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)

The Road To Atlanta



In one of the least dramatic Selection Sundays in recent memory, the College Football Playoff field has been set. With no upsets in the conference championship games, 11 of the 12 spots were essentially locked in before the final rankings were released.

Heading into Championship Weekend, only one conference—the SEC—featured a matchup between two top-12 teams. The rest of the Power Five title games saw ranked teams facing unranked opponents, leaving little room for major shakeups.

The only real debate for the selection committee was whether LSU, previously ranked No. 10, should drop below No. 13 Michigan after its loss in the SEC Championship Game. Ultimately, the committee rewarded LSU’s conference title game appearance, keeping the Tigers in the final playoff spot over a Michigan team that squandered its opportunity with a rivalry week loss.

With the bracket now set, all eyes turn to No. 1 Syracuse as the Orange look to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive national championship.

First-Round Matchups:
• No. 12 LSU at No. 4 Maryland – The Tigers head to College Park for a chance to meet Big Ten champion Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.
• No. 9 West Virginia at No. 8 Oregon – The winner will travel to the Orange Bowl to face defending champion Syracuse.
• No. 11 North Carolina at No. 5 TCU – The fourth ACC team in the field takes on the Horned Frogs in Texas, with a Peach Bowl matchup against No. 3 seed Charlotte on the line.
• No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Arizona State – The Volunteers head to the desert, with the winner advancing to the Fiesta Bowl to battle No. 2 Ball State.

With the field locked in, the countdown begins for what promises to be another thrilling playoff run. Can Syracuse make history, or will a new champion emerge?

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

Ball State's Daryl Pope Runs Away With Heisman



New York, NY. - For anyone who watched Ball State’s dominant Big 12 Championship victory over Oklahoma State, the announcement of the 2032 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner felt like a mere formality.

Running back Daryl Pope delivered a performance for the ages, rushing for 192 yards and scoring all six of Ball State’s touchdowns—five on the ground and one through the air—to secure the Cardinals’ second straight conference title.

“I’m not an official voter, so this isn’t inside information, but the Heisman race is over, folks,” ESPN’s Reese Davis declared during the broadcast.

On Sunday, Davis’ words proved prophetic as Pope was officially named the second Ball State player to win the prestigious award.

“This whole season has been a dream come true,” Pope said in his acceptance speech. “I went from barely seeing the field as a receiver to leading the nation in rushing and chasing a legend in Mr. Barry Sanders.”

“I want to thank my coaches, my teammates, and most of all, my family for always believing in me—even when I doubted myself.”

The legendary Sanders himself was in attendance for the ceremony and later revealed that while he expects Pope to break his 44-year-old single-season rushing record in the playoffs, he won’t be able to attend Ball State’s Fiesta Bowl matchup.

“He congratulated me on an incredible season and told me not to let this small victory distract me from the bigger prize—a rushing title and, more importantly, bringing a national championship back to Muncie,” Pope shared.

Syracuse head coach Nash Savage, who recruited Pope during his final year at Ball State, was also on hand for the ceremony, supporting two of his own players—quarterback Immanuel Hendrix, who finished second in the voting, and wide receiver Dalton Wear, who came in third.

Pope finished the regular season with an astounding 2,494 rushing yards on 347 carries, scoring 33 touchdowns. He also made an impact as a receiver, hauling in 31 catches for 424 yards and five more scores.

In addition to the Heisman, Pope collected several other major awards, including the Doak Walker, Maxwell, and Walter Camp trophies.

While Syracuse fell short in the Heisman race, Hendrix was honored with the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback, and Wear took home the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the country’s best wide receiver.

As the playoff looms, Pope will now turn his focus toward cementing his legacy with a championship—and perhaps an all-time rushing record.

2032 Season Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Bronko Nagurski Trophy	Isaiah Largent	DE	Syracuse
Chuck Bednarik Award	Isaiah Largent	DE	Syracuse
Davey O'Brien Award	Immanuel Hendrix	QB	Syracuse
Doak Walker Award	Daryl Pope	HB	Ball State
Fred Biletnikoff Award	Dalton Wear	WR	Syracuse
Heisman Memorial Trophy	Daryl Pope	HB	Ball State
Jim Thorpe Award	Layne Smith	SS	Syracuse
John Mackey Award	Ryan Magoolaghan	TE	Syracuse
Linebacker of the Year	Deontae Mare	MLB	Syracuse
Lombardi Award	Isaiah Largent	DE	Syracuse
Lou Groza Award	Gregory Dunsmore	K	Pittsburgh
Maxwell Award	Daryl Pope	HB	Ball State
Outland Trophy	Shane Hendricks	G	Wisconsin
Ray Guy Award	Philip Kalambayi	P	Illinois
Returner of the Year	Jason Gessner	WR	Western Kentucky
Rimington Trophy	Morgan Ervin	C	Ball State
Walter Camp Award	Daryl Pope	HB	Ball State

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

Around the NCAA - End of Season

Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Dec 11, 2032
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	1	Syracuse	12	0
2	2	Ball State	12	1
3	3	Charlotte	11	2
4	4	Maryland	9	3
5	5	TCU	9	3
6	6	Michigan State	10	3
7	7	Arizona State	9	3
8	8	Oregon	10	3
9	9	West Virginia	9	3
10	14	Tennessee	10	3
11	11	North Carolina	9	3
12	10	LSU	8	5
13	13	Michigan	9	3
14	12	Stanford	9	4
15	16	Memphis	10	3
16	15	Rutgers	9	3
17	18	Toledo	9	3
18	17	Western Kentucky	10	3
19	19	Houston	8	4
20	20	Utah	9	3
21	21	Liberty	9	4
22	22	Minnesota	8	5
23	25	Bowling Green	10	3
24	23	USC	7	5
25	24	Army	8	4

League Leaders

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Dec 12, 2032
Passing Yards	YDS	Passing Touchdowns	TD
1. Immanuel Hendrix, Syracuse	4,344	1. Immanuel Hendrix, Syracuse	58
2. Joel Umodu, LSU	4,191	2. Timmy Edmunds, Tennessee	46
3. Mike Butts, Michigan State	4,068	3. Tyler Slaughter, Florida State	45
4. Timmy Edumnds, Tennessee	3,984	4. Joel Umodu, LSU	41
5. Jim Sanzenbacher, Minnesota	3,836	5. Jim Sanzenbacher, Minnesota	40
Carries	CAR	Rushing Yards	YD
1. Daryl Pope, Ball State	347	1. Daryl Pope, Ball State	2,494
2. Matt Hewitt, Purdue	237	2. Lee Browner, Syracuse	1,881
3. Lee Browner, Syracuse	234	3. Kyle Takeoff, Stanford	1,114
4. Dom Romanowski, Iowa State	232	4. Cortez Hardy, Ole Miss	1,100
5. DeAndrew Williams, East Carolina	227	5. Max Alford, Maryland	1,072
Rushing Touchdowns	TD	Receptions	REC
1. Daryl Pope, Ball State	33	1. Tyrone Gibbs, Utah State	84
2. Lee Browner, Syracuse	15	2. Dalton Wear, Syracuse	81
3. Reggie Moffatt, Oregon	14	3. Lucas Saldiveri, Texas	81
4. Manny Andries, Bowling Green	13	4. Soma Siulai, UConn	78
5. Bruce Heenan, Charlotte	12	5. Mitchell Molinaro, SJSU	78
Receiving Yards	YDS	Receiving Touchdowns	TD
1. Dalton Wear, Syracuse	2,164	1. Dalton Wear, Syracuse	32
2. Zac Childress, LSU	1,342	2. Johnny Uzomah, Stanford	18
3. Larry Moorehead, UCLA	1,205	3. Eric Louis, Western Kentucky	17
4. Amir Momah, Alabama	1,197	4. Robert Armah, Maryland	17
5. John Rosario, Kasas State	1,189	5. Steven Brooks, Utah	16

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Dec 12, 2032
Tackles	TKL	Tackles For Loss	TFL
1. SS Layne Smith, Syracuse	103	1. DE Isaiah Largent, Syracuse	23
2. MLB Matt Terrell, Tennessee	100	2. SS Layne Smith, Syracuse	20
3. MLB Connor Salaam, Pittsburgh	96	3. DE Manu Good, Syracuse	20
4. MLB Brady Sternberger, Liberty	96	4. DT Trevon Gilberry, Northwestern	15
5. MLB Broderick Bliss, Temple	95	5. DE Keenan Katula, UCF	14
Sacks	SCK	Interceptions	INT
1. DE Darin Horan, Florida	14.5	1. CB Kevin Schweitzer, Syracuse	7
2. LB Emmanuel Fatukasi, Memphis	14.5	2. CB Jameson Buzbee, Miami	7
3. DE Josh Keener, Memphis	14.5	3. CB Bryce Cook, New Mexico	7
4. DE Hakeem Orhorhoro, Alabama	14.0	4. CB Graham Vohasek, Ball State	6
5. LB Jerron Hay, San Jose State	13.5	5. CB Logan Morton, Penn State	6

All-Americans

1st Team All Amerian	School	Position	2nd Team All American	School
Timmy Edmunds	Tennessee	QB	Immanuel Hendrix	Syracuse
Daryl Pope	Ball State	HB	Marvin Stewart	West Virginia
Lee Browner	Syracuse	HB	Forrest Ezeike	Troy
Dalton Wear	Syracuse	WR	Barry Daniels	Florida State
Jackson Lund	Illinois	WR	Kane McRath	Arkansas
Ben Oliveira	Oklahoma State	WR	Jesse Vasquez	Kansas State
Ryan Magoolaghan	Syracuse	TE	Spencer McElmurry	Ball State
Sam Vokolek	Michigan	T	Antwan Calmelat	Syracuse
Noah Meeks	Ball State	G	Ben Teamer	Oklahoma
Nick Widmer	Central Michigan	C	Owen Overhauser	Texas
Jacques Boon	Iowa	G	Shane Hendricks	Wisconsin
Fredrick Toomer	Ohio State	T	John Parker	Stanford
Robert Cutting	Wisconsin	DE	Joel Doubs	Penn State
Rudy Graff	Ohio State	DE	Ja'Quan Peterson	USC
Charles Colman	South Carolina	DT	Heath Jennings	SMU
Dillon John	East Carolina	DT	Gordon Ziegler	Penn State
Duke De Beer	Michigan	LB	John Lewerke	Texas A&M
Jelani Phillips	Wisconsin	MLB	Tony Duarte	Clemson
Jimmy Murphy	Clemson	LB	Ben Gillikin	Oregon
Salesi Truong	Illinois	CB	Angel Lampkin	Miami
Jameson Buzbee	Miami	CB	Brett Procter	West Virginia
Patrick Dumervil	Ohio State	FS	Jon Wawrmack	Vanderbilt
Tavares Bowser	Notre Dame	SS	Armon Tribble	Virginia Tech
Matthew Tobin	Nevada	K	Gregory Dusmore	Pittsburgh
Josh Sun	Houston	P	Kenyon Leo	UCLA

Standings

ACC (Carolinas)	Record	Conf Record		ACC (Atlantic)	Record	Conf Record
Florida State	7-6	7-2		#1 Syracuse	13-0	9-0
#11 North Carolina	9-3	6-3		#4 Maryland	9-3	7-2
Duke	7-5	5-4		#9 West Virginia	9-3	6-3
Georgia Tech	7-5	5-4		Pittsburgh	6-6	4-5
NC State	7-5	4-5		Miami	6-6	4-5
Souoth Carolina	4-8	4-5		Boston College	5-7	3-6
Wake Forest	5-7	3-6		Virginia Tech	2-10	2-7
Clemson	3-9	1-8		Virginia	3-9	2-7

AAC (East Coast)	Record	Conf Record		AAC (South)	Record	Conf Record
#21 Liberty	9-4	8-1		#3 Charlotte	11-2	7-2
#16 Rutgers	9-3	7-2		East Carolina	8-4	6-3
#25 Army	8-4	5-4		UCF	7-5	4-5
Temple	5-7	4-5		UAB	6-6	4-5
UConn	3-9	2-7		USF	6-6	4-5
Navy	0-12	0-9		Florida Atlantic	6-6	3-6

Big 12 (North)	Record	Conf Record		Big 12 (South)	Record	Conf Record
#2 Ball State	12-1	7-1		Oklahoma State	7-6	7-2
Iowa State	8-4	5-3		#5 TCU	9-3	5-3
Kansas State	7-5	5-3		#19 Houston	8-4	4-4
Arkansas	7-5	4-4		Baylor	7-5	4-4
Nebraska	7-5	3-5		SMU	7-5	3-5
Kansas	7-5	3-5		Tulane	6-6	3-5
Missouri	5-7	3-5		Texas Tech	4-8	1-7

Big Ten (West)	Record	Conf Record		Big Ten (East)	Record	Conf Record
#22 Minnesota	8-5	5-4		#6 Michigan State	10-3	7-2
Wisconsin	8-4	5-4		#13 Michigan	9-3	6-3
Purdue	8-4	5-4		Penn State	7-5	5-4
Iowa	6-6	4-5		Indiana	6-6	4-5
Illinois	4-8	3-6		Cincinnati	5-7	4-5
Northwestern	5-7	2-7		Ohio State	5-7	4-5

C-USA (West)	Record	Conf Record		C-USA (East)	Record	Conf Record
UTSA	9-4	6-2		#15 Memphis	10-3	7-1
North Texas	7-5	5-3		Louisiana Tech	7-5	5-3
New Mexico	7-5	5-3		Louisiana	7-5	5-3
Tulsa	6-6	3-5		Sam Houston	6-6	5-3
Texas State	6-6	3-5		Rice	6-6	4-4
New Mexico State	3-9	2-6		Arkansas State	5-7	3-5
UTEP	4-8	2-6		UL Monroe	2-10	1-7

MAC (South)	Record	Conf Record		MAC (North)	Record	Conf Record
Northern Illinois	8-5	6-3		#23 Bowling Green	10-3	8-1
Miami University	6-6	6-3		Central Michigan	8-4	7-2
Marshall	7-5	5-4		#17 Toledo	9-3	6-3
Ohio	8-4	5-4		Western Michigan	6-6	4-5
Kent State	3-9	2-7		Buffalo	6-6	3-6
Akron	2-10	1-8		Eastern Michigan	2-10	1-8

MWC (Mountain)	Record	Conf Record		MWC (Pacific)	Record	Conf Record
Wyoming	9-4	6-3		UCLA	8-5	7-2
Colorado State	8-4	5-4		UNLV	8-4	6-3
Colorado	7-5	5-4		Fresno State	7-5	6-3
Utah State	6-6	4-5		Hawaii	6-6	5-4
BYU	6-6	4-5		Nevada	6-6	3-6
Air Force	2-10	1-8		San Diego State	3-9	2-7

Pac-12 (Cali/Zona)	Record	Conf Record		Pac-12 (PNW)	Record	Conf Record
#14 Stanford	9-4	7-2		#8 Oregon	10-3	6-3
#7 Arizona State	9-3	7-2		#20 Utah	9-3	6-3
San Jose State	8-4	5-4		Boise State	5-7	3-6
Cal	6-6	5-4		Oregon State	4-8	3-6
#23 USC	7-5	4-5		Washington	5-7	3-6
Arizona	5-7	3-6		Washington State	3-9	2-7

SEC (Southwest)	Record	Conf Record		SEC (Southeast)	Record	Conf Record
#12 LSU	8-5	6-2		#10 Tennessee	10-3	6-2
Mississippi State	7-5	4-4		Alabama	7-5	5-3
Texas A&M	6-6	4-4		Auburn	8-4	5-3
Ole Miss	7-5	4-4		Florida	7-5	5-3
Texas	6-6	3-5		Louisville	6-6	4-4
Vanderbilt	5-7	3-5		Ketucky	8-4	4-4
Oklahoma	3-9	2-6		Georgia	4-8	1-7

Sun Belt (North)	Record	Conf Record		Sun Belt (South)	Record	Conf Record
#18 Western Kentucky	10-3	6-2		South Alabama	9-4	6-2
Coastal Carolina	9-3	6-2		Troy	8-4	6-2
Kennesaw State	9-3	6-2		Georgia State	5-7	4-4
Appalchian State	7-5	5-3		Jacksonville State	7-5	3-5
Old Dominioin	4-8	3-5		Georgia Southern	5-7	3-5
James Madison	5-7	3-5		Southern Mississippi	2-10	1-7
Middle Tennessee	6-6	3-5		Florida International	3-9	1-7

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

2032 College Football Playoff 1st Round Results

Tennessee Volunteers at Arizona State Sun Devils
Dec 18, 2032	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#10 Tennessee Volunteers ()	14	14	7	7	42
#7 Arizona State Sun Devils ()	0	3	15	8	26

LSU Tigers at Maryland Terrapins
Dec 18, 2032	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#12 LSU Tigers ()	3	0	3	7	13
#4 Maryland Terrapins ()	7	14	14	3	38

West Virginia Mountaineers at Oregon Ducks
Dec 18, 2032	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#9 West Virginia Mountaineers ()	0	3	0	0	3
#8 Oregon Ducks ()	14	0	14	21	49

North Carolina Tar Heels at TCU Horned Frogs
Dec 18, 2032	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#11 North Carolina Tar Heels ()	0	0	0	0	0
#5 TCU Horned Frogs ()	0	14	14	10	38

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

2032 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2033
	@
#8 Oregon Ducks (11-3, Away)		#1 Syracuse Orange (13-0, Home)
Injury Report G Paul Dwyer (90) Fractured Shoulder Blade (17 Weeks) SS Taylor Alves (86) Broken Toe (1 Week) Game Notes 2032 Oregon Ducks Results FCS W 70-3 Texas A&M (6-6) W 56-14 @ Oregon State (4-8) W 35-17 USC (8-5) W 45-20 Arizona State (9-4) L 31-11 James Madison (5-7) W 38-31 @ Cal (6-6) W 42-10 Washington State (3-9) W 35-14 @ San Jose State (9-4) L 27-24 Utah (10-3) W 38-14 @ Boise State (5-7) W 34-31 @ Washington (5-7) L 38-27 Pac-12 CCG Stanford (10-4) W 31-28 1st Round West Virginia (9-4) W 49-3

Oregon Ducks 88/87/89 Depth Chart - 2032
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SO(RS) Kai Garrison (80)	JR Gideon Enunwa (77)	FR(RS) Seth Heinrich (77)
TE	SO(RS) Alton Calloway (81)	JR Peter Loyd (81)	SR(RS) Carlos Anelli (80)
LT	SO(RS) Jimmy Applewhite (91)	JR(RS) Grant Gage (84)
LG	JR(RS) Angel Hicks (84)	JR(RS) Leon Pitts (83)
C	SO Barry Kenyon (81)	FR Jayvon Armour (70)
RG	SR(RS) Marquise Cormier (85)	JR(RS) Leon Pitts (83)
RT	JR(RS) Kyle Murphy (89)	FR(RS) Zac Wayne (83)
WR	JR(RS) Kamryn Bolin (86)	SO Zach Tribble (80)	FR(RS) Seth Calcutta (78)
QB	JR(RS) Branden Jameson (84)	SR(RS) Timmy Wilder (83)
HB	JR(RS) Reggie Moffatt (86)	JR(RS) Devonta Sharpe (83)	JR(RS) Joseph Tripucka (82)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Kyle Ezekiel (87)	SO(RS) David Estandia (83)
NT	JR Titus Ramsay (86)	SO(RS) Brian Kight (85)
RDE	SO(RS) Joel Sampson (84)	SO(RS) David Estandia (83)
LOLB	JR(RS) Ben Gillikin (90)	SO(RS) Shaakir Calmelat (85)
LILB	JR(RS) Terrell Powell (89)	FR(RS) Sam Hautau (84)
RILB	SR Jermaine Cahill (84)	FR Russ Hix (76)
ROLB	JR(RS) Kevin Valdez (84)	SO(RS) Chip Spitz (83)
CB	JR(RS) Kona Tialavea (83)	SO(RS) Monte Duarte (83)	FR(RS) Johnny Swanson (78)
SS	FR Derek Blank (80)	FR Lester Tribble (75)
FS	JR(RS) Jared Olshansky (80)	SO Tyler Crosby (80)
CB	SO(RS) Zeke Khaled (83)	FR Jermaine Dach (79)	FR(RS) Johnny Swanson (78)

Oregon Ducks Stats - 2032
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Brendan Jameson	270/433 (62%)	3,934	9.1	281.0	75	40	10	164.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Reggie Moffatt	178	812	4.6	36	9	15	58.0	2
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Kamryn Bolin	60	1,036	17.3	12	75	8	74.0	456
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Terrell Powell	76	11	87	3.5	1	16	2	0
LB Ben Gillikin	43	12	55	13.5	6	2	2	0
DE Joel Sampson	19	7	26	6	3	1	0	0
CB Zeke Khaled	49	8	57	0.5	2	4	6	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2032
	@
#5 TCU Horned Frogs (10-3, Away)		#3 Charlotte 49ers (11-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2032
	@
#10 Tennessee Volunteers (11-3, Away)		#2 Ball State Cardinals (12-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 1, 2032
	@
#4 Maryland Terrapins (10-3, Away)		#6 Michigan State Spartans (10-3, Home)

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

HC Nash Savage Announces Departure From Syracuse

Syracuse, NY. - “A little over five years ago, I agreed to become the head coach of the Syracuse Orange,” Savage began during an impromptu press conference. “The program graciously kept that news under wraps until the conclusion of the 2027 College Football Playoffs so as not to distract from the championship run that Ball State and I were on at the time. For that kindness, I’ll always be grateful.”

Savage expressed his appreciation for Syracuse’s administration and confirmed that both he and Athletic Director John Wildhack agreed now was the right time to make his future plans public.

“At the end of this season, my time as the head coach of the Syracuse Orange will come to an end,” Savage continued. “I fully intend to lead Syracuse to Atlanta and capture a historic fourth consecutive national championship. After that, I’ll make the short trip to Athens to become the 28th head coach in Georgia Bulldogs history.”

The hiring of Savage is seen as a major win for Georgia. During his eight seasons as a head coach — split between Syracuse and Ball State — Savage has claimed a conference title each year and secured four national championships. This impressive track record makes him an exciting addition for a Bulldogs program that has struggled in recent seasons.

Following Nick Saban’s retirement in 2024, many expected Georgia to take control of the SEC. However, the Bulldogs failed to capitalize, averaging just 9.4 wins per season over the next five years. They did not win an SEC title during that span and suffered first-round playoff exits in both 2027 and 2029. After the 2029 season, head coach Kirby Smart and AD Josh Brooks mutually agreed to part ways.

“Coach Smart will always be a vital part of Georgia’s history,” Brooks said at the time. “But after much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to move in a different direction.”

Thomas Hammock’s tenure as Smart’s successor started rocky with a 6-6 season, followed by a promising 10-3 campaign in 2031. However, despite that turnaround, the Bulldogs fell to Notre Dame 34-27 in the first round of the playoffs. In 2032, Georgia’s season spiraled after a 4-1 start, finishing with a disappointing 4-8 record and a dismal 1-7 mark in SEC play.

While Hammock’s dismissal seemed inevitable, few expected Georgia to lure Savage away from Syracuse — especially with the Orange on the verge of their fourth straight national championship.

“Coach Savage made it clear years ago that he was interested in coaching in the SEC,” ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit remarked. “But after five years in upstate New York — with multiple SEC jobs coming and going — many believed he was content to stay at Syracuse for the rest of his career. This is a huge win for Georgia.”

Savage stated that he has not yet decided on his coaching staff but will collaborate with AD Josh Brooks to build his team — all while remaining committed to leading Syracuse in their pursuit of another national title.

Georgia fans will be eager to see if Savage’s impressive championship pedigree can return the Bulldogs to dominance in the SEC and beyond.

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

Pope Carries Ball State Past Tennessee

Tennessee Volunteers at Ball State Cardinals
Jan 1, 2032 1 2 3 4 F #10 TENN (11-4) 0 10 0 14 24 #2 BALL (13-1) 14 7 7 10 38 Top Performers PASS: BSU Emeka Kikaha - 21/30, 305 Yds, TD, 3 INT RUSH: BSU Daryl Pope - 36 Att, 175 Yds, 4 TD REC: BSU Daryl Pope - 4 Rec, 74 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison TENN BALL First Downs 8 27 3rd Down Efficiency 0/8 7/12 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 0/0 Total Yards 254 592 Passing Yards 171 305 Rushing Yards 18 - 52 40 - 209 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 5 - 60 Turnovers 0 3 Time of Possession 11:21 32:39
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING TENN BALL 4:58 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 1 Yd Run 0 7 0:10 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 38 Yd Run 0 14 SECOND QUARTER SCORING TENN BALL 6:14 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 7 Yd Run 0 21 1:09 (TENN) Nathan Cano, 46 Yd Pass From Timmy Edmunds 7 21 0:16 (TENN) Raysean Swayne, 39 Yd FG 10 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING TENN BALL 1:10 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 47 Yd Pass From Emeka Kikaha 10 28 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING TENN BALL 5:03 (BALL) Ezekiel Allen, 33 Yd FG 10 31 2:56 (TENN) Kane Rubin, 31 Yd Pass From Timmy Edmunds 17 31 2:56 (TENN) Stephen Amundson, Returned Interception 59 Yds 24 31 1:26 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 3 Yd Run 24 38
Tennessee Volunteers PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Timmy Edmunds 9/15 171 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jamal Jones 12 34 2.8 0 Timmy Edmunds 6 18 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kane Rubin 4 65 16.3 1 Nathan Cano 2 61 30.5 1 Tory Kelemete 1 26 26.0 0 Kai Obi 1 15 15.0 0 Jamal Jones 1 3 3.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Dom Veal 17 0 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Shareef Cantu 13 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Cole Carr 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Willie Madden 8 0 1 0 CB Max Smoker 8 0 (1TFL) 1 0 DE Dan Gattis 4 0 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Stephen Amundson 3 0 (1TFL) 1 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Raysean Swayne 1/1 3/3 6 39 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Fredrick Brossette 7 304 43.4 2 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Patrick Ogbonna 1 27 27.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Lamar Marvin 2 4 2.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Emeka Kikaha 21/30 305 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Daryl Pope 36 175 4.9 4 Brendan Eisen 3 28 9.3 0 Floyd Gallimore 1 6 6.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Robby Van Maanen 9 97 10.8 0 Daryl Pope 4 74 18.5 1 Dominick Blonko 4 72 18.0 0 Brendan Eisen 2 28 14.0 0 Spencer Lewis 1 24 24.0 0 Spencer McElmurry 1 10 10.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Noah Meeks 6 0 Garret Scherff 4 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Joshua Fenderson 3 0 0 0 FS Cam Gesicki 3 0 0 0 DE Melvin Casher 2 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE James Tye 1 0 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Ezekiel Allen 1/2 5/5 8 34 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Deangelo Woodside 2 81 40.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD JC McMillon 1 27 27.0 0 Nick Lampkin 2 42 21.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Spencer Lewis 2 9 4.5 0

Glendale, AZ. - For the first time since their 2027 National Championship win, the Ball State Cardinals are moving forward in the College Football Playoff after a 38-24 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers.

Leading the way was Heisman Trophy winner Daryl Pope, who accounted for all five of Ball State’s touchdowns in a dominant performance.

“This is what those Ball State teams have been missing for the last five years—someone in the backfield you can just hand the ball to and watch magic happen,” said Kirk Herbstreit after Pope powered the Cardinals to an early 21-0 lead with three rushing touchdowns.

Despite Pope’s heroics, Ball State nearly let the game slip away due to costly interceptions.

Tennessee’s offense struggled for most of the game, managing just 223 total yards and eight first downs. However, the Volunteers finally broke through late in the second quarter when Timmy Edmundson connected with Nathan Cano for a 46-yard touchdown. A late interception thrown by Ball State freshman QB Emeka Kikaha then set up Tennessee for a last-second field goal, cutting the deficit to 21-10 at halftime.

Pope extended the Cardinals’ lead with another touchdown in the third quarter, while Tennessee continued to sputter offensively. When Ezekiel Allen drilled a fourth-quarter field goal to make it 31-10, it appeared Ball State was well on its way to the semifinals.

Then, things nearly unraveled.

Kikaha’s second interception led to a 31-yard touchdown pass to Kane Rubin, and on the very next drive, linebacker Stephen Amundson returned a third Kikaha interception 59 yards for a touchdown, suddenly trimming Ball State’s lead to just seven points.

After the game, head coach Mark Stoops defended his young quarterback but acknowledged the need for smarter decision-making.

“He was trying to make a play, but those are the kinds of mistakes that send you home,” Stoops said. “We overcame them this week, but he has to recognize the situation. If we punt and make them drive 80 yards, that’s a conversation with the defense. But when they’re scoring defensive touchdowns? That can’t happen late in a playoff game.”

For now, the Cardinals are celebrating their first College Football Playoff win in five years. However, with a semifinal matchup looming against either Big 12 rival TCU or Cinderella contender Charlotte, expect ball security to be a major focus in the weeks ahead.

[Deuce2223]

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

Very interested to see what happens with Kadin with the move of Coach Salvage to Athens..

It's interesting Georgia came up.. I am 2 years ahead of you in my Dynasty and Miller gets Georgia (1st time offer) and Texas (offered last year as well), but with what looks like a 3rd year in a row of Big Ten Championships and #1 Recruiting class's I just don't think I can walk away.. I just don't see what either school offers me other then the fact I would play a SEC regular season schedule instead of the Big Ten..

I am looking at doing a pretty major conference change, so I honestly I am not sure how much longer the SEC will be #1 anyways.

[redsox907]

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

Very interested to see what happens with Kadin with the move of Coach Salvage to Athens..

It's interesting Georgia came up.. I am 2 years ahead of you in my Dynasty and Miller gets Georgia (1st time offer) and Texas (offered last year as well), but with what looks like a 3rd year in a row of Big Ten Championships and #1 Recruiting class's I just don't think I can walk away.. I just don't see what either school offers me other then the fact I would play a SEC regular season schedule instead of the Big Ten..

I am looking at doing a pretty major conference change, so I honestly I am not sure how much longer the SEC will be #1 anyways.

I'm sure Cuse would love to keep Kadin on board to help transition from Coach Savage, but we shall see what happens. I am not going to control Syracuse after the move fyi, it will still be Ball State and now Georgia.

They actually came up two years ago in a sim, after Hammock's 6-6 season was a 4-8 in the sim and he got the axe early. But as I played the games he ended up at 6-6 and that salvaged the season for him. I was torn between waiting for Texas to open up, or Florida, or go with the offer I had. But doing some research into Georgia's results in the dynasty and they've certainly fallen off from recent success, so while not a full rebuild it is definitely a refresher for Georgia. And I can always bounce to the otherside of the SEC if Texas opens up.

For you, Ohio State kind of feels like the end move unless you get bored in Columbus and want a bigger challenge. Or take over a program that has struggled in your dynasty and return them to prominence. Maybe someone like Clemson, who isn't in the SEC but still a premier school, although that would pit you back against FIU.

As I mentioned before, Florida was a big one I was hoping for. They've definitely fallen off for a long time, but still haven't gotten the offer. I don't think an intra-division move from Georgia to Florida would be in the cards, but who knows.

[redsox907]

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

Immanuel Hendrix Serves Charred Duck On New Years Day

Oregon Ducks at Syracuse Orange
Jan 1, 2033 1 2 3 4 F #8 ORE (11-3) 0 3 7 0 10 #1 SYR (13-0) 7 7 21 7 42 Top Performers PASS: SU Immanuel Hendrix - 25/32, 387 Yds, 4 TD RUSH: SU Lee Browner - 18 Att, 158 Yds, 2 TD REC: SU Dalton Wear - 11 Rec, 191 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison ORE SYR First Downs 13 24 3rd Down Efficiency 5/13 5/9 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 2/3 Total Yards 389 571 Passing Yards 214 387 Rushing Yards 21 - 86 24 - 158 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4 - 40 4 - 30 Turnovers 1 0 Time of Possession 20:25 23:35
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING ORE SYR 4:41 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 7 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 0 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING ORE SYR 10:24 (ORE) Floyd Yoder, 29 Yd FG 3 7 0:44 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 56 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 3 14 THIRD QUARTER SCORING ORE SYR 7:49 (SYR) Lee Browner, 15 Yd Run 3 21 5:13 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 59 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 3 28 1:36 (SYR) Ryan Magoolaghan, 36 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 3 35 1:21 (ORE) Reggie Moffatt, 83 Yd Run 10 35 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING ORE SYR 3:16 (SYR) Lee Browner, 7 Yd Run 10 42
Oregon Ducks PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Braden Jameson 23/32 214 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Reggie Moffatt 11 105 9.5 1 Brendan Jameson 5 -23 -4.6 0 Devonta Sharpe 5 4 0.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kai Garrison 8 86 10.7 0 Devonta Sharpe 5 37 7.4 0 Alton Calloway 4 38 9.5 0 Gideon Enunwa 3 28 9.3 0 Kamryn Bolin 3 25 8.3 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Marquise Cormier 7 0 Angel Hicks 7 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Monte Duarte 12 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Jermaine Dach 8 0 0 0 LB Ben Gillikin 4 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Joel Sampson 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Titus Ramsay 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Kevin Valdez 2 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kyle Ezekiel 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Floyd Yoder 1/1 1/1 4 29 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Brendan Schooler 5 205 41.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Gideon Enunwa 6 89 14.8 0 Syracuse Orange PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Immanuel Hendrix 25/32 387 4 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lee Browner 19 158 8.3 2 Immanuel Hendrix 3 -17 -5.6 0 Nolan McKay 1 13 13.0 0 Larry Pettis 1 4 4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 11 191 17.3 3 Cam Darr 4 41 10.2 0 Ryan Magoolaghan 4 98 24.5 1 Larry Pettis 3 16 5.3 0 Max Mangum 1 25 25.0 0 Spencer Everett 1 9 9.0 0 Nolan McKay 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Matthew Durant 7 1 Dallas Eulls 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Cam McQuaide 8 1 (3TFL) 0 0 MLB Timmy Vernon 6 1 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Kevin Schweitzer 6 0 1 0 DE Manu Good 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Dawand Ijalana 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Devon Heaps 0/0 6/6 6 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Mohammad Ha 1 45 45.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Max Mangum 1 11 11.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 5 15 3.0 0

LEFT - Dalton Wear weaving his way through the Ducks defense to give Syracuse a 14-3 halftime lead.
CENTER LEFT - Oregon QB Branden Jameson took one last deep shot trying to make magic to end the 1st half, but instead found CB Kevin Schweitzer to end the 1st half with an INT.
CENTER RIGHT - "Himmanuel" Hendrix hitting the crowd with the Jordan shrug after launching his 4th TD of the game to put the nail in the coffin on Oregon and cap a 21 point 3rd Q.
RIGHT - Reggie Moffatt with a vicious stiff arm to break free for an 83 yar touchdown run late in the 3rd Q, the only touchdown on the afternoon for the Ducks offense.

Miami, FL. - After the stunning announcement that head coach Nash Savage would leave Syracuse following the team’s championship defense this season, many wondered how the Orange would respond on the field. Would the news be a distraction from their quest for a historic fourth straight national title, or would it fuel them for one final run under their coach?

On New Year’s Day, they answered that question emphatically.

Syracuse controlled the first half with a methodical offensive approach, taking a 14-3 lead into halftime. The Orange scored on two of their three possessions, only coming up short after QB Immanuel Hendrix was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the second quarter.

Oregon’s only real threat of the half was snuffed out when sophomore MLB Timmy Vernon delivered a third-down sack, forcing the Ducks to settle for a 29-yard field goal. Meanwhile, Hendrix connected with his favorite target, Dalton Wear, twice before the break, including a 56-yard score where Wear took a short in-route and weaved through the Oregon defense for a dazzling touchdown.

Then came the decisive third quarter.

Lee Browner set the tone immediately, breaking off a 27-yard run to open the half before capping the drive with a 15-yard touchdown scamper to put the Orange up 21-3.

Oregon seemed to have finally answered with a 38-yard touchdown pass on third-and-8, but a holding penalty erased the score. On the ensuing third-and-18, senior MLB Cam McQuaide sacked Ducks QB Brendan Jameson, ending the drive before it truly began.

Syracuse wasted no time making them pay. On the very next play, Hendrix hit Wear on a go-route up the seam, blowing the game wide open. After a quick three-and-out from Oregon, Hendrix added a fourth touchdown pass, this time finding Mackey Award winner Ryan Magoolaghan for a 36-yard score to stretch the lead to 35-3.

Oregon briefly responded with a bruising touchdown run from HB Reggie Moffatt, but the outcome was never in doubt. Browner tacked on a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, sealing a dominant 42-10 victory over the Pac-12 champions.

Many had questioned the decision by Savage and athletic director John Wildhack to announce the coach’s departure before a game of this magnitude, but Savage stood by it in his postgame remarks.

“You know, people thought making that announcement before the Orange Bowl was a mistake, that it would be a distraction,” Savage said. “But I knew the kind of guys we have in this locker room. These guys never back down. The media handed them an excuse, and they turned it into fuel.

“They may be the defending three-time champs, but to them, this is the first one all over again.”

For “Himmanuel” Hendrix, it was another electric performance in what has been a spectacular season. The junior quarterback is now just three touchdowns shy of tying former Ball State QB and current Syracuse offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza’s single-season record of 65.

Syracuse will now await the winner of the Maryland vs. Michigan State semifinal, both matchups carrying major storylines. Maryland has been a thorn in Savage’s side during his tenure, including an upset of the Orange two years ago. Meanwhile, Michigan State is led by Joe Bob Clements—Savage’s former defensive coordinator at Ball State.

One thing is certain: Syracuse is locked in, focused, and just two wins away from history.

TCU Horned Frogs at Charlotte 49ers
Jan 1, 2033	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#5 TCU Horned Frogs (11-3)	7	14	7	9	37
#3 Charlotte 49ers (11-3)	10	7	8	7	32

Maryland Terrapins at Michigan State Spartans
Jan 1, 2033	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#4 Maryland Terrapins (10-4)	0	7	0	0	7
#6 Michigan State Spartans (11-3)	2	6	3	0	11

[Deuce2223]

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

For you, Ohio State kind of feels like the end move unless you get bored in Columbus and want a bigger challenge. Or take over a program that has struggled in your dynasty and return them to prominence. Maybe someone like Clemson, who isn't in the SEC but still a premier school, although that would pit you back against FIU.

As I mentioned before, Florida was a big one I was hoping for. They've definitely fallen off for a long time, but still haven't gotten the offer. I don't think an intra-division move from Georgia to Florida would be in the cards, but who knows.

Its funny you mention Clemson because they offer Coach Dee's the job and actually in my Dynasty they actually are in the SEC, but it looks like Kevin Pounds is going to return for his Senior Season and go after Case Keenum's National Passing Record as well as beat all of Miami's Legend Coffee's ACC/National Records as well, so I just couldn't pull the trigger. I actually think I would like to make Dee's first HC a small school and build them into a powerhouse like I did with FIU. instead of taking over a struggling Power 4 program.. I had offers from Charlotte in the past and got a job offer from JMU this year. JMU is only a 2 1/2 star and coming off a 3-9 season so they would've fit the bill had it not been for KP returning.

I am also actually considering moving FIU to the SEC after next season.. I was going to do a pretty major conference move this year but if I do move now then KP's records would become SEC records not ACC records which means Legend Coffee would keep them. KP's stats are already better then the SEC holder (Evan Shead)

Florida actually ranks pretty high on my list of schools I would love a chance to end up at in fact it's probably the only school at this point that I would have Miller leave Ohio State for besides maybe a return to Boise State to close out my career.. Tennessee/TAMU/Auburn would be the other schools with potential but also could be schools for Dee's down the road. At this point I think the plan is to just ride out this Dynasty until the end with multiple coaches until CFB 26 comes out..

[Careless Whisper]

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

Didn't see the Georgia move coming, but I like it! Assuming everything goes according to plan (and that isn't guaranteed, considering the almost historic upset FSU pulled in the ACC title game), there is nothing left to accomplish at Syracuse and Coach Savage has rightly claimed his place as one of the sport's greatest coaches. Now it's all about pulling former (or still current) elite programs and bringing them to Savage's level, and Georgia seems as good as any for that.

[redsox907]

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

Its funny you mention Clemson because they offer Coach Dee's the job and actually in my Dynasty they actually are in the SEC, but it looks like Kevin Pounds is going to return for his Senior Season and go after Case Keenum's National Passing Record as well as beat all of Miami's Legend Coffee's ACC/National Records as well, so I just couldn't pull the trigger. I actually think I would like to make Dee's first HC a small school and build them into a powerhouse like I did with FIU. instead of taking over a struggling Power 4 program.. I had offers from Charlotte in the past and got a job offer from JMU this year. JMU is only a 2 1/2 star and coming off a 3-9 season so they would've fit the bill had it not been for KP returning.

I am also actually considering moving FIU to the SEC after next season.. I was going to do a pretty major conference move this year but if I do move now then KP's records would become SEC records not ACC records which means Legend Coffee would keep them. KP's stats are already better then the SEC holder (Evan Shead)

Florida actually ranks pretty high on my list of schools I would love a chance to end up at in fact it's probably the only school at this point that I would have Miller leave Ohio State for besides maybe a return to Boise State to close out my career.. Tennessee/TAMU/Auburn would be the other schools with potential but also could be schools for Dee's down the road. At this point I think the plan is to just ride out this Dynasty until the end with multiple coaches until CFB 26 comes out..

I think besides A&M and maybe Ole Miss, Florida is "the" school to rebuild in the SEC especially after they have had lackluster results in my dynasty.

Didn't see the Georgia move coming, but I like it! Assuming everything goes according to plan (and that isn't guaranteed, considering the almost historic upset FSU pulled in the ACC title game), there is nothing left to accomplish at Syracuse and Coach Savage has rightly claimed his place as one of the sport's greatest coaches. Now it's all about pulling former (or still current) elite programs and bringing them to Savage's level, and Georgia seems as good as any for that.

FSU gave us a run for our money, but after we dispatched Oregon handily I'm not expecitng a ton of resistance. Michigan State is a strong defensive team, but their offense is middle of the road so as long as we can avoid turnovers we should be fine. TCU and Ball State are both teams with explosive offenses, so I think theyd be more of a shootout akin to our showdown with Arkansas. With how Hendrix and the offense are playing, I've got faith we can hang with anyone.

I haven't even looked at the Bulldogs roster yet, going in blind. But as I mentioned to Deuce, with how much they've come up short post Saban era, they're a team that would relish the opportunity to get back to the top of the SEC. I'd say this is probably my ending team for Coach Savage, but if someone like Texas kept struggling and made the offer, I'd probably take it just because. Especially if its after a few Nattys at Georgia.

But first thing first, time to get Cuse one more.

[redsox907]

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

Nash Savage Joins The Daily Orange For The Final Time

BP: Welcome back to The Daily Orange podcast. I’m Bryan Pittman, and today we have what will, unfortunately, be our last interview with Syracuse Head Coach Nash Savage. Coach, it’s been an absolute pleasure covering your time here at Syracuse, and before we get into it, congratulations on the next chapter of an already remarkable career.

NS: Appreciate it, Bryan. It’s definitely bittersweet. I didn’t really get this kind of sendoff when I left Ball State—it all happened so fast. But here, I’ve had time to soak it in, say my goodbyes, and reflect on just how much these last five years have meant—not just to me, but to the entire Orange football family.

BP: You’ve built an incredible legacy in just five seasons, but I want to shift the focus to another legacy—your coaching tree. In the upcoming Rose Bowl, you’re set to face Michigan State, led by a familiar face—your former defensive coordinator from Ball State, Joe Bob Clements. How do you approach a game against a guy you spent years game-planning alongside?

NS: Oh, this is next-level chess, Bryan. I’ve only gone up against a former coordinator once before—Brian Lindgren back when he was at Louisiana in my first season here. That didn’t go too well for him; we hung 73 on his team. But Lindgren was an offensive guy, so that was more about who could find an edge against the other’s defense. Joe Bob? Different beast entirely. We spent years breaking down film, discussing exactly how we’d attack certain schemes. Now, we’re on opposite sidelines trying to outmaneuver each other. Gonna have to dig deep in the bag of tricks for this one.

BP: You mentioned Lindgren, who’s now out of the college football scene, but Joe Bob has put together an impressive résumé at Michigan State. And your former Syracuse OC, Tommy Rees, just wrapped up a strong first year at Michigan. Is Kadin Semonza the next guy from your staff to get a head coaching shot?

NS: If the opportunity comes, I’ve got no doubt Kadin will be a damn good head coach. Same goes for Donovan Harper—he doesn’t get as much buzz, but he’s been instrumental in building this defense. Both of those guys are more than ready when their number gets called.

BP: There’s a lot of speculation among the fan base that Kadin might be your successor here at Syracuse, despite being just 30 years old. Any insight you can share on that?

NS: That’s Kadin’s business, not mine to announce. I will say this—he won’t be coming with me to Georgia. Trust me, I made the offer.

BP: Speaking of Georgia, have you started putting your staff together?

NS: Oh, I figured I’d save that scoop for you, Bryan. Consider it my parting gift to The Daily Orange.

First big hire—we’ve locked in former Clemson Co-Defensive Coordinator Mickey Conn as our DC. He’s a Georgia guy through and through—grew up here, played at Alabama, spent years coaching at Clemson under Dabo before his retirement. I’ve gone up against his defenses enough times to know he’s the real deal. Glad he’s on my side now.

Offensively, we’re bringing in a Bulldog legend. Former Georgia WR Hines Ward is coming on board as the OC. He’s been coaching receivers for a while now, first at Arizona State under Kenny Dillingham, then with the Steelers. Everyone knows what kind of player he was—smart, physical, relentless. That’s the kind of mentality I want in this offense.

BP: Conn is a strong defensive hire, keeping up the high standard you set with Joe Bob Clements at Ball State and Donovan Harper here at Syracuse. But I imagine Georgia fans will be most excited about bringing Hines Ward back home.

Now, shifting back to Syracuse for a second—are you having any say in who replaces you? I know you played a big role in bringing Kliff Kingsbury to Ball State after you left.

NS: You’re right about Kliff—I helped sell Muncie to him. But this time? Nope. That’s all on AD John Wildhack.

BP: Your departure seemed to light a fire under this team rather than distract them. They’ve embraced an us against the world mentality. Was that part of the strategy in announcing your move when you did—to fuel the fire for a historic fourth straight championship?

NS: Oh, I knew it would light a fire, especially once people started handing them excuses on a silver platter. But the real reason was controlling the narrative. People saw me in Athens during our first-round bye. If I didn’t get ahead of it, the news would’ve leaked, and that’s a distraction I didn’t want. By making the announcement myself, I took that out of the equation and gave the guys one more reason to lock in.

BP: Well, Coach, thank you for taking the time for this final sit-down. It’s been a privilege covering your time at Syracuse. Wishing you all the best—just as long as you never beat the Orange. And of course, best of luck finishing this season with a fourth straight championship.

NS: Appreciate it, Bryan. Let’s see if we can make some more history before I go.

[redsox907]

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

2032 College Football Playoff Semifinal Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 9, 2032
	@
#6 Michigan State Spartans (11-3, Away)		#1 Syracuse Orange (14-0, Home)
Injury Report WR BJ Koski (82) Broken Ribs (2 Weeks) T Warren McNabb (86) Fractured Elbow (6 Weeks) T Lamont Sizer (83) Pulled Groin (3 Weeks) Game Notes Michigan State Spartans 2032 Results Minnesota (9-5) W 42-21 @ BYU (6-6) L 27-20 LSU (8-6) W 49-39 FCS W 38-7 @ Wisconsin (8-5) W 44-20 Northwestern (5-7) W 41-7 @ Illinois (4-8) W 28-21 @ Ohio State (5-7) W 41-34 @ Indiana (6-7) L 20-17 Michigan (9-4) L 21-10 Penn State (7-6) W 35-21 @ Cincinnati (5-7) W 22-21 CCG Minnesota (9-5) W 27-17 CFP QF Maryland (10-4) W 11-7

Michigan State Spartans 81/81/82 Depth Chart - 2032
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Nico Fumagalli (76)	SO(RS) Leo Bail (73)	FR(RS) Denario Spriggs (70)
TE	FR Delarrin Smith (67)	JR Curt Feitas (66)	SO Dave Bourne (65)
LT	SO Jimmy Espinosa (85)	SR(RS) Dennis McCleon (79)
LG	SR(RS) Josh Pinto (86)	SO(RS) Alejandro Bueno (78)
C	SR(RS) Cliff Scioli (88)	JR(RS) Carlos Strong (84)
RG	JR(RS) Charles Kush (81)	SO(RS) Alejandro Bueno (78)
RT	JR(RS) Manny Hood (81)	FR(RS) Zac Wylie (74)
WR	JR Wayne Johnston (78)	JR Ben Bobo (74)	JR(RS) Keenan Rooks (71)
QB	SR(RS) Mike Butts (84)	JR(RS) Vince Boone (73)
FB	SR Greg Milburn (64)
HB	SO(RS) John Swoope (82)	SO(RS) Larry Rasmussen (76)	FR(RS) Jarrick Fatinikun (71)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Bryce Sharpe (90)	SR(RS) Marvin Jamerson (76)
LDT	FR(RS) Hakeem Ndukwe (79)	FR Glen Arellanes (73)
RDT	JR(RS) Stephen Von Oelhoffen (80)	FR(RS) Jace Wohlabaugh (71)
RDE	JR(RS) Lynn Bess (87)	JR(RS) Cory McGregor (76)
WLB	SR(RS) Ralph McNitt (84)	SR(RS) Spencer Cage (82)
MLB	SR David Durant (79)	FR(RS) Kevin Sparks (70)
SLB	SO(RS) Nick Mohamed (79)	SO(RS) Manny Goodley (79)
CB	JR(RS) Clyde Schwartz (88)	SR(RS) David Ezukanma (86)	FR(RS) Derek Stephen (76)
SS	SR Angel Sauer (86)	SO Matt Brink (78)
FS	JR Robert Hoke (83)	SO(RS) Jimmy DeCicco (75)
CB	SR(RS) Tyler Dickey (86)	SO(RS) David DeMarco (79)	FR(RS) Derek Stephen (76)

Michigan State Spartans Stats - 2032
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Mike Butts	328/493 (66%)	4,285	8.7	306.1	74	35	12	158.1
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
John Swoope	170	727	4.3	38	9	10	51.9	2
Mike Butts	115	318	2.8	40	1	5	22.7	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Leo Bail	77	1,099	14.3	13	68	4	78.5	472
Wayne Johnston	68	1,057	15.5	8	74	8	75.5	314
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
LB Ralph McNitt	71	13	84	4	4	7	1	0
DE Bryce Sharpe	31	11	42	5.5	11	0	0	0
DE Lynn Bess	30	15	45	9.5	1	0	0	0
FS Robert Hoke	42	11	53	0	0	7	5	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 9, 2032
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#5 TCU Horned Frogs (11-3, Away)		#2 Ball State Cardinals (13-1, Home)