the injury to star HB Lamar Sperling, who broke his wrist midway through the 3rd quarter. Worse still, it effectively ends the redshirt seniors collegiate career barring a deep post season run by the Bulls. That postseason run has to start in Detroit against the undefeated Ball State Cardinals. A win over Ball State would likely propel the Bulls high enough into the rankings to clinch an automatic bye with a conference championship. It's easier said than done however, as no MAC team has felled the Cardinals since Nash Savage took over the program a little under three years ago, having gone a perfect 29-0 in MAC play since. Savage and the Cardinals are seeking their 3rd consecutive MAC title with hopes of propelling themselves back into the playoffs for the 2nd straight year with the hopes of avenging a semi final loss a year ago.

Buffalo Bulls 81/84/80 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Messiah Burch (70)	JR(RS) Quenten Pollard (69)	SO Zavier Tandy (66)
TE	SR(RS) Tracy Stephens (79)	JR(RS) Shamar Riser-Pressley (74)	SR(RS) Mitch Viviano (73)
LT	SR Tyrone Davis (89)	JR(RS) Keenan Fairley (81)
LG	JR(RS) Tony Norman (78)	SR(RS) Brody Gentry (79)
C	FR Tyler Morris (71)	FR Angel Slauson (60)
RG	JR(RS) Harvey Newman (81)	JR(RS) Tyler Hilton (81)
RT	SR(RS) Henry Tabansi (77)	JR(RS) Christopher Lamb (79)
WR	JR(RS) Patrick Clacks III (82)	SO Gideon Olubi (70)	SO(RS) Wade Kush (67)
QB	SO(RS) Sean ****s (77)	SO Sam Babcok (76)
HB	SO(RS) AJ Elias (78)	FR(RS) Jay Gee (71)	FR(RS) Ty Pryor (70)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Luke Yau Gayle (77)	SO(RS) Carlos Chubb (73)
NT	SR(RS) Junior Poyser (79)	FR(RS) Carter Keenan (78)
RDE	SR(RS) Nick Roy (81)	SO(RS) Layne Mixon (76)
LOLB	SO(RS) Duane Tribble (80)	FR Isaiah Lumpkin (67)
LILB	JR Emanuel Robert (75)	FR Keilan Wahl (69)
RILB	SR Will Clark (74)	SO(RS) Duane Tribble (60)
ROLB	FR(RS) Alex Sauter (78)	SR(RS) Matt Dillard (65)
CB	JR(RS) Eddie Pleasant III (88)	FR Steve Abraham (73)	SO(RS) David Ulrich (70)
SS	SR Xavier Leonard (76)	FR(RS) Darien Boyette (68)
FS	FR(RS) Calvin Benshaw (82)	JR(RS) Malcom Ziglar (79)
CB	FR(RS) Jason Johnson (78)	FR(RS) Landon Herzlich (73)	SO(RS) David Ulrich (70)

Buffalo Bulls Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Sean ****s	256/369 (69%)	3,120	8.5	260.0	70	36	7	168.8
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Lamar Sperling *INJ*	156	818	5.2	69	9	5	68.2	3
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Quenten Pollard	62	847	13.7	13	70	10	70.6	335
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Emanuel Robert	69	15	84	0	2	5	3	0
DT Carter Keenan	19	12	31	5	7	1	0	0
DE Jacari Bennett *INJ*	24	4	28	5	7	0	0	0
Steve Abraham	40	11	51	0	1	6	2	0

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#8 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (11-1, Away)		#19 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-3, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#14 Boise State Broncos (9-3, Away)		#5 Stanford Cardinal (12-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#16 Texas A&M Aggies (9-3, Away)		#9 Kansas State Wildcats (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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Georgia Southern Eagles (9-3, Away)		#18 Liberty Flames (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#3 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2, Away)		#1 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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Wyoming Cowboys (4-8, Away)		#15 Fresno State Bulldogs (10-2, Home)
Game Notes MWC Mountain - Wyoming 4 conference wins tied Nevada (5-7 / 4-5), but won the head to head matchup to make the CCG. MWC Pacific - Fresno State's only MWC loss came to USC four weeks ago, but after the Trojans dropped the season finale to rival UCLA Fresno clinched a seat in the CCG.

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#17 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-3, Away)		#10 UAB Blazers (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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#4 South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2, Away)		#2 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (11-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 11, 2027
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Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5, Away)		Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5, Home)
Game Notes Big Ten (East) - Cincinnati's 6 conference wins edged out Penn State (6-6 / 5-4), Ohio State (7-5 / 5-4), and Michigan (7-5 / 4-5) to reach the CCG. Big Ten (West) - Iowa went 7-2 in conference play to have a two game lead over Northwestern (7-5 / 5-4) and Minnesota (8-4 / 5-4)

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

Little surprised you gave Williams that much PT unless you felt like Semonza has the Heisman and all the other post season awards wrapped up. But it was cool to see. He played like a baller..

He's leading the Heisman race currently, but there are other QBs who are having better seasons. He does lead the country in rushing TDs (16), so I'm sure that is weighting his performance. But I wanted to at least make it closer. Semonza, Jaden Rashada (UGA), and LaNorris Sellers (SCAR) are top 3 and are all in CCG, so I feel like winner should come down to whoever performs better over CCG weekend.

He's got a HUGE arm compared to Semonza (96THP vs 89THP), the pass to Harbor was a missile. I'd recruited him in the portal my 1st offseason as an insurance policy in case Kadin went down, so I feel like he deeserved a bit of love for coming over and sitting on ice for a few years

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

[CENTER]

Ball State Wins Double OT Thriller For 3rd MAC Championship!

Buffalo Bulls at Ball State Cardinals
Dec 11, 2027 1 2 3 4 OT F #21 BUFF (9-3) 7 6 3 15 6 37 #7 BALL (12-0) 3 7 7 14 9 40 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 23/36, 412 Yds, 4 TD, INT RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 12 Att, 68 Yds REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 6 Rec, 178 Yds, 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison BUFF BALL First Downs 21 23 3rd Down Efficiency 9/16 4/10 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 1/3 Total Yards 497 571 Passing Yards 379 412 Rushing Yards 24 - 62 26 - 100 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1- 10 4 - 25 Turnovers 0 1 Time of Possession 22:37 21:23
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BUFF BALL 6:46 (BUFF) AJ Elias, 9 Yd Run 7 0 2:04 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 42 Yd FG 7 3 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BUFF BALL 9:45 (BUFF) Nick Reed, 31 Yd FG 10 3 3:12 (BUFF) Nick Reed, 45 Yd /fG 13 3 0:00 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 34 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 10 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BUFF BALL 7:41 (BUFF) Nick Reed, 32 Yd FG 16 10 2:29 (BALL) Christian Davis, 11 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 16 17 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BUFF BALL 10:23 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 16 24 4:23 (BUFF) Patrick Clacks III, 1 Yd Pass From Sean ****s (2PT) 24 24 2:03 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 51 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 24 31 0:39 (BUFF) Sean ****s, 22 Yd Run 31 31 OVERTIME SCORING BUFF BALL (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 30 Yd FG 31 34 (BUFF) Nick Reed, 32 Yd FG 34 34 (BUFF) Nick Reed, 38 Yd FG 37 34 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 12 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 37 40
Buffalo Bulls PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Sean ****s 33/42 379 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD AJ Elias 14 34 2.4 1 Sean ****s 10 28 2.8 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Quenten Pollard 9 175 19.4 0 Messiah Burch 6 54 9.0 0 Gideon Olubi 6 49 8.1 0 Patrick Clacks III 5 31 6.2 1 AJ Elias 4 37 9.2 0 Wade Kush 2 21 10.5 0 Tracy Stephens 1 5 5.0 0 Shamar Riser-Pressley 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Tyler Morris 9 0 Henry Tabansi 5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Eddie Pleasant III 10 0 0 0 LB Alex Sauter 9 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Carter Keenan 8 0.5 (4TFL) 0 0 CB Jason Johnson 5 0 1 0 DE Luke Yau Gayle 4 2 (3TFL) 0 0 DT Junior Poyser 4 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Nick Reed 5/5 2/2 17 46 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Tavares Eddy 2 68 34.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Xavier Tandy 4 56 14.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 23/36 412 4 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 12 68 5.6 0 Kadin Semonza 10 19 1.9 1 Cortez Duval 3 4 1.3 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 9 9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 7 75 10.7 1 Nyck Harbor 4 178 20.6 2 RJ Mukes III 6 70 11.6 0 Christian Davis 1 11 11.0 1 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 47 47.0 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 13 13.0 0 Cortez Duval 1 18 18.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Anthony Okine 2 3 Eli Freeman 5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 11 0 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 9 1 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 8 0 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Jordan Suggs 7 2 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Cameron Jones 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephens 2/2 4/4 10 43 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 1 38 38.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD RJ Mukes III 2 45 22.5 0 Cortez Duval 1 14 14.0 0

LEFT - Sean ****s plowing through Cardinals defenders on his way to the 22 yard game tying TD with 30 seconds left.
CENTER - Philip Onwualu celebrating as the Cardinals faithful goes wild with the overtime walk-off touchdown.
RIGHT - Sean ****s evaded the sack by DT Devin Lund before hitting his man to set up the 1 yard TD pass to Patrick Clacks III to tie the game midway through the 4th.

Detroit, MI. - In a game for the ages, the Ball State Cardinals secured their third consecutive MAC Championship in dramatic fashion, defeating the Buffalo Bulls 40-37 in double overtime at Ford Field. The win capped off an undefeated regular season for the Cardinals, who had to overcome mistakes and late-game heroics from Buffalo to hoist the trophy once again.

The Cardinals started slow, with an interception in the end zone and two failed fourth-down conversions stalling promising drives. Buffalo capitalized early as AJ Elias punched in a 9-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulls a 7-0 lead. Ball State responded with a 42-yard field goal from Darrelle Stephen, but Buffalo extended their lead with two Nick Reed field goals in the second quarter.

Down 13-3 with seconds left in the first half, Ball State finally found their rhythm. Kadin Semonza connected with Nyck Harbor on a perfectly placed 34-yard touchdown as time expired, cutting the deficit to 13-10 and giving the Cardinals much-needed momentum heading into halftime.

Ball State carried their energy into the third quarter, with Semonza finding Christian Davis for an 11-yard touchdown to take a 17-13 lead. Buffalo’s Nick Reed added another field goal to make it 17-16, but the Bulls struggled to break through a stout Cardinals defense.

The fourth quarter saw fireworks from both teams. Semonza’s 1-yard touchdown run pushed Ball State’s lead to 24-16, but Buffalo stormed back with a clutch drive. Sean ****s connected with Patrick Clacks III for a 1-yard touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion to tie the game at 24-24. With just minutes remaining, Semonza struck again, hitting Harbor for a 51-yard bomb to reclaim the lead. Buffalo refused to quit, as ****s ripped off a 22-yard touchdown run to send the game into overtime tied at 31.

In the first overtime, both teams traded field goals—Ball State’s Stephen from 30 yards and Buffalo’s Reed from 32. Buffalo had a chance to seize momentum, but Ball State’s defense came up clutch, tackling Messiah Burch just inches shy of a first down on third-and-long, forcing Buffalo to settle for another field goal in the second overtime.

With the championship on the line, Semonza delivered in the biggest moment. He connected with Legend Ogbogu for a 13-yard gain to move the chains, then found Philip Onwualu for a 12-yard game-winning touchdown, setting off a wild celebration on the field.

With the win, Ball State improves to 12-0 and solidifies their case for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The victory also marks their fifth win over a ranked opponent this season and cements their dominance in the MAC under head coach Nash Savage.

Ball State will now await their bowl assignment, with dreams of competing for a national title firmly within reach. Ball State will now await their bowl assignment, with dreams of competing for a national title firmly within reach. Ball State now awaits the College Football Playoff committee’s decision with bated breath, having dropped from 5th overall down to 7th during the latter half of the season despite finishing undefeated. If Ball State falls out of the top 4 and misses an automatic bye, they’ll instead host a first-round matchup at Scheumann Stadium, where the Cardinals have been unbeaten in their last 18 home games.

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns at Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#7 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (12-1)	7	0	14	3	31
#20 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-4)	7	0	0	7	14

Boise State Broncos at Stanford Cardinal
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#15 Boise State Broncos (9-4)	0	14	7	3	24
#4 Stanford Cardinal (13-0)	7	13	3	16	39

Texas A&M Aggies at Kansas State Wildcats
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#16 Texas A&M Aggies (9-4)	6	3	7	7	23
#9 Kansas State Wildcats (11-2)	0	7	7	14	28

Georgia Southern Eagles at Liberty Flames
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Georgia Southern Eagles (10-3)	14	13	0	7	34
#18 Liberty Flames (10-3)	0	10	14	7	31

Oklahoma Sooners at Georgia Bulldogs
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#2 Oklahoma Sooners (11-2)	7	7	0	7	21
#3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-2)	0	7	0	6	13

Wyoming Cowboys at Fresno State Bulldogs
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Wyoming Cowboys (4-9)	7	3	3	22	35
#14 Fresno State Bulldogs (11-2)	14	14	7	6	41

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at UAB Blazers
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#17 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-4)	3	6	0	15	24
#10 UAB Blazers (11-2)	13	8	7	10	37

South Carolina Gamecocks at Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#6 South Carolina Gamecocks (10-3)	7	7	0	0	14
#1 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (12-1)	7	7	3	3	20

Cincinnati Bearcats at Iowa Hawkeyes
Dec 11, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Cincinnati Bearcats (7-6)	10	0	0	0	10
Iowa Hawkeyes (8-5)	0	3	3	7	13

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

Cardinals Draw Short Straw With CFP Seeding



Muncie, IN. - When teams complain about their College Football Playoff seeding—or the old BCS rankings—the usual response is, “Win more games.”

Good luck saying that to Ball State head coach Nash Savage.

“Utter s**tshow, 100%,” Savage fumed when asked about the Cardinals dropping out of the top four automatic bids, conceding the final bye to Louisiana despite an undefeated season.

Ball State’s ranking has steadily declined throughout the year. Once as high as 5th, they fell to 7th before last week’s MAC Championship victory over #21 Buffalo—and dropped again in the final rankings. Reports from the CFP committee indicate that Ball State’s résumé hurt them, with their most notable wins (Iowa, Kentucky, and Penn State) finishing unranked and hovering around .500 by season’s end.

While the Cardinals have reason to protest, they aren’t alone. MWC champion Fresno State, ranked 14th, narrowly missed the playoff cut despite being the sixth-highest-ranked conference winner. Meanwhile, Oregon, which started the season 9-0, fell out of contention entirely after finishing 1-2 and missing their chance to shine in the PAC-12 title game.

For these teams, the complaints will linger through the offseason. But for now, it’s time to play some football.
• #12 Tulane at #5 Georgia: The winner advances to the Fiesta Bowl to face Louisiana.
• #9 Kansas State at #8 Ball State: A trip to the Peach Bowl for a clash with Miami awaits the winner.
• #11 LSU at #6 Clemson: The winner heads west to the Rose Bowl to meet PAC-12 champion Stanford.
• #10 UAB at #7 South Carolina: A Sugar Bowl showdown with Oklahoma awaits the victor.

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

Super Semonza Does It Again!



Muncie, IN. - Make room, Archie Griffin—you’ve got company. On Saturday, Ball State Cardinals quarterback Kadin Semonza joined the former Ohio State running back as one of only two players in history to win the Heisman Memorial Trophy twice.

“To be mentioned with an all-time great like Mr. Griffin is mind-blowing, to be honest. I’m just out here playing the game I love, and anything extra is just gravy,” Semonza said during the ceremony.

While Semonza’s overall numbers are slightly down from his 2026 Heisman campaign, his efficiency has skyrocketed. After throwing 14 interceptions last season alongside 65 touchdowns, Semonza slashed that number in half this year. He also set a career high on the ground with 934 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns, complementing his 3,874 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns.

Louisiana quarterback Rickie Collins, whose team edged out Ball State for the final first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, finished second in Heisman voting, while South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers placed third.

Though honored by the recognition, Semonza made it clear where his focus lies: “This award is nice, but this isn’t the trophy I’m wanting to hold,” he said, referencing the national championship many believe the undefeated Cardinals have a strong shot at winning in the coming weeks.

Semonza didn't stop with the Heisman as he also collected the Walter Camp, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, and Unitas Golden Arm awards. He wasn't the only Cardinal to rake in some hardware either with defensive end Kenneth Merrieweather claiming his second consecutive Bednarik Award while adding the Bronco Nagurski Trophy. Wide receiver Nyck Harbor picked up his third straight Biletnikoff Award, and sophomore safety Devin Teague earned his first Jim Thorpe Award.

The Cardinals, stacked with star power, now turn their sights to the playoff, hoping to cap their historic season with the ultimate prize.

Kadin Semonza - Heisman Stats Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Kadin Semonza	235/331 (70%)	3,974	11.7	298.0	85	46	7	210.9
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Kadin Semonza	155	934	6.0	39	9	17	71.8	6

2027 Season Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Bronko Nagurski Trophy	Kenneth Merrieweather	DE	Ball State
Chuck Bednarik Award	Kenneth Merrieweather	DE	Ball State
Davey O'Brien Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Doak Walker Award	Jordan Lyle	HB	Miami
Fred Biletnikoff Award	Nyck Harbor	WR	Ball State
Heisman Memorial Trophy	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Jim Thorpe Award	Devin Teague	SS	Ball State
John Mackey Award	Jaden Reddell	TE	Georgia
Linebacker of the Year	Ezra Odinjor	LB	UAB
Lombardi Award	Wyatt Gilmore	DE	Oklahoma
Lou Groza Award	Kristian Thomas	K	Texas A&M
Maxwell Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Outland Trophy	Alex Koerner	G	Penn State
Ray Guy Award	Clay Lawerence	P	Fresno State
Returner of the Year	Christian Hamilton	WR	North Carolina
Rimington Trophy	Cade Borud	C	Iowa
Walter Camp Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State

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

2027 College Football Playoff 1st Round Preview

Matchup Preview *|* December 17, 2027
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#9 Kansas State Wildcats (11-2, Away)		#8 Ball State Cardinals (13-0, Home)
Injury Report T Kaedin Massey (84) Ruptured Disk (2 Weeks) G Gus Hawkins (88) Dislocated Ankle (5 Weeks)

Kansas State Wildcats 86/86/86 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) JAcques Spradley-Demps (84)	JR(RS) Bo McAllister (78)	FR(RS) Drew Folk (73)
TE	FR(RS) Damion Ansah (77)	SR(RS) Will Anciaux (75)	FR Ricky Carden (72)
LT	JR(RS) Ryan Howard (85)	SO(RS) Dakota Shaugnessy (81)
LG	JR Matt Hardman (82)	SO Sterling Toone (73)
C	SO(RS) Keivn Hasty (75)	SO Edward Qualls (69)
RG	JR(RS) Kyle Rakers (84)	SO Tony Streeter (75)
RT	SO(RS) Paul Johnson (77)	FR(RS) DeMarco Hopkins (77)
WR	SR(RS) Tre Spivey (84)	SR(RS) Andre Davis (82)	FR(RS) Tyler Gainwell (78)
QB	JR(RS) Blake Barnett (78)	SO(RS) Nicholas Doucet (76)
HB	JR(RS) Devon Rice (82)	SR(RS) Joe Jackson (81)	SO Keenan Jasso (76)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Jordan Allen (86)	SO(RS) Gio Kaepernick (79)
NT	SR(RS) Chiddi Obiazor (87)	JR(RS) Asher Tomaszewski (82)
RDE	SO(RS) Manu Bueno (82)	SR(RS) Obinna Okeke (78)
LOLB	SR(RS) Asa Newsom (87)	SR Boone Morris (87)
LILB	JR Keke Tinker (88)	FR(RS) Marcus Rourke (77)
RILB	JR(RS) Jacob Stonebraker (83)	FR(RS) Manny Augustine (72)
ROLB	FR(RS) Ernie Plummer (76)	FR Brendan Woods (67)
CB	SR(RS) Alvin Buchanan (85)	SO(RS) Jose Costanzo (82)	FR Kerry Cantwell (75)
SS	SR(RS) Kam Sallis (80)	SR(RS) Jack Fabris (78)
FS	JR(RS) Callen Barta (85)	FR(RS) Eric Easy (81)
CB	SR(RS) Donovan McIntosh (83)	SO(RS) Robert Albrecht (77)	FR Kerry Cantwell (75)

Kansas State Wildcats Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Blake Barnett	249/368 (67%)	3,229	8.8	248.4	75	26	12	158.1
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Devon Rice	168	818	4.9	50	13	11	62.9	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Jacques Spradley-Demps	53	784	14.8	0	69	5	71.3	280
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
LB Boone Morris	47	16	63	5	8	7	3	0
DE Jordan Allen	33	11	44	10	11	0	0	0
DT Chiddi Obiazor	22	11	33	7	11	1	0	0
CB Alvin Buchanan	42	11	53	1	0	6	3	0

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

Nyck Harbor's 3 TDs Propel Ball State To CFP Victory


When you have a 6'5 WR sometimes you throw it up and tell him to go get it.

Kansas State Wildcats at Ball State Cardinals
Dec 17, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #9 KSU (11-2) 3 0 7 8 18 #8 BALL (13-0) 0 21 7 6 34 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 17/25, 305 Yds, 4 TD, 2 INT RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 19 Att, 105 Yds REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 3 Rec, 186 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison KSU BALL First Downs 18 18 3rd Down Efficiency 3/9 8/12 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 1/1 Total Yards 378 511 Passing Yards 317 305 Rushing Yards 13 - 21 32 - 160 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3 - 25 12 - 79 Turnovers 2 2 Time of Possession 16:05 27:55
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING KSU BALL 5:03 (KSU) Taylor Barrett, 27 Yd FG 3 0 SECOND QUARTER SCORING KSU BALL 3:05 (BALL) RJ Mukes III, 20 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 7 1:16 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 34 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 14 0:44 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 76 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING KSU BALL 0:26 (KSU) Andre Davis, 6 Yd Pass From Blake Barnett 10 21 0:15 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 76 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 10 28 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING KSU BALL 4:37 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 27 Yd FG 10 31 2:22 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 31 Yd FG 10 34 0:29 (KSU) Damion Ansah, 15 Yd Pass From Blake Barnett (2PT) 18 34
Kansas State Wildcats PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Blake Barnett 29/40 317 2 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Blake Barnett 8 11 1.3 0 Devon Rice 5 10 2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Tre Spivey 9 87 9.6 0 Jacques Spradley-Demps 6 74 12.3 0 Andre Davis 6 64 10.6 1 Damon Ansah 5 62 12.4 1 Devon Rice 2 24 12.0 0 Will Anciaux 1 6 6.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Ryan Howard 7 0 Kevin Hasty 2 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Alvin Buchanan 10 0 (2TFL) 0 0 SS Jack Fabris 7 0 (1TFL) 1 0 DE Jordan Allen 6 0 (3TFL) 0 0 CB Donovan McIntosh 5 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Taylor Barnett !/1 1/1 4 27 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Simon McClannan 3 132 44.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Keenan Jasso 3 40 13.3 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 17/25 305 4 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 19 105 5.5 0 Kadin Semonza 10 26 2.6 0 Cortez Duval 3 29 9.6 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 8 26 3.2 0 RJ Mukes III 3 28 9.3 1 Nyck Harbor 3 186 62.0 3 Theo Hrynkiewicz 2 56 28.0 0 Dee Katula 1 9 9.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 7 0 Eli Freeman 7 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 9 0 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Glenn McCord 6 0.5 (4TFL) 0 (FF) 0 SS Devin Teague 6 0 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 4 0 1 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 2 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Devin Lund 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Jordan Suggs 2 0 0 (FR) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephens 2/3 4/4 10 31 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 1 15 15.0 0 RJ Mukes III 2 28 14.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 2 1 0.5 0

LEFT - CB Willizhuan Yates with the great instincts, nabbing the 2nd Q INT off the tip drill.
CENTER - Kansas State would score 10 points off of Semonza INTs, including rallying for their 1st touchdown in the 3rd quarter after shutting down the potential scoring drive.
RIGHT - Glenn McCord was a force for Ball State. The LB sacked KSU QB Blake Barnett to end the 1st half, preventing a TD, then forced this fumble early in the 4th quarter to kill a promising KState drive.

Muncie, IN. - In their first-ever College Football Playoff home game, the Ball State Cardinals secured a convincing 34-18 victory over Kansas State in Muncie, fueled by an explosive performance from Heisman-winning quarterback Kadin Semonza and All-American wide receiver Nyck Harbor. The win advances the undefeated Cardinals (14-0) to the Peach Bowl, where they’ll face the 12-1 Miami Hurricanes.

The game began with early struggles for Ball State. Semonza threw an interception to Kansas State’s Donovan McIntosh on the opening drive, leading to a 27-yard field goal by Taylor Barrett that put the Wildcats up 3-0. Ball State’s next drive ended with a missed 47-yard field goal attempt, leaving them scoreless after the first quarter.

However, the Cardinals found their rhythm in the second quarter. On their third possession, Ball State embarked on a 17-play, nearly eight-minute drive capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Semonza to RJ Mukes III. Following a Kansas State turnover—a tipped pass intercepted by cornerback Willizhuan Yates—Semonza hit Harbor for a 34-yard touchdown. With just 53 seconds left in the half, Ball State struck again. Semonza needed only five seconds to connect with Harbor for a stunning 76-yard score, giving the Cardinals a commanding 21-3 halftime lead.

Kansas State tried to fight back in the third quarter. After Semonza’s second interception of the afternoon, Wildcats quarterback Blake Barnett found Andre Davis for a 6-yard touchdown, narrowing the deficit to 21-10.. But Ball State responded immediately, as Semonza fired another 76-yard bomb to Harbor, extending the lead to 28-10.

The Wildcats’ hopes were dashed by Ball State linebacker Glenn McCord, who recorded a pivotal sack at the end of the first half and later forced a fumble in the third quarter. Cornerback Jordan Suggs recovered the fumble, setting up a 27-yard field goal by Darrelle Stephens early in the fourth quarter. Stephens added a 31-yard kick later in the quarter after Kansas State’s failed fourth-down conversion, giving Ball State a 34-10 advantage.

Kansas State added a late touchdown when Barnett connected with Damion Ansah for a 15-yard score, followed by a successful two-point conversion, but it was too little, too late.

Semonza finished with 305 passing yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions, while Harbor dominated with 186 receiving yards and three touchdowns, including two electrifying 76-yard strikes. McCord anchored the defense with a sack -preventing a FG as time expired in the 1st half- and a forced fumble, while the unit as a whole held Kansas State to just 21 rushing yards.

Ball State now heads to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, where they’ll face Miami for the chance to advance to the Semifinals. For the Cardinals, the dream season continues.

Remaining Three Road Teams Shake Up CFP Bracket

UAB Blazers at South Carolina Gamecocks
Dec 17, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#10 UAB Blazers (12-2)	14	9	0	17	40
#6 South Carolina Gamecocks (10-4)	7	14	6	10	37

Tulane Green Wave at Georgia Bulldogs
Dec 17, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#12 Tulane Green Wave (10-3)	3	14	14	0	31
#3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-3)	7	14	0	7	28

LSU Tigers at Clemson Tigers
Dec 17, 2027	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#11 LSU Tigers (10-3)	14	24	7	7	52
#5 Clemson Tigers (10-3)	0	10	0	7	17

[Bigsheen]

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

Catching up on all of this.

What a CFP win! Harbor is the big-play type wide receiver a team needs to make a splash in the CFP, especially with all of those upsets in the other games. Things are lining up nicely with Semonza at the helm and a strong run game to back it up. However, Miami is going to be an eye opener when used to facing the likes of the MAC. I like your chances, but one or two ill-timed mistakes and things could get hairy.

[Careless Whisper]

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

Harbor's speed is really a cheat code - how many games does he have where all his receptions have gone for touchdowns?

Really intriguing season so far. Feel like in spots you had more trouble than you would have expected in the MAC, and those struggles may have factored in missing out on a CFP top-four seed. Liked seeing Emory Williams get a full game's worth on Senior Day - that's a neat storyline you'd see a powerhouse program doing.

I'm interested in seeing what the plan is after this season. I know you've mentioned keeping tabs on Ball State if Coach Savage is to leave, and it seems like he would have his pick of the litter of jobs available. Would moving the program to the Big Ten be an option? Obviously they have two Indiana programs already, but the success Ball State has had - regardless if this season ends in a natty or not - should be appealing to them.

[redsox907]

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

Catching up on all of this.

What a CFP win! Harbor is the big-play type wide receiver a team needs to make a splash in the CFP, especially with all of those upsets in the other games. Things are lining up nicely with Semonza at the helm and a strong run game to back it up. However, Miami is going to be an eye opener when used to facing the likes of the MAC. I like your chances, but one or two ill-timed mistakes and things could get hairy.

That's what has hurt us in the close games, turnovers. When we've got a lead I can get more aggressive with the blitzes on defense and tend to get home. But whenever we're tied or trailing my secondary doesn't have the talent to cover to compensate for it when they're just dinking and dunking down the field. Our loss to Alabama in the sugar bowl last year had a lot to do with turnovers. And us giving up 55 points, but that's neither here nor there lol. Thanks for checking in man!

Harbor's speed is really a cheat code - how many games does he have where all his receptions have gone for touchdowns?

Really intriguing season so far. Feel like in spots you had more trouble than you would have expected in the MAC, and those struggles may have factored in missing out on a CFP top-four seed. Liked seeing Emory Williams get a full game's worth on Senior Day - that's a neat storyline you'd see a powerhouse program doing.

I'm interested in seeing what the plan is after this season. I know you've mentioned keeping tabs on Ball State if Coach Savage is to leave, and it seems like he would have his pick of the litter of jobs available. Would moving the program to the Big Ten be an option? Obviously they have two Indiana programs already, but the success Ball State has had - regardless if this season ends in a natty or not - should be appealing to them.

He's had 3 games this season that were and then a handful more where it was one more catch than touchdowns. His speed combined with platinum takeoff is killer. I have noticed a lot of teams playing off coverage on him as the season wore on, which is nice to see the CPU adjusting. Still in crunch time or when they send the blitz Harbor is the 1st look. Unfortunately as great as he is hauling in deep touchdowns, over the middle stuff his catch rating makes difficult. I tried using him all over the field in the first season and while he did make some plays, he lead FBS with 15+ drops. He only had 5 or so last year and another 5 this year, so I've just accepted hes a boom or bust WR at this point and I'll take it.

I've thought about where Ball State could eventually advance to and unfortunately Big Ten is the most logical option, which was something I wanted to avoid since USC stayed in the Big Ten in my last dynasty. But with it being a background team and not the main I don't think it would feel as monotonous. I've also thought about the Big 12, which I think they'd fit in more with their style of play, but it would be a stretch regionally. But Houston has been struggling, so I could regulate them down to C-USA, move Arkansas into the "South" division with the TX/OK teams, and put BS into the "North" with Iowa/Missouri/Kansas area teams. I am going to address it in the coming offseason, but I feel like the CRC(conference realignment committee) would want to see more consistency from Ball State, especially if Savage leaves in the offseason, without Semonza before moving them into a bigger conference. My next planned re-alignment was going to be in 2030, giving the new conferences 5 seasons to balance out, so that would fall in line with that timeline. If Ball State can keep competitive on the national level for a few more years I definitely think they couldn't be ignored if they requested to join a P5 conference.

[redsox907]

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

2027 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2028
	@
#8 Ball State Cardinals (14-0, Away)		#1 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (12-1, Home)
Injury Report Game Notes Atlanta, Georgia - Ball State's quest for the programs first National Championship continues in Atlanta, where the #1 seeded Miami Hurricanes await. While Ball State enters the contest with the #1 offense in the country, Miami is not far behind at #5, but the deciding factor will likely be Miami's defense against the 2x Heisman winner Kaiden Semonza. When the Cardinals have struggled, failed 4th down conversions and turnovers have been the direct cause. Miami's defense is the 4th stingiest unit in the country, surrendering just under 18 PPG. In their lone loss this season (Week 8 vs UNC 33-17) Miami struggled with consistency, 40% passing from QB Judd Anderson with 2 INTs, and stopping the run as North Carolina rolled to over 200 rushing yards in the contest. Miami's defense will be without DT Josh Horton (92 OVR, Broken Ankle) and DE Elias Rudolph (87OVR, Torn Tricp) which could play a key factor in Ball State's ability to control the TOP with a steady dose of Christian Davis and Kadin Semonza

Miami Hurricanes 89/89/89 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SO(RS) Eric Keglar (87)	SO(RS) Dalton Smith (86)	SO Manu Dial (82)
TE	JR(RS) Elija Lofton (78)	FR(RS) Rishard Wentz (76)	SO(RS) Denis Kellum (75)
LT	SO(RS) Tobias Temple (86)	SO(RS) Sergio Gomez (83)
LG	JR James Ringo (91)	SR(RS) Antonio Tripp Jr (85)
C	JR(RS) Nino Francavilla (79)	FR(RS) Luis Ruiz (72)
RG	SR Bryce Lovett (85)	SO(RS) Franklin Jordan (84)
RT	SR(RS) Samson Okunlola (87)	SO(RS) Duke Darrisaw (81)
WR	JR(RS) Ny Carr (92)	JR(RS) Jacory Barney Jr (87)	JR(RS) Joshisa Trader (82)
QB	JR(RS) Judd Anderson (83)	JR Emmett Slater (78)
HB	SR Jordan Lyle (95)	SO(RS) Shakim Granger (92)	SR(RS) CJ Baxter (89)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Armondo Blount (87)	JR(RS) Marquise Lightfoot (86)
LDT	JR(RS) Artavius Jones (88)	FR(RS) Lynn Norwood (79)
RDT	FR(RS) Roger Doss (81)	JR(RS) Marquise Lightfoot (86)
RDE	SO(RS) Diego Rust (78)	FR Lawrence Schouman (77)
WLB	SR Adarius Hayes (83)	SR Bobby Washington Jr (80)
MLB	SO(RS) Robert Kearns (88)	SR(RS) TJ Capers (88)
SLB	SO Kevin Bagent (83)	JR Ben McAddley (82)
CB	SR OJ Frederique Jr (91)	JR(RS) Cai Bates (85)	SO Roland Fine (83)
SS	SR Zaquan Patterson (84)	FR Oscar Dial (76)
FS	FR(RS) Ja'Quan Wicks (81)	SO(RS) Darren Hawkins (79)
CB	SR(RS) Damari Brown (88)	SR(RS) Robert Stafford (83)	SO Roland Fine (83)

Miami Hurricanes Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Judd Anderson	277/484 (57%)	3,937	8.1	302.8	77	36	9	1463
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Jordan Lyle	202	1,233	5.6	36	16	11	86.4	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Eric Keglar	77	1,121	14.6	8	75	5	86.2	385
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB TJ Capers	64	14	78	0.5	5	9	1	0
DE Armondo Blount	19	8	27	6.5	7	0	0	0
DT Artavius Jones	16	8	24	8	1	0	0	0
SS Zaquan Patterson	36	10	46	0	0	4	4	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2028
	@
#12 Tulane Green Wave (10-3, Away)		#7 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (12-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2028
	@
#11 LSU Tigers (10-3, Away)		#4 Stanford Cardinal (13-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2028
	@
#10 UAB Blazers (12-2, Away)		#2 Oklahoma Sooners (11-2, Home)

[redsox907]

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

Semonza Struggles, But Defense Holds The Line As #1 Miami Goes Down


Christian Davis putting the game on ice with a 66 yard TD less than a minute after Miami pulled within one score.

Ball State Cardinals at Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Jan 1, 2028 1 2 3 4 F #8 BALL (13-0) 0 17 3 15 35 #1 MIA (12-1) 7 0 0 7 14 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 18/29, 229 Yds, 3 INT RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 16 Att, 134 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 13 Rec, 179 Yds	Team Stats Comparison BALL MIA First Downs 23 7 3rd Down Efficiency 6/13 0/8 4th Down Efficiency 1/3 1/1 Total Yards 505 232 Passing Yards 229 116 Rushing Yards 38 - 240 11 - 8 Penalties-Penalty Yards 6 - 55 3 - 22 Turnovers 3 1 Time of Possession 31:28 12:32
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL MIA 6:41 (MIA) Cai Bates, Returned Interception 79 Yds 0 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL MIA 10:51 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 46 Yd FG 3 7 4:51 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 10 7 0:17 (BALL) Christian Davis, 3 Yd Run 17 7 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL MIA 2:59 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 24 Yd FG 20 7 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL MIA 2:58 (MIA) Joshia Trade, 25 Yd Pass From Judd Anderson 20 14 1:49 (BALL) Christian Davis, 66 Yd Run (2PT) 28 14 1:39 (BALL) Isaiah Thacker, Returned Interception 24 Yds 35 14
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 18/29 229 0 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 20 98 4.9 1 Christian Davis 16 134 8.3 2 Cortez Duval 2 8 4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 13 179 13.7 0 Legend Ogbogu 2 23 11.5 0 RJ Mukes III 2 14 7.0 0 Dee Katula 1 13 13.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eli Freeman 9 0 Antony Okine 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 4 0 1 1 LB Tucker Foster 4 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humprhies 4 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalto Townsel 4 1 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 2/2 3/3 9 47 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 1 39 39.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 2 28 14.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cortez Duval 4 8 2.0 0 Miami (FL) Hurricanes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Judd Anderson 11/25 116 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Judd Anderson 6 -37 -6.1 0 Jordan Lyle 5 45 9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jordan Lyle 3 37 12.3 0 Eric Keglar 3 24 8.0 0 Joshisa Trader 1 25 25.0 1 Jacory Barney Jr 1 3 3.0 0 Ny Carr 1 22 22.0 0 Elija Lofton 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Bryce Lovett 5 0 Samson Okunlola 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Robert Kearns 15 0.5 (3TFL) 0 0 MLB TJ Capers 14 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Zaquan Patterson 12 0 1 0 CB Robert Stafford 7 0 1 0 DE Marquise Lightfoot 7 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Artavius Jones 6 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Diego Rust 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Cai Bates 0 0 1 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Kevin Ekiyor 0/1 2/2 2 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Greg Song 5 193 38.4 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD CJ Baxter 7 108 15.3 0

LEFT - CB Cai Bates sprinting to the endzone to end Ball State's 1st drive with a pick six. Bates was on an island with All-American WR Nyck Harbor for most of the game, holding the explosive WR without a catch for the 1st time in his Ball State career.
CENTER - Judd Anderson joined in the struggles as the junior QB never found his rhythm, partly due to 5 sacks by the Cardinals defense.
RIGHT - Joshia Trade found the hole between safety Isaiah Thacker and MLB Dalton Townsel to pull Miami within 6 points of Ball State late.

Atlanta, GA. - In a commanding performance that left no doubt about their place in the College Football Playoff, the Ball State Cardinals (14-0) stunned the top-seeded Miami Hurricanes (13-1) with a 35-14 victory in the Peach Bowl. Ball State’s suffocating defense and explosive ground game overwhelmed Miami, sending the Cardinals to the Cotton Bowl, where they will face #12 Tulane for a chance to advance to the National Championship.

The game began with adversity for Ball State. Heisman-winning quarterback Kadin Semonza, known for his poise, threw a 79-yard pick-six to Miami cornerback Cai Bates late in the first quarter, giving the Hurricanes an early 7-0 lead. It proved as a precursor to the first game in the seniors illustrious Ball State career without a touchdown pass.

Despite the rocky start, Ball State responded with dominance in the second quarter. Darrelle Stephen’s 46-yard field goal put the Cardinals on the board. Semonza bounced back with a 1-yard touchdown run to cap off a methodical drive, and running back Christian Davis added a 3-yard rushing score to give Ball State a 17-7 lead heading into halftime.

The Cardinals’ defense was the story of the first half, recording three sacks and holding Miami to just 19 total yards—18 through the air and a single yard rushing. Meanwhile, Ball State’s offense racked up 222 yards, with 113 coming on the ground.

In the third quarter, Ball State continued to assert their control. Stephen added a 24-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-7. Miami struggled to move the ball as Ball State’s defensive line, led by All-American Kenneth Merrieweather, dominated the trenches.

Miami finally showed signs of life in the fourth quarter when quarterback Judd Anderson connected with Joshia Trade for a 25-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 20-14 with under three minutes to play. However, Ball State immediately answered. On the very next possession, Davis exploded for a 66-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful two-point conversion, to push the lead back to two scores at 28-14.

The final dagger came moments later when Ball State safety Isaiah Thacker, who had been beaten on Miami’s earlier touchdown, redeemed himself by jumping a slant route and returning the interception 24 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six sealed the 35-14 victory for the Cardinals.

For the first time in his career, All-American wide receiver Nyck Harbor was held without a catch, as Miami’s Cai Bates locked him down in a stellar individual performance. Bates deflected two passes and added his pick-six in the opening quarter. Despite this, Ball State’s balanced offense and elite defense were more than enough to carry the day.

Christian Davis led the Cardinals with 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Semonza added 327 total yards (229 passing, 98 rushing) and a score on the ground. The Ball State defense shined with relentless pressure, finishing with five sacks and the late pick six.

With their win, Ball State moves on to the Cotton Bowl to face #12 Tulane, who upset both Georgia and Louisiana Lafayette to earn their spot in the semifinals. For the undefeated Cardinals, the dream of a national championship is just two wins away.

Tulane Green Wave at Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Jan 1, 2028	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#12 Tulane Green Wave (11-3)	0	21	10	7	38
#7 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (12-2)	21	0	3	10	34

LSU Tigers at Stanford Cardinal
Jan 1, 2028	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#11 LSU Tigers (10-4)	0	10	0	13	23
#4 Stanford Cardinal (14-0)	13	14	7	0	34

UAB Blazers at Oklahoma Sooners
Jan 1, 2028	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#10 UAB Blazers (12-3)	0	10	7	7	24
#2 Oklahoma Sooners (12-2)	21	14	21	7	63

[Deuce2223]

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

It's the year of the underdog.. Ball State, Tulane, Louisiana, UAB all in the playoffs making some noise.. I like you chances. I feel like Miami is one of the most overrated teams in the game. The CPU loves to give them Top-5 Recruiting class's every year, but they never seem to do anything with it..

[redsox907]

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

2027 College Football Playoff Semifinal Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 8, 2028
	@
#12 Tulane Green Wave (11-3, Away)		#8 Ball State Cardinals (15-0, Home)
Game Notes Arlington, TX. - The Tulane Green Wave shocked the country with their 31-28 upset over #5 Georgia in the first round of the CFP playoffs, before avenging their 1st loss of the season to Louisiana (52-31), prevailing over their rival 38-34 to punch their ticket to Arlington. Many are speculating this has been a dream draw for the Ball State Cardinals, who are a heavy favorite over their C-USA counterpart. Tulane is backed by the 22nd ranked offense in the nation and after JR Kellen Tasby lit up both Georgia (393 Yds, 3 TD) and Louisiana (274 Yds, 5 TD) many are calling for an explosive showdown between the schools. Ball State's defense will likely be the deciding factor in the matchup. They dominated a pass happy Hurricanes squad, who likely would have faired better with a balanced attack after Doak award winner Jordan Lyles earned 45 yards on just 5 carries, and if they can continue to generate sacks they will make life difficult for Tasby. All eyes will also be watching Kadin Semonza, coming off the worst game of his career, and Nyck Harbor, who was held catchless last week, to see if the duo can reignite their magic to send Ball State to Houston.

Tulane Green Wave 83/85/82 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR Tim Metchie (80)	SR(RS) Jett Toussaint (79)	SO(RS) Layne McCourty (74)
TE	JR(RS) Guiseann Mirtil (80)	JR(RS) Joshua Goines (75)	FR(RS) Gill Canaday (75)
LT	SR(RS) Darion Reed (83)	SO(RS) Daryl de Beer (78)
LG	SR Dominic Steward (83)	SR Elijah Baker (74)
C	SR(RS) Gabe Fortson (83)	JR(RS) Jayce Mitchell (80)
RG	SO(RS) Garrison Willies (83)	SO(RS) George Cardoza (82)
RT	JR(RS) Tristen Fortenberry (87)	SO Alex Casas (75)
WR	SR(RS) Sidney Mbanasor (85)	SO(RS) Brendan Gado (80)	JR(RS) Kenny Dupree (78)
QB	JR(RS) Kellen Tasby (86)	SO(RS) Kevin Hooks (79)
FB	SR Kofi Slaughter (75)
HB	JR(RS) Jamuri McClure (84)	SO(RS) Trent Bickley (79)	SO(RS) Cam Winborn (76)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Emmanuel Waler (78)	SR(RS) Deshawun Batiste (77)
NT	SO Dwayne Killebrew (82)	JR(RS) DJ Yusaf (74)
RDE	SO(RS) Jalen Williams (85)	JR(RS) Geordan Guidry (81)
LOLB	JR Fabian Dwumfour (82)	SR(RS) Seth Bryson (77)
LILB	JR(RS) Whittman Whaley (81)	SO(RS) Timmy Keene (77)
RILB	SR(RS) Dickson Agu (77)	SO(RS) Miles Oluokun (72)
ROLB	JR Emanuel Quintero (66)	FR Darrell Ebiketie (59)
CB	JR(RS) Armani Cargo (88)	JR(RS) Jayden Lewis (82)	SR(RS) Jahiem Johnson (78)
SS	JR(RS) Chase Green (76)	SO Johnny Madison (73)
FS	SO(RS) Chuck Lamar (80)	SR(RS) Jack Tchienchou (74)
CB	JR(RS) Javion White (89)	SO(RS) Devin Dennis (81)	SR(RS) Jahiem Johnson (78)

Tulane Green Wave Stats - 2027
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Kellen Tasby	297/489 (60%(	3,818	7.8	272.7	80	48	15	152.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Jamauri McClure	242	1,039	4.3	32	11	8	74.2	2
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Guiseann Mirtil	80	920	11.5	9	28	5	65.7	262
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Whittman Whaley	72	17	89	1	3	8	0	0
DE Jalen Williams	35	9	44	11.5	6	1	0	0
DE Emmanuel Waller	24	5	29	7	1	1	0	0
SS Chase Green	43	16	59	0.5	3	11	3	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 8, 2028
	@
#4 Stanford Cardinal (14-, Away)		#2 Oklahoma Sooners (12-2, Home)

[redsox907]

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

It's the year of the underdog.. Ball State, Tulane, Louisiana, UAB all in the playoffs making some noise.. I like you chances. I feel like Miami is one of the most overrated teams in the game. The CPU loves to give them Top-5 Recruiting class's every year, but they never seem to do anything with it..

everytime I've played Miami I've been left underwhelmed lol
Two underdogs in the Cotton Bowl, then you've got Stanford preparing to go against a Sooners team that just dropped 63 on UAB.

Tulane is only ranked 82 defensively, but they've got some stud corners. All have decent speed and coverage skills. that was the one thing I struggled with against Miami, all their CBs could keep up with my WRs and they bracketed Harbor all game, two interceptions went his way and twice I thought I had him open down the sideline and Bates recovered to swat it away.

I'm excited to see what Tulane presents us, never played them in the game yet!