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

[tobin834]

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

MAC title game birth for Ball State. Congrats on a great season so far. With a solid showing in recruiting on defense this team could be even more dangerous.

[redsox907]

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

MAC title game birth for Ball State. Congrats on a great season so far. With a solid showing in recruiting on defense this team could be even more dangerous.

Thank you! We've been pretty good offensively, but the teams with better secondaries have given us a hard time.

I need a passrusher in the worst way. Part of the defenses problem is the QBs can just sit back there most of the time. Either I blitz and they get the quick completion, or I sit back in zone and they just wait for the open space to widen out.

I wanted to get a mid-season recruiting post up and spaced it, so I think i'll post one at early NSD. But I wasn't able to get the LB I had targeted early on, Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame swopped him up pretty quickly. I do have 4 defensive prospects signed and a 4* MLB, but still no high quality pass rushers. I'm hoping the transfer portal is where I strike gold again this offseason

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Explodes Late With Record Setting Performance


Kadin Semonza called his own number again with the clock winding down and delivered to give Ball State a 21-17 lead at the break.

Ball State Cardinals at Northern Illinois Huskies
Nov 15, 2025 1 2 3 4 F BALL (7-2) 7 14 7 21 49 NIU (3-6) 7 10 3 7 27 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 14/16, 362 Yds, 4 TD, INT RUSH: BS Qian Magwood - 19 Att, 111 Yds, TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 6 Rec, 153 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL NIU First Downs 25 23 3rd Down Efficiency 3/5 6/12 4th Down Efficiency 1/1 1/2 Total Yards 598 536 Passing Yards 362 359 Rushing Yards 29 - 164 23 - 62 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 2 - 15 Turnovers 1 1 Time of Possession 16:19 27:41
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL NIU 4:40 (NIU) Cam Thompson, 26 Yd Pass From Ethan Hampton 0 7 3:53 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 42 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL NIU 8:35 (BALL) Tanner Koziol, 11 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 14 7 2:06 (NIU) Jake Seibert, 49 Yd FG 14 10 1:05 (NIU) Jaylen Poe, 1 Yd Run 14 17 0:09 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 2 Yd Run 21 17 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL NIU 4:32 (NIU) Jake Seibert, 19 Yd FG 21 20 3:46 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 63 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 28 20 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL NIU 10:24 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 3 Yd Run 35 20 6:52 (NIU) Jalen Johnson, 12 Yd Pass From Ethan Hampton 35 27 5:34 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 49 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 42 27 1:51 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 2 Yd Run 49 27
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 14/16 362 4 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Qian Magwood 19 111 5.8 1 Kadin Semonza 10 53 5.3 2 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 6 153 25.5 1 Tanner Koziol 4 71 17.8 1 Nyck Harbor 3 128 42.7 2 Cam Pickett 1 10 10.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Taran Tyo 4 0 Arkel Anugwom 5 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 12 0 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Jalon Jones 8 0 0 0 SS DD Snyder 7 0 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Joey Stemler 6 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Brenan Vernon 5 0 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 4 0 1 0 DT Keion Mitchell 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsell 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Drew Hughes 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Dakari Frazier 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 7/7 7 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 42 42.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwuialu 3 63 21.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 9 9.0 0 Northern Illinois Huskies PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Ethan Hampton 30/44 359 2 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jaylen Poe 17 96 5.6 1 Ethan Hampton 4 -34 -3.5 0 Cam Thompson 1 2 2.0 0 Justin Lynch 1 -2 -2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kenji Lewis 11 168 15.3 0 Isaac Spach 5 51 10.2 0 George Dimopoulos 4 42 10.5 0 Cam Thompson 3 52 17.3 1 Jalen Johnson 3 35 11.7 11 Isaac Hatfield 2 13 6.5 0 Jaylen Poe 2 -2 -1.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Abiathar Curry 7 1 Landon Hron 5 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD LB Jake Gassaway 10 0 0 0 SS Muhammed Jammeh 9 0 0 0 DT Skyler Gill-Howard 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Jacob FInley 2 0 1 0 DT Reggie Jean 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jake Seibert 2/2 3/3 9 49 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Dennis Sumner 2 65 32.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD George Cavanaugh 7 101 14.4 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD George Cavanaugh 1 14 14.0 0

LEFT - Nyck Harbor burnt multiple Huskies defenders on this post route TD to break Willie Snead's single season receiving TD record with his 16th TD on the season.
RIGHT - Ethan Hampton played a spectacular game, but the Huskies magic number to win has been 30 this season and NIU fell just short of that mark.

DeKalb, IL. - Ball State secured its fifth consecutive Bronze Stalk Trophy with a commanding 49-27 victory over Northern Illinois in DeKalb, solidifying its position as the MAC South Division champion. The Cardinals overcame an early deficit and leveraged explosive plays to pull away in a game that saw several records fall.

Northern Illinois held a 17-14 lead late in the second quarter after Kadin Semonza threw an interception that led to a quick Huskies touchdown with just 1:08 remaining in the half. However, Semonza bounced back in impressive fashion, engineering a 7-play, 75-yard drive and capping it off with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to put Ball State ahead 21-17 at halftime.

Both quarterbacks showcased their talents in the first half. Semonza went 9-of-11 for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while NIU’s Ethan Hampton was equally sharp, completing 14-of-17 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown.

The Huskies opened the second half with a methodical 13-play drive that reached the Cardinals’ 4-yard line but ultimately stalled, settling for a field goal to cut the deficit to 21-20. Ball State wasted no time regaining control, with Semonza finding Nyck Harbor for a 63-yard touchdown just two plays later to extend the lead to 28-20.

Semonza added a second rushing touchdown to push the lead to 35-20 before NIU responded with a fourth-quarter touchdown, narrowing the gap to 35-27. Any hopes of a Huskies comeback were extinguished when Semonza connected with Harbor for a 23-yard strike, followed by a 49-yard touchdown run from Philip Onwualu. Qian Magwood added a late touchdown after a turnover on downs to seal the victory.

The Cardinals’ offense was electric throughout the game, with Semonza finishing 14-of-16 for the game -including a perfect 5/5 with 175 yards and 2 TD in the second half- for 362 yards and four touchdowns. He set Ball State's single-season passing touchdown record with his 49-yard pass to Onwualu in the fourth quarter, surpassing Keith Wenning’s mark of 35 set in 2013. Harbor also made history, catching his 16th and 17th touchdowns of the season to break Willie Snead’s single-season record of 15.

The victory improved Ball State to 8-2 overall and 7-0 in MAC play, officially clinching a spot in the conference championship game as the South Division representative. Northern Illinois, despite a valiant effort, fell to 3-7 on the season.

Next week, the Cardinals will look to continue their winning streak as they return home to face Kent State, while Northern Illinois will try to rebound against Akron.

Week Twelve MAC Results
33 Bowling Green (5-5) @ Eastern Michigan (3-7) 35
24 Akron (4-6) @ Kent State (2-8) 20
17 Central Michigan (5-5) @ Buffalo (6-4) 24

Week Twelve Notable Results
30 SMU (6-4) @ #4 Texas A&M (10-0) 49
24 LSU (6-4) @ #3 Alabama (9-1) 48
13 #8 Penn State (9-1) @ #2 Michigan (9-1) 21

[Deuce2223]

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

Offense is rolling... Like I had with Jenkins, it's nice to know you don't have to worry about finding a QB in recruiting/portal and can concentrate on finding playmakers elsewhere. I got lucky with FIU and had a 86 speed OLB who was also a solid pass rusher off the edge. He graduated after Year 1 but then I had Taylor who has been great the past 2 years posting 10.0 and 10.5 sacks. He is only 6'0 218lbs with 81 speed but he finds away to get to the QB.

[redsox907]

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

2025 Week Thirteen Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 22, 2025
	@
Kent State Golden Flashes (2-8, 2-3 Away)		#25 Ball State Cardinals (8-2, 4-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 297.8 Total Offensive Yards 519.3 237.8 Passing Yards 338.4 41.3 Rushing Yards 180.9 16.5 Points Per Game 42.7 Defensive Stats Comparison 328.5 Total Yards Allowed 388.6 231.2 Passing Yards Allowed 319.6 97.3 Rushing Yards Allowed 69.0 11 Sacks 27 8 Interceptions 10 23.3 Points Per Game 28.6 Game Notes Muncie, IN. - The Ball State Cardinals officially clinched the MAC South division last week, winning their 7th conference contest, but will look to keep the momentum going after cracking the national rankings at #25, the Cardinals 1st trip into the AP poll since 2020. Kent State set the bar low thanks to a winless campaign in 2024, but have shown improvement with a 2-8 season along with a defense that is in the upper half of the FBS. But with a showdown against the #1 ranked Cardinals, few are giving Kent State a chance at breaking Ball State's 7 game conference winning streak.

Kent State Golden Flashes 72/71/74 Depth Chart - 2025
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Ali Fisher (76)	SO(RS) Jared Kelley (68)	SO(RS) Justin Sherels (67)
TE	SR Hunter Hopperton (70)	SR Mohammed Hazime (68)	SO(RS) Peyton Faulkner (67)
LT	SO(RS) Braylon Smith (75)	JR(RS) Garrett Masterson (69)
LG	SR(RS) Tristen Bittner (77)	SO Carl Campanaro (57)
C	FR Andre Dingle (68)	FR(RS) Joshua Valles (66)
RG	FR Manuel Gonzalez (59)	FR Fredrick Vinson (55)
RT	JR Cecil Wilson (72)	FR Tye Kenyon (59)
WR	SO DaShawn Martin (78)	SO Jay Jay Etheridge (75)	FR(RS) Paskal Jackson-Amos (67)
QB	SO(RS) JD Sherrod (77)	SR(RS) Tommy Ulatowski (77)
HB	JR Curtis Douglas (82)	JR Marques Hicks (70)	FR(RS) Garrick Gains (67)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	FR Brian Silva (69)	FR Angel Parish (61)
LDT	SR(RS) Keenan Landry (75)	SO Travis Meredith (75)
RDT	FR(RS) Seth Nelson (74)	JR Kaden Beatty (73)
RDE	FR(RS) Aaron Gunter (76)	SO(RS) Bryce Sisak (61)
WLB	SR Rocco Nicholl (79)	JR Sayed Abuhamdeh (73)
MLB	FR De'Angelo Mafe (59)	SO Julius Denney (56)
SLB	FR(RS) Nylan Brown (80)	SO Jayden Studio (75)
CB	FR(RS) Jaire Rawlison (78)	SR(RS) Jaylen Dotson (75)	FR Charlie Tobeck (62)
SS	SR Josh Baka (74)	JR CJ Young (58)
FS	SR Armahn Hale (76)	SR(RS) Malcolm Folk (75)
CB	JR(RS) Tyler Bivens (77)	JR Joel Boamah (72)	FR Charlie Tobeck (62)

Kent State Golden Flashes Stats - 2025
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
JD Sherrod	156/315 (49%)	1,969	6.3	196.9	72	14	3	114.7
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Curtis Douglas	80	287	3.6	27	2	1	28.7	2
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Jay Jay Etheridge	39	564	14.8	8	71	5	56.4	308
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Mason Woods *INJ*	48	15	63	0	3	4	0	0
DE Antoine Campbell Jr *INJ*	10	3	13	0	4	1	0	0
DT Kaden Beatty	13	8	21	1	3	0	0	0
DT Travis Meredith	16	9	25	5	2	0	0	0
CB Jaylen Dotson	30	8	38	0	0	6	3	0

Week Thirteen MAC Schedule
Central Michigan (5-5) @ Bowling Green (5-5) *Loss by CMU gives Toledo North division*
Western Michigan (3-7) @ Miami (OH) (7-3)
Northern Illinois (3-7) @ Akron (4-6)
Buffalo (4-3) @ Eastern Michigan (3-7)

Week Thirteen Notable Matchups
#5 Ohio State (9-1) @ #8 Penn State (9-1)
#2 Michigan (9-1) @ #10 Indiana (8-2)
#20 USC (8-2) @ San Jose State (8-2) *winner controls MWC WC division*
#23 Virginia Tech (7-3) @ #14 West Virginia (9-1)
#6 Iowa State (9-1) @ #9 Kansas State (9-0)

[redsox907]

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

Offense is rolling... Like I had with Jenkins, it's nice to know you don't have to worry about finding a QB in recruiting/portal and can concentrate on finding playmakers elsewhere. I got lucky with FIU and had a 86 speed OLB who was also a solid pass rusher off the edge. He graduated after Year 1 but then I had Taylor who has been great the past 2 years posting 10.0 and 10.5 sacks. He is only 6'0 218lbs with 81 speed but he finds away to get to the QB.

Toledo is likely going to be our opponent in the MAC CCG, they need to either win their last game or have CMU drop on to clinch. They played us tough our first matchup and have an offense to match ours. The big plus is I've avoided any back breaking INTs since the Indiana game, as long as we can hold onto the ball I've got faith we can outscore anyone.

Just need to find that one game wrecker on the defensive side and I think we'll be able to bend and not break, but without blitzing and hoping a guy gets a free shot we haven't been able to get any pass rush for the most part.

[redsox907]

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

No Comeback Needed As Ball State Rolls Kent State


Kadin Semonza letting the hometown fans know what award he believe he should be up for. Semonza leads the FBS in passing yards (3,752), passing touchdowns (40), and ranks 4th in rushing touchdowns (10).

Kent State Golden Flashes at Ball State Cardinals
Nov 22, 2025 1 2 3 4 F KENT (2-8) 0 0 0 3 3 #25 BALL (8-2) 21 21 7 10 59 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 22/26, 368 Yds, 4 TD RUSH: BS Qian Magwood - 22 Att, 130 Yds, TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 7 Rec, 144 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison KENT BALL First Downs 6 28 3rd Down Efficiency 1/11 6/9 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 1/1 Total Yards 280 656 Passing Yards 128 368 Rushing Yards 14 - (-3) 31 - 186 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 8 6 - 55 Turnovers 0 0 Time of Possession 17:06 26:54
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING KENT BALL 6:47 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 9 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 7 3:25 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 0 14 1:52 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 52 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 21 SECOND QUARTER SCORING KENT BALL 10:24 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 7 Yd Run 0 28 5:53 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 11 Yd Run 0 35 0:13 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 5 Yd Run 0 42 THIRD QUARTER SCORING KENT BALL 9:30 (BALL) Tanner Koziol, 11 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 49 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING KENT BALL 10:26 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 27 Yd FG 0 52 7:51 (KENT) Will Hryszko, 47 Yd FG 3 52 3:25 (BALL) Justin Bowick, 8 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 59
Kent State Golden Flashes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Tommy Ulatowski 10/17 107 0 0 JD Sherrod 4/11 21 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Curtis Douglas 9 10 1.1 0 Marquise Hicks 3 -4 -1.3 0 JD Sherrod 1 0 0.0 0 Tommy Ulatowski 1 -9 -9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Marquise Hicks 4 10 2.5 0 Jared Kelley 3 48 16.0 0 Garrick Gains 3 27 9.0 0 Paskal Jackson-Amos 2 29 14.5 0 DaShawn Martin 1 9 9.0 0 Mohammed Hazime 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Tristen Bittner 3 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD LB Canaan Williams 9 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Jaylen Dotson 8 0 0 0 LB Jayden Studio 7 0 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Rocco Nicholl 5 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Travis Meredith 4 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Will Hryszko 1/1 0/0 3 47 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Charlie Durkin 9 364 40.4 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Jay Jay Etheridge 6 102 17.0 0 Jahzae Kimbrough 4 53 13.3 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 22/26 368 4 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Qian Magwood 22 130 5.9 1 Kadin Semonza 9 56 6.2 3 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 7 144 20.6 1 Nyck Harbor 4 40 10.0 1 Tanner Koziol 3 53 17.7 1 Ty Robinson 2 47 23.5 0 Justin Bowick 2 32 16.0 1 Christian Davis 2 18 9.0 0 Cam Pickett 1 35 35.0 0 Qian Magwood 1 -1 -1.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Taran Tyo 2 1 Carl Poyer 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Joey Stemler 12 1 (5TFL) 0 0 SS DD Snyder 7 0 (4TFL) 0 0 MLB Ethan Evers 5 0 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 5 0 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 8/8 11 27 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 47 47.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 9 102 11.3 0

LEFT - Nyck Harbor found a hole in the defense to snag his 18th touchdown on the season
CENTER - The Cardinals defense only recorded one sack on the afternoon, but they lived in the backfield throughout the contest
RIGHT - Philip Onwualu saluting the fans who stayed despite the rainy conditions

Muncie, IN. — Ball State put together a near-flawless performance in a 59-3 rout over Kent State, showcasing their dominance as they continued their march toward the MAC Championship. The Golden Flashes, plagued by an anemic offense and overmatched defense, were no match for the Cardinals' relentless attack.

The game was effectively decided by halftime, with Ball State surging to a commanding 42-0 lead. Sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza was the catalyst, delivering a spectacular first-half performance. Semonza completed 11 of 13 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for three more scores. By the break, the Cardinals had amassed 328 yards of offense compared to just 27 for Kent State, who managed only one first down.

Kent State attempted to shake things up in the second half, replacing starting quarterback JD Sherrod with backup Tommy Ulatowski. While Ulatowski's 107 passing yards on 10-of-17 attempts represented a slight improvement, the Golden Flashes mustered only a late field goal, avoiding a shutout but doing little else to threaten Ball State.

The Cardinals continued their dominance into the second half, albeit with a less aggressive approach. Semonza finished his day with remarkable numbers: 22-of-26 passing for 360 yards, four touchdowns through the air, and an additional three scores on the ground, paired with 56 rushing yards. His performance further cemented his place as one of the top quarterbacks in college football this season.

Freshman standout Philip Onwualu shined once again, hauling in seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, while Nyck Harbor added to his historic season with four receptions, including his nation-leading 18th touchdown grab.

Defensively, Ball State smothered Kent State, holding them to just 125 total yards. The Cardinals' suffocating defense and explosive offense combined for one of the most lopsided victories in program history, outgaining the Golden Flashes by an astonishing 554 to 125 margin.

The win improves Ball State's record to 9-2 overall and 8-0 in MAC play, solidifying their position atop the conference. As they prepare to host Akron for senior night next week, the Cardinals have their sights set firmly on the MAC Championship, with their remarkable season showing no signs of slowing down.

Currently ranked 25th in the nation, Ball State is making a compelling case to climb the rankings as they aim to finish the season on a high note. With their dominant performances and a chance to secure a conference title, the Cardinals are positioning themselves as a dark horse candidate for the College Football Playoff. Should they continue their torrid pace, Ball State could become the story of the postseason, proving that even teams outside the Power Five can compete on the national stage.

Week Thirteen MAC Results
19 Central Michigan (5-6) @ Bowling Green (6-5) 38
38 Western Michigan (3-8) @ Miami (OH) (8-3) 42
33 Northern Illinois (4-7) @ Akron (4-7) 28
21 Buffalo (7-4) @ Eastern Michigan (3-8) 9

Week Thirteen Notable Results
38 #4 Ohio State (10-1) @ #16 Penn State (9-2) 24
34 Charlotte (8-3) @ #15 Georgia (8-3) 21
16 #1 Michigan (10-1) @ #14 Indiana (8-3) 10
17 #24 Marshall (10-1) @ Liberty (8-3) 24
31 USC (8-3) @ #22 San Jose State (9-2) 34
24 Virginia Tech (7-4) @ #9 West Virginia (10-1) 41
13 #11 Iowa State (9-2) @ #6 Kansas State (11-0) 42
7 Arizona (4-7) @ Boise State (7-4) 24

[redsox907]

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

2025 Week Fourteen Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 29, 2025
	@
Akron Zips (4-7, 2-4 Away)		#23 Ball State Cardinals (9-2, 5-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 334.9 Total Offensive Yards 522.4 227.8 Passing Yards 341.1 79.9 Rushing Yards 177.8 21.5 Points Per Game 44.2 Defensive Stats Comparison 354.1 Total Yards Allowed 364.6 243.9 Passing Yards Allowed 302.1 110.2 Rushing Yards Allowed 62.4 11 Sacks 28 7 Interceptions 10 26.2 Points Per Game 26.2 Game Notes Muncie, IN. - The Ball State Cardinals have one final regular-season hurdle before heading to Ford Field in two weeks to face the Toledo Rockets in the MAC Championship Game. However, their matchup against the Akron Zips might carry the most weight for their season’s narrative. “This one’s for the seniors, no question,” said head coach Nash Savage, emphasizing the importance of senior night. “So many of these guys chose to return for their final season, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them. Players like Tanner [Koziol] have set the tone for this program. Their commitment has inspired everyone.” The Cardinals will honor seven non-starting seniors as they take the field for the last time at Scheumann Stadium. Coach Savage confirmed that these seniors would play at least the first quarter and potentially longer, depending on the game’s tempo. While Ball State has already locked in their spot in the MAC title game, a loss could crush their slim hopes of making an improbable push for a College Football Playoff spot. Currently ranked 23rd, the Cardinals are clinging to the possibility of a major jump in the rankings, contingent on other teams faltering. “We know it’s a long shot, but it’s still on the bulletin board,” said sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza in an interview with the school paper. “If we handle our business and keep winning, we’ll put pressure on the teams above us to do the same. Besides, this game means everything to the seniors.” With a victory, Ball State would notch their first 10-win season since 2013, further solidifying their status as one of the most consistent programs in the MAC this year. Beyond the stakes for the seniors and the playoff chatter, this game is a final tune-up for what the Cardinals hope will be a championship-caliber performance in Detroit.

Akron Zips 76/76/77 Depth Chart - 2025
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR Bobby Golden (80)	SO Israel Polk (75)	JR(RS) Jarvis Rush (74)
TE	JR Max Whisner (78)	JR Conner Cravaack (77)	SO(RS) Adam Pierce (71)
LT	FR Eric Helton (70)	JR(RS) Nick Stopiak (69)
LG	JR Delvin Morris (72)	FR Aries Peat (60)
C	JR(RS) Keylen Davis (67)	FR(RS) Max Mobley (63)
RG	JR(RS) Julian Armella (79)	JR(RS) Colin Lyons (77)
RT	SO Jayvin James (79)	JR(RS) Nick Stopiak (69)
WR	JR Adrian Norton (84)	SR Alex Adams (78)	JR Phaizon Wilson (75)
QB	SR(RS) Ben Finley (78)	SR(RS) Tahj Bullock (76)
HB	JR(RS) Charles Kellom (82)	SO(RS) Marquese Williams (81)	FR(RS) Maurice Lacey (68)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	FR(RS) Jon'trell Mixon (76)	FR Elijah Skoronski (66)
LDT	SO(RS) Marcus Moore Jr (72)	FR(RS) Elton Kennard (71)
RDT	JR(RS) Kiawan Murphy (73)	FR(RS) Elijah Davis (67)
RDE	SO Jalen Taylor (80)	SO(RS) Eric Sheppard (74)
WLB	FR Russ Babineaux (70)	SO(RS) Rich Benenge (67)
MLB	SO(RS) Melvin Spriggs (63)	SR(RS) Gage Summers (63)
SLB	SO(RS) Austin Wondolowski (70)	SO(RS) Rich Benenge (67)
CB	SR(RS) Devonte Golden-Nelson (81)	SR(RS) Joey Hunter (77)	JR(RS) Davion Jennings (75)
SS	SR(RS) Justin Anderson (71)	FR(RS) James Cartwright (67)
FS	SR(RS) Darrian Lewis (81)	SR Aman Greenwood (72)
CB	SR Iesa Jarmon (82)	SO(RS) Stevie Brown-Gordon (78)	JR(RS) Davion Jennings (75)

Akron Zips Stats - 2025
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Ben Finley	202/388 (52%)	2,660	6.9	241.8	74	18	14	117.7
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Charles Kellom	111	503	4.5	33	6	10	45.7	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Bobby Golden	48	758	15.8	5	74	5	68.9	238
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
LB Jason Hocker	43	18	61	1	2	2	2	0
DE Eric Sheppard	26	9	35	1.5	4	0	0	0
DT Kiawan Murphy	22	7	29	3	3	1	0	0
CB Iesa Jarmon	31	12	43	0	1	4	2	0

Week Fourteen MAC Schedule
Eastern Michigan (3-8) @ Central Michigan (5-6)
Northern Illinois (4-7) @ Kent State (2-9)
Buffalo (7-4) @ Bowling Green (6-5)
Miami (OH) (8-3) @ Ohio (4-7)
Western Michigan (3-8) @ Toledo (7-4)

Week Fourteen Notable Matchups
#7 NC State (9-2) @ North Carolina (4-3)
South Carolina (5-6) @ #13 Clemson (8-3)
**NC State needs a win and Clemson loss to win Carolinas division**
#8 Boston Coillege (10-1) @ #20 Navy (7-3)
#12 Illinois (8-3) @ Northwestern (7-4)
Minnesota (3-8) @ Wisconsin (6-5)
**Illinois needs a win and Wisconsin loss to win the Big Ten West**
#1 Michigan (10-1) @ #4 Ohio State (10-1)
**Winner wins Big Ten East**
Boise State (7-4) @ Utah (6-5)
BYU (8-3) @ Colorado (5-6)
**Boise State win and BYU loss give Boise State the Pac-12 Central division**
#15 Georgia (8-3) @ #18 Georgia Tech (8-3)

[redsox907]

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

Cardinals Seniors Make Impact In Final Home Game


Senior TE Tanner Koziol celebrating one of his two 1st half touchdowns in a dominant senior day for Ball State.

Akron Zips at Ball State Cardinals
Nov 29, 2025 1 2 3 4 F AKR (4-7) 7 0 7 14 28 #23 BALL (9-2) 21 21 14 7 63 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 17/24, 265 Yds, 5 TD, 2 INT RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 9 Att, 124 Yds, TD REC: BS Tanner Koziol - 4 Rec, 42 Yds, 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison AKR BALL First Downs 13 24 3rd Down Efficiency 2/7 8/10 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 0/0 Total Yards 332 689 Passing Yards 297 265 Rushing Yards 15 - (-13) 30 - 218 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3 - 20 5 - 45 Turnovers 4 3 Time of Possession 19:01 24:59
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING AKR BALL 6:48 (BALL) Justin Bowick, 37 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 7 6:39 (AKR) Israel Polk, 75 Yd From Ben Finley 7 7 1:29 (BALL) Tanner Koziol, 11 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 14 0:43 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 40 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 21 SECOND QUARTER SCORING AKR BALL 7:28 (BALL) Tanner Koziol, 5 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 28 5:25 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, Returned Punt 64 Yds 7 35 0:04 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 2 Yd Run 7 42 THIRD QUARTER SCORING AKR BALL 8:29 (AKR) Adrian Norton, 15 Yd Pass From Ben Finley 14 42 3:52 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 26 Yd Run 14 49 1:00 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 45 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 14 56 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING AKR BALL 10:52 (BALL) Myles Norwood, Returned Interception 33 Yds 14 63 7:42 (AKR) Marquese Williams, 1 Yd Pass From Charles Kellom 21 63 3:22 (AKR) Charles Kellom, 2 Yd Run 28 63
Akron Zips PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Ben Finley 20/26 296 2 1 Charles Kellom 1/1 1 1 0 Alex Adams 0/1 0 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Charles Kellom 5 19 3.8 1 Ben Finley 5 -34 -6.8 0 Marquese Williams 3 10 3.3 0 Alex Adams 2 -8 -4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Alex Adams 6 75 12.5 0 Adrian Norton 5 63 12.6 1 Marquese Williams 4 12 3.0 1 Israel Polk 2 119 59.5 1 Max Whisner 2 5 2.5 0 Bobby Golden 2 23 11.5 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Julian Armella 4 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD LB Jason Hocker 10 0 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Darrian Lewis 7 0 1 0 LB Austin Wondolowski 7 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Iesa Jarmon 6 0 1 0 DE Jalen Taylor 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Garrison Smith 0/0 4/4 4 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Joseph Castle 5 232 46.4 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barry Bragg 4 44 11.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barry Bragg 1 4 4.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 17/24 265 5 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Qian Magwood 11 44 4.0 1 Charlie Spegal 10 50 5.0 0 Kadin Semonza 9 124 13.7 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 6 59 9.8 0 Tanner Koziol 4 42 10.5 2 Zavier Simpson 2 26 13.0 0 Nyck Harbor 2 85 42.5 2 Qian Magwood 1 8 8.0 0 Justin Bowick 1 37 37.0 1 Charlie Spegal 1 8 8.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Taran Tyo 7 0 Tanner Koziol 5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS DD Snyder 6 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Thailand Baldwin 6 0 1 0 DE Brenan Vernon 6 1 (4TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 4 1 (2TFL) 0 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Myles Norwood 4 0 1 0 MLB Joey Stemler 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Justin Thomas 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Ethan Evers 2 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 9/9 9 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 48 48.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 18 18.0 0 JaMarion McDougle 2 35 17.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 5 153 30.6 1

Senior CB Thailand Brown read the WR throw like a book and easily skied for the INT.
CENTER - Ben Finley had an efficient 20/26 day with a pair of touchdowns, but the surge came too late to impact the final score.
RIGHT - Nyck Harbor using all of his 6'5 frame to "moss" his deender.

Muncie, IN. - The Ball State Cardinals closed out their regular season in emphatic fashion with a commanding 63-28 victory over the Akron Zips on senior day. The win marked the Cardinals' 10th of the season, their first double-digit win campaign since 2013, and provided a perfect send-off for the program's veteran players.

From the opening whistle, Ball State was in control. Senior wide receiver Justin Bowick opened the scoring with a 37-yard touchdown reception, setting the tone for a dominant first half. Fellow senior Tanner Koziol followed with two touchdown catches, while running back Qian Magwood capped the first-half scoring with a rushing touchdown, helping the Cardinals race to a 42-7 halftime lead.

The Ball State defense also shined, with seniors playing pivotal roles. Cornerback Thailand Baldwin recorded a key interception, reserve safety AJ Taylor forced a fumble, and linebacker Justin Thomas chipped in with half a sack. Akron managed just 91 total yards in the first half, as Ball State's defense smothered their efforts.

Despite Akron's offensive improvement in the second half—garnering 193 yards and scoring twice—it was too little, too late. Quarterback Ben Finley found some rhythm for the Zips, finishing the day 20-of-26 for 296 yards and two touchdowns.

Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza continued his stellar season but also showed some uncharacteristic struggles. He finished the game 17-of-24 for 265 yards and six total touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) but also accounted for all three of Ball State’s turnovers with two interceptions and a lost fumble. This sudden uptick in miscues is a concern heading into the MAC Championship Game, as the Cardinals had only two turnovers in their previous four games combined.

The Cardinals’ ground game provided balance, with Magwood leading the way. The senior tailback notched 44 yards and a touchdown, while Charlie Spegal contributed 50 yards on 10 carries in relief.

With the win, Ball State cements its position as the South Division champion in the MAC and heads into the conference championship game riding a wave of momentum. Senior players were pivotal in the victory, delivering key contributions on both sides of the ball and solidifying their legacy in Muncie.

However, the team’s focus now shifts to Detroit, where they’ll face the Toledo Rockets in two weeks with the MAC title—and perhaps an outside shot at a College Football Playoff berth—on the line.

Week Fourteen MAC Results
17 Eastern Michigan (4-8) @ Central Michigan (5-7) 14
26 Northern Illinois (4-8) @ Kent State (3-9) 31
24 Buffalo (7-5) @ Bowling Green (7-5) 27
24 Miami (OH) (9-3) @ Ohio (4-8) 3
20 Western Michigan (3-9) @ Toledo (8-4) 45

Week Fourteen Notable Results
35 #5 NC State (10-2) @ North Carolina (4-8) 3
16 #20 West Virginia (10-2) @ Miami (8-4) 17
15 South Carolina (5-7) @ #7 Clemson (9-3) 31
20 #17 Boston College (10-2) @ #14 Navy (8-3) 24
26 #12 Texas A&M (11-1) @ TCU (7-5) 35
26 #3 Kansas State (12-0) @ Kansas (3-9) 24
19 #8 Illinois (9-3) @ Northwestern (7-5) 16
44 Minnesota (4-8) @ Wisconsin (6-6) 14
17 #4 Michigan (10-2) @ #2 Ohio State (11-1) 21
17 Boise State (7-5) @ Utah (7-5) 22
27 BYU (8-4) @ Colorado (6-6) 33
18 #10 Alabama (10-2) @ Auburn (8-4) 27

[redsox907]

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

2025 Conference Championship Game Previews

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
	@
Toledo Rockets (8-4, Away)		#19 Ball State Cardinals (10-2, Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 400.7 Total Offensive Yards 519.1 290.1 Passing Yards 334.7 97.9 Rushing Yards 184.4 32.2 Points Per Game 45.8 Defensive Stats Comparison 353.2 Total Yards Allowed 357.9 244.5 Passing Yards Allowed 301.7 109.5 Rushing Yards Allowed 56.1 18 Sacks 33 11 Interceptions 12 23.3 Points Per Game 26.4 Injury Report CB Nasir Bowers (76) Torn Rotator Cuff (16 Weeks) WR Junior Vanderross III (86) Abdominal Tear (2 Weeks) HB Jordan Simmons (79) Dislocated Ankle (1 Week) Game Notes Detroit, MI – Ball State faces Toledo in a highly anticipated MAC Championship rematch after defeating the Rockets 56-35 in Week 3. That game marked Ball State's first win under head coach "Nitro" Nash Savage and was part of a three-game skid for Toledo. However, the Rockets rebounded, winning 7 of their last 8 games behind a high-powered offense to earn their spot in Detroit. In their first matchup, Toledo's QB Tucker Gleason exploited Ball State’s secondary early but faltered with two costly second-half interceptions. Avoiding such mistakes will be key for Toledo, as giving extra possessions to Ball State's top-ranked offense could be disastrous. Led by QB Kadin Semonza and record-chasing WRs Nyck Harbor and Philip Onwualu, the Cardinals rank first nationally in total offense, rushing yards, and points per game. With their sights set on their first MAC title since 2020, expect Ball State to stay aggressive in pursuit of another dominant performance.

Toledo Rockets Depth Chart - 2025
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR Junior Vandeross III (86)	SR(RS) Jaden Dottin (72)	SO Zy'Marion Lang (72)
TE	JR(RS) Blake Nelson (75)	SR Connor Jones (75)	JR CC Ezirim (74)
LT	SR(RS) Jesse Ramil (76)	SR(RS) Deondre Buford (76)
LG	JR(RS) Rod Orr (74)	SR(RS) Drew Beckenhaupt (74)
C	JR Maddox Marcotte (78)	JR(RS) Chase Riedel (66)
RG	SR(RS) Carter Fouty (77)	JR Sidney Griffin (69)
RT	SO(RS) Cole Rhett (76)	SR(RS) Deondre Buford (76)
WR	SR Larry Stephens (87)	JR Terrell Crosby Jr (75)	FR(RS) Tashi Braceful (72)
QB	SR(RS) Tucker Gleason (83)	JR(RS) John Alan Richter (76)
FB	Vince Metchie (66)
HB	SR Jordon Simmons (79)	SR Willie Shaw III (76)	JR Connor Wlendzak (75)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Jeremiah Peters (81)	SR Anthony Dunn Jr (76)
LDT	FR(RS) Wayne Peart II (74)	SR(RS) Doran Ray Jr (71)
RDT	SR(RS) Esean Carter (71)	SO Amir Brisiel (66)
RDE	JR(RS) Travion Ford (79)	FR(RS) Carlos Hazelwood (72)
WLB	JR K'Von Sherman (79)	SR(RS) Damon Ollison II (81)
MLB	SR(RS) Damon Ollison II (81)	SO Trae Gaston (74)
SLB	JR Chris D'Appolonia (66)	SO Trae Gaton (74)
CB	SR(RS) Avery Smith (84)	SO(RS) Nicholas Thompson (76)	JR Terence Thomas (74)
SS	JR Braden Awls (75)	SO(RS) Sam Smith Jr (67)
FS	SR Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (88)	SR Jalen Stephens (71)
CB	FR(RS) Hyajah Miller (79)	SR Nasir Bowers (76)	JR Terence Thomas (74)

Toledo Rockets Stats - 2025
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Tucker Gleason	269/419 (64%)	3,482	8.3	290.2	64	27	11	150.0
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Willie Shaw III	69	366	5.3	41	5	3	30.5	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Junior Vandeross III *INJ*	74	1,162	15.7	10	64	3	96.8	428
Larry Stephens	51	741	14.5	5	59	1	61.8	321
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Trae Gaston	66	18	84	0	1	13	2	0
DE Jeremiah Peters	30	3	33	6	8	0	0	0
DE Carlos Hazelwood	29	6	35	6	3	0	0	0
CB Avery Smith	50	16	66	0.5	4	10	3	0

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
	@
Rice Owls (9-3, Away)		#16 Baylor Bears (9-3, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
	@
Colorado Buffaloes (6-6, Away)		#6 Oregon Ducks (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
	@
#12 Texas A&M Aggies (11-1, Away)		#3 Kansas State Wildcats (12-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
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Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4, Away)		#25 Marshall Thundering Herd (11-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
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#10 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2, Away)		#1 Florida Gators (12-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
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Utah State Aggies (7-5, Away)		#21 San Jose State Spartans (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
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UCF Knights (10-2, Away)		#17 Boston College Eagles (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
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#8 Illinois Fighting Illini (9-3, Away)		#2 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 13, 2025
	@
#20 West Virginia Mountaineers (10-2, Away)		#7 Clemson Tigers (9-3, Home)

[Deuce2223]

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

I assume San Jose State needs to loose and for you to win and jump them in the rankings in order to make the playoffs.. Even if you don't I would say Top-25 with 11 potentially a 12th win is a solid Year 1 for the Cards.

[redsox907]

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

I assume San Jose State needs to loose and for you to win and jump them in the rankings in order to make the playoffs.. Even if you don't I would say Top-25 with 11 potentially a 12th win is a solid Year 1 for the Cards.

I would need way more help than that pretty sure

SEC winner will be auto bid, so will Big 12 and Big Ten. If WVU wins its possible I'm ranked ahead of them, but I think a win over #7 Clemson would put them above me so i'll just assume the ACC winner gets the auto. That's 4 out of 5 already, so I would need every other ranked team to lose their conference. Meaning Oregon, Boston College, and Baylor for sure. SJSU losing wouldn't hurt. It would be cool, but with how we played ND and Indiana I don't feel like we would have a great shot at doing anything more than making noise in the 1st round. I would rather get a bowl game and win that to get the 12 win season.

But we're gettinig ahead of ourselves. Toledo gave us hell in the 1st half of our matchup, if they avoid turnovers and Semonza tosses a few INTs they can easily pull off the upset

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Cardinals Are Kings Of the MAC With Record Breaking Performance For Both Squads

Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals
Dec 13, 2025 1 2 3 4 F TOL (8-4) 14 0 7 28 49 #19 BALL (10-2) 7 21 7 28 63 Top Performers PASS: TOL Tucker Gleason - 40/56, 634 Yds, 6 TD RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 17 Att, 128 Yds, 3 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 5 Rec, 252 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison TOL BALL First Downs 29 26 3rd Down Efficiency 11/16 5/7 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 0/1 Total Yards 821 783 Passing Yards 634 420 Rushing Yards 15 - 21 33 - 245 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 2 - 15 Turnovers 0 0 Time of Possession 20:25 23:35
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 8:54 (TOL) Willie Shaw III, 57 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 7 0 5:02 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 6 Yd Run 7 7 4:14 (TOL) Larry Stephens, 71 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 14 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 10:24 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 14 14 6:08 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 30 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 14 21 1:04 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 7 Yd Run 14 28 THIRD QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 9:30 (TOL) Blake Nelson, 47 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 21 28 1:04 (BALL) Qian Magwood, 2 Yd Run 21 35 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 9:34 (BALL) Cam Pickett, 59 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 21 42 7:59 (TOL) Connor Walendzak, 24 Yd Run 28 42 7:47 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 82 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 28 49 4:05 (TOL) Jaden Dottin, 8 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 35 49 3:12 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 79 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 35 56 1:46 (TOL) Jaden Dottin, 7 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 42 56 1:39 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 48 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 42 63 0:00 (TOL) Terrell Crosby Jr, 7 Yd Pass From Tucker Gleason 49 63
Toledo Rockets PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Tucker Gleason 40/56 634 6 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Connor Walendzak 8 33 4.1 0 Willie Shaw III 5 7 1.4 0 Tucker Gleason 2 -19 -9.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jaden Dottin 9 86 9.5 2 Terrell Crosby Jr 9 108 12.0 1 Larry Stephens 7 154 22.0 1 Blake Nelson 6 105 17.5 1 Connor Walendzak 5 89 17.8 0 Tashi Braceful 2 16 8.0 0 Connor Jones 1 19 19.0 0 Willie Shaw III 1 57 57.0 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Ethan Spoth 11 0 Rod Orr 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Avery Smith 12 0 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Damon Ollison II 8 0 0 0 DE Carlos Hazelwood 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 LB K'Von Sherman 3 0 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darren Norris 0/0 7/7 7 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Emilio Duran 4 160 40.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Terrell Crosby Jr 10 162 16.2 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Terrell Crosby Jr 1 4 4.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 16/20 420 5 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 17 128 7.5 3 Qian Magwood 16 117 7.3 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Nyck Harbor 5 252 50.4 3 Philip Onwualu 5 45 9.0 1 Cam Pickett 3 79 26.3 1 Justin Bowick 1 8 8.0 0 Tanner Koziol 1 32 32.0 0 Christian Davis 1 4 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Kevin Meeder 8 0 Arkel Anugwom 5 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Myles Norwood 9 0 0 0 CB Thailand Baldwin 8 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS DD Snyder 6 0 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 5 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 5 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Brenan Vernon 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 9/9 9 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 41 41.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 4 79 19.7 0 JaMarion McDougle 2 32 16.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 7 2.3 0

Philip Onwualu egging on the crowd after putting Ball State ahead 21-14
CENTER - Tucker Gleason may have lost the game, but he certainly helped his draft stock with a record breaking performance
RIGHT - Kadin Semonza looking right to the Toledo section, reminding them it's Ball State's time to shine.

Detroit, MI. - The 2025 MAC Championship at Ford Field provided a jaw-dropping offensive display, a stark contrast to the defensive slugfest earlier in the day between the Rice Owls and Baylor Bears, which ended 10-3. In a game that rewrote the record books, Ball State outlasted Toledo 63-49 to claim the conference crown in a thrilling, high-scoring affair.

Toledo came out firing, scoring touchdowns on their first two drives with Tucker Gleason connecting on deep passes to Willie Shaw III (57 yards) and Larry Stephens (71 yards). Ball State responded with a Kadin Semonza 6-yard rushing touchdown, but trailed 14-7 after the first quarter.

The Cardinals flipped the script in the second quarter, scoring on all three possessions while holding Toledo scoreless. Semonza added two more rushing touchdowns and connected with Philip Onwualu for a 30-yard score to give Ball State a 28-14 halftime lead. Toledo’s final drive of the half ended at Ball State's 9-yard line as time expired, leaving them with missed opportunities.

Toledo opened the third quarter with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Gleason to Blake Nelson, cutting the lead to 28-21. Ball State stumbled with a three-and-out and a turnover on downs, but the defense held firm, stopping Toledo from tying the game. On their next drive, Ball State extended the lead with a 2-yard Qian Magwood rushing touchdown.

The fourth quarter was an offensive explosion, with both teams scoring four touchdowns apiece. For Ball State, Semonza showcased his dual-threat dominance, hitting Cam Pickett for a 59-yard touchdown and connecting with Nyck Harbor on three jaw-dropping scores (82, 79, and 48 yards). Toledo's Gleason fought valiantly, tossing three more touchdown passes, including a buzzer-beating 7-yard strike to Terrell Crosby Jr.

Despite Toledo’s relentless effort, Ball State matched them score-for-score, securing the victory in a game that saw multiple records shattered.

Records Set in the MAC Championship:

Most points in a MAC Championship: 112 (previous record: 94, 2002 Marshall vs. Toledo)
Ball State Total Yardage: 665 (previous record: 576, Miami, 2003)
Toledo Passing Yards: 634 (previous record: 440, Miami, 2003)
All-Purpose Touchdowns: Kadin Semonza, 8 (previous record: 5, Matt Johnson, Bowling Green, 2013)
Passing Touchdowns: Tucker Gleason, 6 (previous record: 5, Matt Johnson, Bowling Green, 2013)
Receiving Yards: Nyck Harbor, 252 (previous record: 191, Damien Linson, Central Michigan, 2006)

Ball State’s victory not only crowned them MAC champions but also solidified their place in the history books with one of the most electrifying offensive performances in college football history. The Cardinals won the MAC, but were already aware of the Oregon Ducks last second 45-42 victory over the Colorado Buffalos in the PAC-12 Championship Game, that was running concurrently with their own, effectively eliminating the Cardinals from a College Football Playoff bid.

Conference Championship Game Results
10 Rice (10-3) @ #16 Baylor (9-4) 3
45 Colorado (6-7) @ #7 Oregon (11-2) 48
31 #9 Texas A&M (12-1) @ #6 Kansas State (12-1) 6
14 Jacksonville State (8-5) @ #22 Marshall (12-1) 33
45 #5 Alabama (11-2) @ #2 Florida (12-1) 28
7 Utah State (7-6) @ #20 San Jose State (11-2) 31
31 UCF (11-2) @ #15 Boston College (10-3) 15
24 #12 Illinois (9-4) @ #1 Ohio State (12-1) 45
16 #17 West Virginia (10-3) @ #8 Clemson (10-3) 28

[Deuce2223]

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

Always love playing those high scoring barn burners.. Congrats on getting the MAC title in Year 1. I see big things for the Cards future as long as Coach Savage sticks around

[redsox907]

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

CFP Seemingly Gets It Right With Playoff Bracket




The Georgia Bulldogs are the only team with a legitimate gripe about the 2025 College Football Playoff seeding.

Georgia, ranked 13th heading into conference championship weekend, watched the action unfold from home after their lone SEC loss—a heartbreaking 44-42 double-overtime defeat to Florida—kept them out of the title game. That loss hinged on a failed two-point conversion in the second overtime, leaving the Bulldogs on the outside looking in as they hoped for chaos to open up a spot in the top 12.

Their best shot was a loss by #12 Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship, but the Aggies delivered a dominant 31-6 win over undefeated Kansas State. The only top-12 team to lose was #8 Illinois, falling to #1 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, but the playoff committee still ranked the Illini ahead of Georgia for the final spot.

“Win that Florida game, and they’re in. No excuses,” an anonymous college football insider told Pat McAfee, who shared the remark on his show. “They didn’t win, so their fate was left to chance.”

Adding to the controversy, the committee’s seeding choices raised eyebrows with two first-round matchups being rematches. Texas A&M will head to Manhattan for a second meeting with Kansas State after their Big 12 Championship clash, while Indiana visits Michigan for a rematch of the Wolverines’ narrow 16-10 victory in Week 13.

For Georgia, it’s a bitter pill to swallow—a season decided by one game and a playoff picture that leaves little room for debate.

Non-CFP Bowl Matchups
Birmingham Bowl: #22 Marshall (12-1) vs #17 West Virginia (10-3)
Camellia Bowl: #19 Ball State (11-2) vs Jacksonville State (8-5)
Military Bowl: #15 Boston College (10-3) vs Georgia Tech (8-4)
First Responder Bowl: UCF (11-2) vs Liberty (9-3)
Liberty Bowl: Navy (8-4) vs Missouri (6-6)
Holiday Bowl: Syracuse (8-4) vs Northwestern (7-5)
Texas Bowl: Auburn (8-4) vs TCU (7-5)
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: SMU (7-5) vs #23 USC (9-3)
Fenway Bowl: Pittsburgh (7-5) vs #24 Charlotte (9-3)
Bahamas Bowl: Georgia State (7-5) vs #16 Baylor (9-4)
New Mexico Bowl: Rice (10-3) vs #20 San Jose State (11-2)
68 Ventures Bowl: Toledo (8-5) vs Old Dominion (6-6)
Cure Bowl: Miami (OH) (9-3) vs Georgia Southern (7-5)
LA Bowl: Notre Dame (6-6) @ Utah State (7-6)
Frisco Bowl: Western Kentucky (8-4) vs Rutgers (6-6)
Las Vegas Bowl: Arkansas (8-4) vs Colorado (6-7)
Myrtel Beach Bowl: Southern Mississippi (7-5) vs Buffalo (7-5)
Boca Raton Bowl: Virginia Tech (8-4) vs Washington State (9-3)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: South Alabama (7-5) vs UCLA (7-5)
New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana (8-4) vs BYU (8-4)
Detroit Bowl: Texas State (8-4) vs UTSA (8-4)
Armed Forces Bowl: Tulsa (7-5) vs Utah (7-5)
Independence Bowl: Stanford (6-6) vs Texas Tech (6-6)
Gasparilla Bowl: Washington (8-4) vs Maryland (7-5)
Hawaii Bowl: Memphis (6-6) vs Boise State (7-5)
Pop-Tarts Bowl: California (6-6) vs #25 Miami (8-4)
Alamo Bowl: Florida State (6-6) vs #18 Iowa State (9-3)
Reliaquest Bowl: Texas (6-6) vs #14 Tennessee (9-3)
Citrus Bowl: LSU (6-6) vs #13 Georgia (9-3)
Gator Bowl: Louisville (6-6) vs Iowa (5-7)
Dukes Mayo Bowl: Ole Miss (5-7) vs Army (5-7)
Sun Bowl: Houston (5-7) vs UMass (3-9)
Arizona Bowl: Bowling Green (7-5) vs Oklahoma State (7-5)
Music City Bowl: Oklahoma (6-6) vs Wisconsin (6-6)