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

[tobin834]

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

Great stuff!! Ball State is really rolling. Just catching up on all of this now since I've been away for a few days. Your offensive game is insane lmao

[Careless Whisper]

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

What a finish to your first season and start of this year. Semonza is special and seems like he's the perfect quarterback to run this offense, and now with another year and some additional talent, Ball State can hang with the big boys set itself up for a nice run to the CFP.

[redsox907]

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

Wow, just realized your up to #11 and climbing with another another big win.
Wouldn't want to be the big boys come playoff time. Cards have 1 mission and its a Natty...

We jumped from 21 to 12 after beating NC State. I think that's kind of where we'll hang around barring any losses, don't have any "big" games remaining to boost us so we'll just fit in where everyone else is moving from the big boys. Beating NC State and Indiana was encouraging, but I still worry about facing a top tier offense I can't slow down, I've done a good job about limiting the turnovers this season, but I get aggressive when its a shootout or close game and eventually its going to bit me. 4th and less than 4 I'm usually going for it in a close game lol

Great stuff!! Ball State is really rolling. Just catching up on all of this now since I've been away for a few days. Your offensive game is insane lmao

Thanks man! The veer and shoot offense takes some getting used to and the only thing I don't like is how wide the WRs lineup on the wide formations, hard to see what they're doing until they get downfield. BUT it does open up tons of room for the running game. The teams that have given us problems are ones that have good enough corners to leave on an island with the WRs and stack the box against the run / rush the passer.

What a finish to your first season and start of this year. Semonza is special and seems like he's the perfect quarterback to run this offense, and now with another year and some additional talent, Ball State can hang with the big boys set itself up for a nice run to the CFP.

Semonza's been the key to everything. Snagging Harbor and P.O the 1st offseason put us in great position as well. Harobr has 99 speed and takeoff, if he gets pressed on a go-route, even a safety over the top can't keep up

We've improved a lot defensively, I still worry about facing the likes of Georgia or Oregon and having to essentially go score for score with them, but if we get the chance it should at least be an exciting game!

[redsox907]

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

2026 Around the NCAA Through Week Six

Conference Standings

ACC Carolinas	Record	Conf Record		ACC Atlantic	Record	Conf Record
South Carolina	5-1	4-0		#3 Virginia Tech	6-0	3-0
#18 Georgia Tech	3-2	1-1		#7 Syracuse	4-1	2-0
#12 NC State	3-2	0-1		Virginia	4-1	2-0
Clemson	3-3	0-2		#13 Miami	4-1	1-0
Wake Forest	2-4	0-2		West Virginia	3-2	1-0
Duke	2-3	0-2		Pittsburgh	2-4	1-2
North Carolina	3-3	0-2		Maryland	2-3	0-3

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

Big 12 (North)	Record	Conf Record		Big 12 (South)	Record	Conf Record
#14 SMU	5-0	2-0		#20 Iowa State	3-2	2-0
TCU	3-3	3-1		Missouri	2-3	2-1
Arkansas	2-3	2-1		#10 Kansas State	4-2	2-1
#15 Texas A&M	4-2	2-2		Houston	3-2	1-1
Oklahoma State	1-5	1-3		Nebraska	2-4	1-3
Texas Tech	1-4	0-2		Kansas	3-3	0-3

Big Ten (West)	Record	Conf Record		Big Ten (East)	Record	Conf Record
Wisconsin	4-2	3-1		#9 Michigan	5-1	2-1
#23 Iowa	3-2	2-1		Michigan State	4-2	2-1
Northwestern	3-2	2-1		#19 Ohio State	4-2	2-1
Purdue	2-3	2-1		#4 Penn State	5-1	2-1
#21 Illinois	3-2	1-1		Indiana	1-5	0-3
Minnesota	3-3	1-3		Cincinnati	2-4	0-4

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

MAC (North)	Record	Conf Record		MAC (South)	Record	Conf Record
Buffalo	4-2	3-1		#11 Ball State	6-0	3-0
Western Michigan	3-3	3-1		Ohio	2-4	2-1
Bowling Green	3-3	2-1		Northern Illinois	4-2	2-2
Toledo	4-1	2-1		Miami (OH)	2-4	1-3
Central Michigan	4-3	2-2		Kent State	1-5	0-3
Eastern Michigan	2-4	1-2		Akron	0-6	0-4

MWC (Mountain)	Record	Conf Record		MWC (Pacific)	Record	Conf Record
Colorado State	4-2	2-1		#5 USC	6-0	4-0
Nevada	4-2	2-1		#22 San Jose State	5-1	4-0
Air Force	2-3	1-2		San Diego State	2-3	2-1
Utah State	2-3	1-5		UCLA	3-3	2-2
Wyoming	1-5	1-3		Fresno State	2-3	0-2
UNLV	3-2	0-2		Hawaii	1-5	0-3

PAC-12 (West Coast)	Record	Conf Record		PAC-12 (Central)	Record	Conf Record
#2 Oregon	6-0-	4-0		#17 Utah	5-0	2-0
Stanford	4-2	3-1		#24 BYU	5-1	4-1
Washington State	4-2	2-1		Arizona	3-3	2-2
Oregon State	3-3	1-3		Boise State	4-2	1-2
California	0-5	0-3		Colorado	3-3	1-2
Washington	2-4	0-4		Arizona State	2-4	1-2

SEC (Southwest)	Record	Conf Record		SEC (Southeast)	Record	Conf Record
#6 Texas	6-0-	3-0		#16 Tennessee	4-2	2-1
Ole Miss	4-2	2-0		#8 Georgia	4-1	2-1
#1 Alabama	4-1	1-0		Florida State	3-2	1-1
Mississippi State	3-2	1-0		Kentucky	4-2	1-1
Oklahoma	3-3	1-2		Florida	2-3	0-1
Auburn	3-2	0-1		Vanderbilt	1-5	0-2
LSU	4-1	0-1		Louisville	2-3	0-3

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

Top 25

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Oct 11, 2026
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	1	Alabama (40)	4	1
2	2	Oregon (3)	6	0
3	3	Virginia Tech (27)	6	0
4	5	Penn State	5	1
5	6	USC	6	0
6	7	Texas	6	0
7	8	Syracuse	4	1
8	9	Georgia	4	1
9	10	Michigan	5	1
10	4	Kansas State	4	2
11	11	Ball State	6	0
12	13	NC State	3	2
13	15	Miami	4	1
14	18	SMU	5	0
15	16	Texas A&M	4	2
16	17	Tennessee	4	2
17	19	Utah	5	0
18	22	Georgia Tech	3	2
19	25	Ohio State	4	2
20	24	Iowa State	3	2
21	NR	Illinois	3	2
22	NR	Notre Dame	5	1
23	21	Iowa	3	2
24	NR	BYU	5	1
25	NR	San Jose State	5	1

Heisman Watch

Heisman Watch - Updated: Oct 11, 2026
NAME	POS	SCHOOL		SEASON STATS
Dylan Lonergan	QB	Alabama		1,590 Yds, 16 TD, 3 INT; 115 Rush Yds, 2 TD
Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State		2,144 Yds, 26 TD, 3 INT; 267 Rush Yds, 4 TD
Armani Winfield	WR	SMU		24 Rec, 519 Yds, 8 TD; 233 Rush Yds, 4 TD
Darian Mensah	QB	USC		1,564 Yds, 13 TD, INT; 251 Rush Yds, TD
Nyck Harbor	WR	Ball State		23 Rec, 982 Yds, 17 TD

League Leaders

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Oct 11, 2026
Passing Yards	YDS	Passing Touchdowns	TD
1. Kadin Semonza, Ball State	2,144	1. Kadin Semonza, Ball State	26
2. Christopher Vizzina, Clem	1,933	2. Christopher Vizzina, Clem	25
3. John-Keawe Sgapolutele, Hawaii	1,901	3. Sean ****s, Buffalo	21
4. DerMaricus Davis, UCLA	1,882	4. Zach Pyron, Georgia Tech	19
5. Air Noland, Ohio State	1,852	5. Steve Angeli, Notre Dame	19
Carries	CAR	Rushing Yards	YD
1. Bill Davis, ULL	119	1. Christian Davis, Ball State	775
2. Jakivon Clip, CMU	110	2. Bill Davis, ULL	735
3. Lamar Sperling, Buffalo	106	3. Cameron Seldon, Tennessee	593
4. Rickey Hunt Jr, Ohio	105	4. Lamar Sperling, Buffalo	576
5. Cam Wallace, Penn State	103	5. Gi'Bran Payne, Notre Dame	560
Rushing Touchdowns	TD	Receptions	REC
1. Christian Davis, Ball State	9	1. Jay Jay Etheridge, Kent State	48
2. Cam Wallace, Penn State	8	2. Jordan Ross, Colorado State	44
3. Gi'Bran Payne, Notre Dame	7	3. Malachi Coleman, Notre Dame	43
4. Kaden Feagin, Illinois	6	4. Boski Barrett Vanderbilt	42
5. Dante Dowdell, Nebraska	6	5. Philip Onwualu, Ball State	41
Receiving Yards	YDS	Receiving Touchdowns	TD
1. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	982	1. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	17
2. Philip Onwualu, Ball State	767	2. TJ Moore, Clemson	10
3. Jay Jay Etheridge, Kent State	708	3. Omarion Miller, Colorado	9
4. Famah Toure, Rutgers	704	4. Christian Hamilton, North Carolina	9
5. Matthew Coleman, SJSU	671	5. Tashaun Shelton, Duke	9

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Oct 11, 2026
Tackles	TKL	Tackles For Loss	TFL
1. Cyrus Taylor, Indiana	60	1. Kenneth Merrieweather, Ball State	10
2. Jason Hocker, Akron	57	2. TJ Bush Jr, Liberty	10
3. Darius Jones, Wake Forest	57	3. Kerrington Lee, Wake Forest	9
4. August June, Texas A&M	55	4. Brett Haas, Rutgers	9
5. Cole McElvany, EMU	54	5. Tawfiq Byard, Ball State	9
Sacks	SCK	Interceptions	INT
1. Tobi Osunsanmi, Kansas State	11	1. Malik Muhammad, Texas	7
2. Ezra Odinjor, UAB	10	2. Jaylen Mbake, Alabama	5
3. Nikhil Webb Walker, Colorado	10	3. Eric Feltcher, ECU	4
4. TJ Parker, Clemson	8.5	4. Jamir Benjamin, Illinois	4
5. Kenneth Merrieweather, Ball State	7	5. Neaten Mitchell, New Mexico State	4

[redsox907]

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

Coach Savage Q&A With the Ball State Daily Podcast

LM: Logan McMillan here with the Ball State Daily, sitting down with Ball State Head Coach "Nitro" Nash Savage. Coach, before we dive in, how’s the "off" week been treating you?

NS: Honestly, it’s been the busiest "off" week I’ve had in a long time. Let’s be real—there’s no such thing as an off week for a college football coach. If we’re not preparing for a game, we’re out visiting recruits. It’s a constant grind, but I love every second of it.

LM: Speaking of recruiting, how’s this year’s class shaping up? If I’m not mistaken, you haven’t received any letters of intent yet, right?

NS: That’s correct. But we’re in a good spot. I’ve spoken with two recruits this week who are close to making their decisions, and I’m confident we’re the frontrunners. We’ve set our sights high this year, which means we’re deep in the recruiting battle. In the past two years, we signed one 4-star prospect each cycle. This year, our board is full of them. Competing with programs like Ohio State and Notre Dame is exciting but definitely challenging.

LM: Do you think the perception of Ball State football is changing among high school athletes as you continue to build success here?

NS: Definitely. It started with the transfer portal. We’ve seen growing interest from players nationwide about coming to Muncie. Early on, we leaned heavily on the portal, and it paid off big time. Adding Nyck Harbor in my first season was a game-changer. Now, the momentum just keeps building.

LM: From the outside, it seemed like you focused on offensive players in your first offseason—highlighted by Harbor—but last year, you went all-in on defense. That shift seems to be paying off with the defensive line’s performance.

NS: That was the plan from the start. When I took the job, I told AD Jeff Mitchell that I wanted to establish a solid foundation for the offense and then turn to elevating the defense. With guys like Kadin [Semonza] and Tanner [Koziol] on board, the offense already had a lot of potential. Bringing in Nyck through the portal accelerated things, and Coach Neu recruiting Philip Onwualu before he left gave us another major boost.

LM: I want to touch on former Coach Mike Neu, but first—what can you say about the impact Kenneth Merrieweather and Tawfiq Byard have had on the defense?

NS: Kenneth has been the consistent presence we desperately needed up front. No matter where he lines up, he’s putting pressure on the quarterback, and that’s why he’s in the top five for sacks. Last season, our defensive struggles were directly tied to the lack of a consistent pass rush, and you can see the difference this year. Tawfiq has stepped up to fill the leadership void left by DD [Snyder] after graduation, bringing that veteran impact from the safety position. But I’d be remiss not to mention Jaiden Cameron. Since transitioning to defensive tackle when he got to Muncie, Jaiden has been a force against the run. He might not have a ton of sacks or tackles for loss, but his ability to disrupt plays in the middle sets the stage for everyone else to succeed.

LM: Have you spoken with your predecessor, Mike Neu, and if so, how’s your relationship with him?

NS: Yeah, I reached out after I was hired, and we’ve spoken a few times since. He’s an alum with deep ties to the program, so it was important to me to keep that connection. Regardless of how his coaching career turned out, he did some great things for Ball State, and his recruiting laid the groundwork for our current success. One of the first things I did was thank him for convincing Philip to come here from Alabama.

LM: You’ve quickly taken Ball State football to new heights in just your second season. Did you anticipate this kind of success when you accepted the job less than two years ago?

NS: Honestly, yes. With Kadin and Tanner leading the offense, I thought we had the pieces to contend in the MAC. We had some growing pains against tougher teams early on, but after last season, I felt that improving the pass rush would elevate the defense and let us compete on a bigger stage. This year, wins over #9 Indiana and #5 NC State have shown what a complete team effort can do.

LM: There are rumors you received head coaching offers from other programs after last year’s success. Any truth to that?

NS: There is. I got formal offers from Nevada and San Jose State but declined interviews with both. Heading back to the West Coast just a season into my time here didn’t feel right.

LM: So, is it safe to say you’re committed to staying in Muncie for now?

NS: Absolutely, for now. But I want to be honest—it wouldn’t be fair to say I’ll never leave. I love it here, but as a competitor, I know I’ll eventually want a new challenge. That’s not to take anything away from the MAC or Ball State. I love this program and the community, and I plan to stay connected no matter what. But competing nationally in the MAC is tough. One loss can end our season’s hopes, and one bad year can set you back. With the new playoff format, things are a bit more achievable, but the reality is, schools in conferences like the SEC or Big Ten have more leeway to stay in the conversation.

LM: Is there a specific dream job or destination for you post-Ball State?

NS: I’d love to coach in the SEC someday, but outside of that, no specific dream job. Just coaching college football is a dream come true. Everything else is a bonus.

LM: Last question, Coach—do you think the Heisman is Kadin Semonza’s to lose?

NS: If he keeps playing at this level, I don’t see how he doesn’t win it. Last year, the big knocks on him were the turnovers—22 total—and inconsistent performances outside the MAC. This year, he’s shown up against top teams like Indiana and NC State and cut his turnovers down to just five while completing almost 80% of his passes. If that’s not Heisman-worthy, then we need to redefine the criteria.

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Eight

Matchup Preview *|* October 24, 2026
	@
#8 Ball State Cardinals (6-0, 2-0 Away)		Bowling Green Falcons (3-3, 2-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 567.1 Total Offensive Yards 340.5 357.3 Passing Yards 259.6 209.8 Rushing Yards 67.0 57.7 Points Per Game 21.7 Defensive Stats Comparison 391.3 Total Yards Allowed 366.0 321.1 Passing Yards Allowed 228.3 70.1 Rushing Yards Allowed 137.5 23 Sacks 8 9 Interceptions 5 27.5 Points Per Game 32.1 Injury Report HB Bryce DeFalco (73) Fractured Knee Cap (24 Weeks) Game Notes Bowling Green, OH. - Ball State looks to continue their attack on the MAC after taking the last week off against a Bowling Green team that is on a bit of a heater thanks to a 3 game winning streak. The caveat? Those three wins came against teams with a combined record of 7-15, not exactly anything to write home about. The Cardinals rose up to #8 in the polls despite the off week, thanks to losses by VTech and Penn State, and will look to continue their momentum towards a hopeful CFP push.

Bowling Green Falcons 81/81/81 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Cynceir McNeal (76)	SR(RS) Trey Johnson (69)	FR Cornell Miree (64)
TE	JR(RS) Jacob Harris (76)	FR(RS) Carl Colon (67)	FR(RS) Brian Breneman (65)
LT	JR(RS) James Thomas Jr (79)	FR(RS) Patrick Rourke (72)
LG	SO(RS) Dillon Robinson (76)	SO(RS) Moritz Schmoranzer (75)
C	JR(RS) Brody Bolyn (82)	SO(RS) Julian Henderson (81)
RG	JR(RS) Adrian George (67)	FR(RS) Quincy Burfict (72)
RT	SO(RS) Paul Hatchett (77)	FR(RS) Alex Santos (72)
WR	JR(RS) Shawn Thigpen (77)	JR Caleb Goodloe (76)	FR Billy Koehler (66)
QB	JR(RS) Lucian Anderson III (81)	SO Ray Pifer (69)
HB	SO(RS) Jaden Copening (70)	SO(RS) Nakai Amachree (69)	FR Mateo Sanchez (69)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SO(RS) Joe Shimko (78)	JR(RS) Laith Shamma (73)
NT	JR(RS) Ian Van Der Merwe (79)	SR(RS) Davonte Miles (76)
RDE	JR Marteece Dillard (79)	SO(RS) Elias Owens (73)
LOLB	JR(RS) Alijah Williams (81)	SR(RS) Myles Bradley (77)
LILB	SO Cameron Pena (80)	FR(RS) John Biggers (71)
RILB	JR(RS) Jabari Mitchell (78)	SO(RS) Dorian Pringle (69)
ROLB	SO(RS) Cameron Hicks (79)	FR(RS) David Mauch (75)
CB	SO(RS) Kal-El Pascal (81)	SR(RS) Kalen Carroll (78)	JR(RS) Naz Hill (77)
SS	JR Larry Yates (85)	FR(RS) Kahlil Zimmons (74)
FS	JR(RS) Tracy Revels (81)	JR TJ Nelson (79)
CB	JR(RS) Jace Henry (80)	SR Edward Rhambo (76)	JR(RS) Naz Hill (77)

Bowling Green Falcons Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Lucian Anderson III	120/232 (51%)	1,558	6.7	259.7	78	14	7	122.0
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Bryce DeFalco *INJ*	73	357	4.9	37	5	2	59.5	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Caleb Goodloe	23	404	17.6	4	78	2	67.3	180
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Jabari Mitchell	39	7	46	0	1	1	0	0
DE Joe Shimko	14	2	16	2	6	0	0	0
LB Alijah Williams	15	5	20	5	3	1	0	0
CB Tracy Revels	16	5	21	0	2	1	1	0

Week Eight MAC Schedule
Northern Illinois (5-2) @ Miami (OH) (3-4)
Akron (0-6) @ Minnesota (4-3)
#24 Toledo (5-1) @ Eastern Michigan (2-5)
Kent State (1-6) @ Ohio (2-5)
Western Michigan (4-3) @ Buffalo (4-3)

Notable Week Eight Matchups
#6 Michigan (5-1) @ #15 Penn State (5-2)
#1 Alabama (5-1) @ #3 Texas (7-0)
#25 Washington State (5-2) @ #2 Oregon (7-0)
#21 Syracuse (4-2) @ #11 Virginia Tech (6-1)

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Continues To Roll Despite Miscues


Philip Onwualu was the catalyst for Ball State this afternoon scoring the first 3 touchdowns of the game, including this dazzling 95 yard punt return, and 5 total.

Ball State Cardinals at Bowling Green Falcons
Oct 24, 2026 1 2 3 4 F #8 BALL (6-0) 14 14 14 14 56 BGSU (3-3) 0 10 3 7 20 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 16/25, 382 Yds, 7 TD, 2 INT RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 11 Att, 76 Yds REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 7 Rec, 89 Yds, 4 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL BGSU First Downs 22 18 3rd Down Efficiency 3/5 4/15 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 1/2 Total Yards 699 433 Passing Yards 382 366 Rushing Yards 23 - 132 21 - 5 Penalties-Penalty Yards 5 - 17 2 - 20 Turnovers 2 1 Time of Possession 20:14 23:46
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL BGSU 6:07 (BGSU) Philip Onwualu, 7 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 7 4:23 (BGSU) Philip Onwualu, Returned Punt 95 Yds 0 14 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL BGSU 6:13 (BGSU) Philip Onwualu, 3 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 21 0:41 (BALL) Jackson Kleather, 19 Yd FG 3 21 0:22 (BGSU) Nyck Harbor, 34 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 28 0:06 (BALL) Caleb Goodloe, 57 Yd Pass From Lucian Anderson III 10 28 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL BGSU 7:35 (BALL) Jackson Kleather, 53 Yd FG 13 28 6:54 (BGSU) Nyck Harbor, 80 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 35 2:50 (BGSU) Philip Onwualu, 54 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 42 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL BGSU 4:50 (BALL) Jaden Copening, 2 Yd Run 20 42 4:43 (BGSU) Nyck Harbor, 47 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 20 49 1:55 (BGSU) Philip Onwualu, 13 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 20 56
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 16/25 382 7 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 11 76 6.9 0 Nick Presley 7 24 3.4 0 Kadin Semonza 5 32 6.4 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 7 89 12.7 4 Nyck Harbor 4 205 51.2 3 Nick Presley 2 41 20.5 0 Cam Pickett 2 32 16.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 15 15.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 5 0 Carl Poyer 2 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Tawfiq Byard 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 10 0 0 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 9 1 (2TFL) 1 0 LB Ethan Evers 7 1 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Caden Johnson 3 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 8/8 8 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 38 38.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 4 67 16.7 0 Christian Davis 1 6 6.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 5 112 22.4 1 Bowling Green Falcons PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Lucian Anderson III 29/48 366 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jaden Copening 14 46 3.2 1 Lucian Anderson III 7 -41 -5.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jacob Harris 10 65 6.5 0 Shawn Thigpen 6 94 15.6 0 Cynceir McNeal 5 73 14.6 0 Trey Johnson 3 21 7.0 0 Caleb Goodloe 2 90 45.0 1 Carl Colon 2 11 5.5 0 JAden Copening 1 12 12.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Brody Bolyn 5 0 James Thomas Jr 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Larry Yates 10 0 0 0 FS Tracy Revels 8 0 1 0 MLB Jabari Mitchell 6 0 1 0 DE Joe Shikmo 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Cameron Pena 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Kleather 2/3 2/2 8 53 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Channing Riggs 5 230 46.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Caleb Goodloe 4 62 15.5 0

LEFT - Bowling Green finally got some traction near the end fo the 1st half with a 57 yard strike to Caleb Goodloe, but were unable to capitalize on the momentum out of the break.
CENTER - Nyck Harbor rocking the baby after lulling the Falcons defense to sleep before nabbing his 1st catch on a 34 yard TD at the end of the half. It would be the first of three on the day for Harbor.
RIGHT - Bowling Green nabbed two interceptions on Semonza today, nearly doubling his season total of 3 going into the contest, but were only able to muster a pair of field goals with the gifts.

Bowling Green, OH. - The #8-ranked Ball State Cardinals continued their dominant season with a decisive 56-20 victory over the Bowling Green Falcons on the road, improving to 7-0. Led by an explosive performance from quarterback Kadin Semonza, the Cardinals showcased their offensive firepower and stout defense to remain undefeated.

Ball State opened the game with a bang, quickly establishing control. Semonza connected with Philip Onwualu for a 7-yard touchdown pass to put the Cardinals on the board early. Moments later, Onwualu delivered a highlight-reel play, returning a punt 95 yards to extend Ball State's lead to 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Onwualu continued his electric performance in the second quarter, catching a 3-yard touchdown from Semonza. Bowling Green answered with a 19-yard field goal from Jackson Kleather, but Ball State quickly responded as Nyck Harbor hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons managed a spark before halftime with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Lucian Anderson III to Caleb Goodloe, narrowing the deficit to 28-10 at the break.

After a 53-yard field goal by Kleather trimmed the lead to 28-13, Ball State wasted no time extending their advantage. Semonza launched an 80-yard touchdown pass to Harbor and followed it with a 54-yard strike to Onwualu. The Cardinals ended the third quarter with a commanding 42-13 lead.

Bowling Green found the end zone with 4:50 remaining as Jaden Copening punched in a 2-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 42-20. Trailing by 22 points, the Falcons opted for an onside kick, signaling their intent to keep pressing. In response, Ball State head coach Nash Savage allowed his offense to continue running their full playbook.

Semonza capitalized on the aggressive exchange, tossing two more touchdowns in the final minutes—a 47-yarder to Harbor and a 13-yarder to Onwualu—cementing the Cardinals' victory at 56-20. Savage defended the decision postgame, stating, "If they want to try and score more points, why shouldn’t we?"

Ball State’s offense amassed 514 total yards, with Semonza throwing for 382 yards and seven touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing while adding two interceptions. Their ground game contributed 132 yards, rounding out a balanced attack. Bowling Green finished with 371 total yards, with Anderson III passing for 366 yards and a touchdown on 29-of-48 attempts, alongside one interception. However, the Falcons struggled to establish a ground game, managing just five rushing yards as Ball State’s defense tallied five sacks. Bowling Green’s two takeaways resulted only in field goals, allowing Ball State to maintain and extend its dominant lead.

Ball State will return home next week to host Miami University in the “Red Bird Rivalry,” as they look to keep their perfect season alive.

Week Eight MAC Results
45 Northern Illinois (6-2) @ Miami (OH) (3-5) 10
7 Akron @ Minnesota (5-3) 52
10 Toledo (5-2) @ Eastern Michigan (3-5) 31
38 Kent State (2-6) @ Ohio (2-6) 9
47 Western Michigan (5-3) @ Buffalo (4-4) 21

Notable Week Eight Results
32 #4 Michigan (6-1) @ #18 Penn State (5-3) 26
37 #1 Alabama (6-1) @ #8 Texas (7-1) 22
14 #20 Kansas State (5-3) @ Missouri (4-3) 30
21 #15 Syracuse (5-2) @ #16 Virginia Tech (6-2) 16

[Deuce2223]

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

You can change the color or red on your Uni's (USC to Ball State) but it doesn't change your offense or your ability to turn players into Heisman Hopeful's.. At the rate you are putting up points and yards I would be shocked if Semonza doesn't win, but I bet Davis, Harbor and Onwuala are all Top-5.

[tobin834]

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

Big win for Ball State over one of my least favorite teams in college football. (Just hate the jerseys and colors). Semonza another incredible game, 7 touchdowns against anyone is impressive. He'll certainly get a bump in the Heisman race I would think. Great work on this and love the podcast Q/A.

[redsox907]

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

You can change the color or red on your Uni's (USC to Ball State) but it doesn't change your offense or your ability to turn players into Heisman Hopeful's.. At the rate you are putting up points and yards I would be shocked if Semonza doesn't win, but I bet Davis, Harbor and Onwuala are all Top-5.

No matter how much I try running new offenses, nothing bets taking deep shots and getting really fast guys in space lol

It definitely takes conference prestige into account for the Heisman, cause Semonza was 2nd before the bye week, then dropped off completely, and is now back to #4. But the #1 (Lonergan from Bama) is barely inside the top 10 for passing yards or touchdowns. I think if his production keeps up he has to be the winner, but we'll see.

Big win for Ball State over one of my least favorite teams in college football. (Just hate the jerseys and colors). Semonza another incredible game, 7 touchdowns against anyone is impressive. He'll certainly get a bump in the Heisman race I would think. Great work on this and love the podcast Q/A.

I agree, their jerseys look like hot trash lol. And thank you! I wanted to do one for a pre-season thing and ended up getting caught up in the season preview, so figured a mid-season Q&A would be better. And wanted to update everyone on Coach Savage getting HC offers in his first full offseason. I simmed ahead at the bye week to see what, if any, offers I would be getting and outside of a few mid majors the only other notables was coordinator offers. I want to stick around until Semonza graduates, but at the same time since I plan on controlling Ball State even after I leave, I'm not tied to it. If the right offer came along Savage will move up. I want to do the SEC, but there are a few other teams I would be open to

Edit: Forgot to add, we are on Heisman now! Matt10's Heisman to be exact

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Nine Preview

Matchup Preview *|* October 31, 2026
	@
Miami (OH) RedHawks (3-5, 2-3 Away)		#9 Ball State Cardinals (7-0, 4-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 317.0 Total Offensive Yards 559.5 245.6 Passing Yards 360.8 56.2 Rushing Yards 198.7 23.8 Points Per Game 57.4 Defensive Stats Comparison 403.8 Total Yards Allowed 388.4 257.2 Passing Yards Allowed 327.5 146.6 Rushing Yards Allowed 60.8 13 Sacks 28 5 Interceptions 10 32.6 Points Per Game 26.4 Injury Report WR Lynel Billups-Williams (79) Dislocated Elbow (2 Weeks) CB Devonta Sowells (77) Broken Wrist (7 Weeks) Game Notes Muncie, IN – Ball State ended Miami’s five-game winning streak in the Red Bird Rivalry last year and now aims to win back-to-back games in the series for the first time since their three-game streak from 2008 to 2013. For Miami, the key to victory has been holding opponents to 30 points or fewer—they’ve won every game in which they’ve accomplished that feat this season. However, in their five losses, the RedHawks have allowed an average of 38 points per game. Meanwhile, the pressure continues to mount for Ball State as they seek to maintain their perfect record. Ranked #9 this week, the Cardinals dropped a spot despite securing a win last week, underscoring how critical every game is to their playoff hopes. A loss at this stage could derail their aspirations entirely. Quarterback Kadin Semonza will look to rebound after an uncharacteristic performance against Bowling Green, where he threw nine incompletions—more than his previous two games combined—and recorded his first multi-interception game of the season. Despite the turnovers, Semonza showcased his potential with a remarkable seven-touchdown performance. Facing a Miami defense that has struggled, he’ll aim to limit mistakes and build on that offensive output. The Cardinals are poised to extend their win streak to 14 games, dating back to last season, and establish a two-game streak in the Red Bird Rivalry.

Miami University RedHawks 83/82/85 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Kam Perry (82)	FR Matthew Awe (74)	SO(RS) Braylon Isom (72)
TE	SO Cory Chabera (75)	SO(RS) Hunter Teal (71)	SR(RS) Hudson Powell (65)
LT	FR(RS) Brendan Granger (79)	SR(RS) Drew Terrill (77)
LG	SR(RS) Brandon Lawhorn Moore (78)	SR(RS) Gavin Rohrs (76)
C	JR(RS) Ben Decker (76)	FR Thomas Armah (70)
RG	SR(RS) Marcus White (69)	FR(RS) Larry Faulk (77)
RT	SO(RS) Hayes Johnson (81)	SO Clayton Harris (76)
WR	SR(RS) Javon Tracy (84)	JR(RS) Cole Weaver (74)	JR(RS) Ryan Sims (72)
QB	SR(RS) Maddox Kopp (80)	SO(RS) Thomas Gotkowski (74)
HB	SO(RS) Josh Ringer (77)	FR(RS) Tavarius Lincoln (73)	FR(RS) Glenn Elway (69)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SO(RS) Javon Hammonds (80)	SR(RS) Josh Lukusa (78)
LDT	SR(RS) Malachi Clark (79)	JR(RS) Dalvin Ellerbe (77)
RDT	SR(RS) Marquis Gracial (78)	SR(RS) Dalton Norris (76)
RDE	SR(RS) Adam Trick (80)	JR(RS) Ethan McDowell (79)
WLB	SR(RS) Grant Lyons (82)	SR(RS) Marion Turner (77)
MLB	JR Carter Herriman (82)	JR(RS) Malcolm McCain (76)
SLB	JR(RS) Christian McKinney (76)	FR(RS) Devin Peacock (75)
CB	SR Raion Strader (84)	JR(RS) Mychal Tharbrough (81)	FR Kris Hagans (61)
SS	SR(RS) Eli Coppess (75)	FR(RS) Cassius Pelshak (74)
FS	JR Jackson Pons (82)	SO(RS) Cameron Sisk (75)
CB	SR(RS) Ryan Kahn (82)	FR(RS) Caleb Trinidad (71)	FR Kris Hagans (61)

Miami University RedHawks Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Maddox Kopp	159/279 (56%)	1,965	7.0	245.6	63	13	10	123.9
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Josh Ringer	109	326	3.0	31	2	5	40.8	4
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Lynel Billups-Williams	28	432	15.4	6	63	1	86.4	160
Kam Perry	24	337	14.0	0	27	5	42.1	81
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Carter Herriman	51	16	67	0	1	4	1	0
DE Javon Hammonds	12	3	15	0.5	5	0	0	0
DE Adam Trick	9	5	14	3.5	1	0	0	0
CB Raion Strader	31	6	37	0	0	5	2	0

Week Nine MAC Schedule
Northern Illinois (6-2) @ UMass (2-6)
Bowling Green (3-4) @ Western Michigan (5-3)
Ohio (2-6) @ Akron (0-7)
Central Michigan (4-3) @ Toledo (5-2)

Notable Week Nine Matchups
#7 NC State (5-2) @ #22 Clemson (4-3)
#2 Georgia (6-1) @ Kentucky (5-2)
#21 Illinois (4-3) @ Wisconsin (6-2)

[redsox907]

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

Courville Sends Ball State To 8-0 With GW FG


Jackson Courville split the uprights in a downpour to send Ball State to 7-0 after Miami tied the game with just 1:07 remaining.

Miami (OH) RedHawks at Ball State Cardinals
Oct 31, 2026 1 2 3 4 F M-OH (3-5) 7 21 7 7 42 #9 BALL (7-0) 7 14 7 17 45 Top Performers PASS: MU Maddox Kopp - 25/29, 415 Yds, 5 TD RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 14 Att, 91 Yds, 2 TD REC: MU Kam Perry - 8 Rec, 161 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison M-OH BALL First Downs 20 27 3rd Down Efficiency 5/9 3/6 4th Down Efficiency 1/1 3/3 Total Yards 563 615 Passing Yards 415 395 Rushing Yards 21 - 53 28 - 152 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 5 3 - 19 Turnovers 0 2 Time of Possession 21:25 22:35
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING M-OH BALL 8:26 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 55 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 7 4:49 (M-OH) Kam Perry, 7 Yd Pass From Maddox Kopp 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING M-OH BALL 9:54 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 7 Yd Run 7 14 9:41 (M-OH) Kam Perry, 88 Yd Pass From Maddox Kopp 14 14 4:27 (M-OH) Maddox Kopp, 1 Yd Run 21 14 1:57 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 4 Yd Run 21 21 0:06 (M-OH) Javon Tracy, 48 Yd Pass From Maddox Kopp 28 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING M-OH BALL 8:30 (M-OH) Javon Tracy, 60 Yd Pass From Maddox Kopp 35 21 7:08 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 33 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 35 28 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING M-OH BALL 8:07 (BALL) Christian Davis, 5 Yd Run 35 35 6:12 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 45 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 35 42 1:07 (M-OH) Kam Perry, 8 Yd Pass From Maddox Kopp 42 42 0:00 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 35 Yd FG 42 45
Miami (OH) RedHawks PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Maddox Kopp 25/29 415 5 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Josh Ringer 14 87 6.2 0 Maddox Kopp 6 -37 -6.1 1 Tavarius Lincoln 1 3 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kam Perry 8 161 20.1 3 Braylon Isom 7 59 8.4 0 Javon Tracy 5 160 32.0 2 Tavarius Lincoln 2 10 5.0 0 Cory Habera 2 21 10.5 0 Josh Ringer 1 4 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Hayes Johnson 3 2 Ben Decker 4 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD LB Marion Turner 11 2.5 (5TFL) 0 0 FS Jackson Pons 9 0 1 0 CB Raion Strader 8 0 1 0 DE Jamie Benedict 5 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Dalvin Ellerbe 2 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Kellan McLaughlin 0/0 6/6 6 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Leon Cleeland 3 121 40.3 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Tavarius Lincoln 7 95 13.5 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 21/28 395 3 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 14 91 6.5 2 Christian Davis 13 57 4.3 1 Nick Presley 1 4 4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 11 135 12.2 1 Nyck Harbor 4 195 38.8 2 Barry Poutasi 2 25 12.5 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 18 18.0 0 Nick Presley 1 12 12.0 0 Christian Davis 1 11 11.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Carl Poyer 1 2 Arkel Anugwom 11 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Elijah Davis 10 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Tawfiq Byard 6 1 (3TFL) 0 0 LB Caden Johnson 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Jaiden Cameron 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Cameron Jones 3 1 (3TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 6/6 9 35 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 2 34 17.0 0 Philip Onwualu 2 33 16.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 1 0.3 0

LEFT - Maddox Kopp with the clutch TD pass on 4th and 4 trailing by a touchdown to put the pressure back on Semonza and the Ball State offense.
CENTER - Raidon Strater fighting over Nyck Harbor to grab the 3rd quarter red zone INT.
RIGHT - Kam Perry caught the slant between the corner and safety and hit his own nitro button on a 88 yard score.

Muncie, IN. - In a high-stakes showdown in Muncie, Indiana, the undefeated Ball State Cardinals narrowly escaped with a 45-42 victory over Miami University in a game that showcased explosive offenses, clutch performances, and late-game drama.

The game began with fireworks on both sides. Ball State’s Nyck Harbor opened the scoring with a spectacular 55-yard touchdown catch from Kadin Semonza. Miami quickly responded with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Maddox Kopp to Kam Perry, setting the tone for an offensive shootout.

The second quarter saw Miami seize momentum, with Kopp connecting on a stunning 88-yard touchdown pass to Perry and later adding a 1-yard rushing score, capitalizing on a rare Semonza interception. Kopp’s flawless first half (13/13, 262 yards, 3 TDs) powered Miami as they took an early lead. Ball State’s offense kept pace, with Semonza scoring two rushing touchdowns, but the RedHawks carried a 28-21 advantage into halftime.

Miami struck first in the third quarter with another long touchdown connection between Kopp and Javon Tracy, this one for 60 yards. Ball State answered with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Semonza to Philip Onwualu to keep the game within reach at 35-28. The Cardinals’ offense faltered late in the quarter, as Semonza threw a red-zone interception, leaving Ball State down by a touchdown heading into the final frame.

Ball State’s defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, securing their first stop of the game with a three-and-out that led to Christian Davis’ 5-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 35. On the next drive, Tawfiq Byard’s critical third-down sack forced another Miami punt, setting up Harbor’s 45-yard touchdown reception on the very next play to give Ball State a 42-35 lead.

Miami refused to back down. Kopp orchestrated a gritty game-tying drive, converting on two third downs and a critical fourth-and-4 before finding Perry for an 8-yard touchdown with just 1:07 left on the clock.

With the game on the line, Semonza showed poise, completing all four of his passes for 62 yards to set up Jackson Courville’s game-winning 35-yard field goal as time expired. The kick secured Ball State’s 8-0 record and preserved their college football playoff aspirations.

Both quarterbacks delivered standout performances in this offensive showcase. Ball State’s Kadin Semonza threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns while adding two rushing scores, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities despite two interceptions. Miami’s Maddox Kopp was nearly flawless, completing 25 of 29 passes for 415 yards and six total touchdowns, including five through the air. Nyck Harbor was electric for the Cardinals, hauling in five passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while Miami’s Kam Perry shined with eight receptions for 161 yards and three scores, consistently coming through in critical moments.

Ball State remains undefeated and solidifies its position in the national rankings, while Miami can take pride in a gutsy performance against one of the nation’s best. Both teams demonstrated heart and firepower in a game that will be remembered as one of the season’s best.

Following Ball State's thrilling 45-42 victory, the Cardinals capped off the night with more good news on the recruiting front. All three high-profile recruits in attendance—offensive tackle Terrance Madison (#41), athlete Titus Awe (#333), and cornerback Jimmy Hurns (#893)—committed to the program immediately after the game, giving Ball State a major boost as they continue to build for the future.

Week Nine MAC Results
31 Northern Illinois (6-3) @ UMass (3-6) 32
52 Bowling Green (4-4) @ Western Michigan (5-4) 13
38 Ohio (3-6) @ Akron (0-8) 14
20 Central Michigan (4-4) @ Toledo (6-2) 21

Notable Week Nine Results
20 #10 Georgia (6-2) @ #22 Kentucky (6-2) 31
44 Illinois (4-4) @ #18 Wisconsin (7-2) 46
31 Kansas (4-4) @ #25 Texas A&M (5-3) 17
24 Michigan State (5-3) @ #19 Ohio State (6-3) 20
38 #9 NC State (5-3) @ #20 Clemson (5-3) 41
31 Iowa (4-4) @ #12 Michigan (6-2) 28

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Ten Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 7, 2026
	@
#6 Ball State Cardinals (8-0, 3-0 Away)		Ohio Bobcats (3-6, 1-3 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 558.0 Total Offensive Yards 325.3 365.1 Passing Yards 224.6 192.8 Rushing Yards 90.5 55.9 Points Per Game 22.3 Defensive Stats Comparison 398.3 Total Yards Allowed 341.6 338.5 Passing Yards Allowed 230.5 59.8 Rushing Yards Allowed 111.1 32 Sacks 13 10 Interceptions 5 28.3 Points Per Game 26.2 Injury Report T Jarian Shelby (83) Pulled Groin (1 Week) G Aidan Johnson (79) Knee Cartillage Tear (3 Weeks) Game Notes Athens, OH. - Ball State avoided disaster last week in the Red Bird Rivalry on the leg of Jackson Courville and while anything can happen in a rivalry game, the Ohio Bobcats seem like the kind of game to get a team "right" after a tough win where they struggled at times on the defensive side of the ball. Ohio ranks in the bottom 3rd of the league in both offensive and defensive yardage, giving the Cardinals defense some time to figure out what exactly broke down last week in Muncie with enough time to fine tune it before next weeks rivalry game against NIU on senior night. Ohio put together a 2 game win streak before getting dumped big by Kent State, but were able to continue the Zips woeful season (0-8) to get back on track next week. Regardless of the recent uptick in wins, few outside of Athens expect the Ball State starters to be in the game by the 4th quarter.

Ohio Bobcats 79/77/81 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Rodney Harris II (78)	FR Jon Shor (68)	FR Theo Ricci (66)
TE	SO(RS) AJ Miller (68)	FR Caleb Merriman (68)	SO(RS) Nick Segarra (67)
LT	JR(RS) Jordan Jones (74)	FR Nate Hoese (54)
LG	SO Levi Friend (68)	FR John Gaydosh (66)
C	SR(RS) Kam Wright (83)	FR(RS) Jimmy Johnson (78)
RG	SO(RS) Bryce Parson (73)	FR(RS) Joshua Campanaro (70)
RT	SR(RS) Tigana Cisse (81)	FR Emmett Devey (61)
WR	SR Chase Hendricks (82)	SO(RS) Kaden Hurst (74)	JR(RS) Khamani Debrow (69)
QB	SR(RS) Callum Wither (79)	SO Glen Bouchard (74)
FB	SO Austin Gentry (79)
HB	JR(RS) Rickey Hunt Jr (84)	SO(RS) Duncan Brune (78)	SO RIcky Haslam (72)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Jay Crable (81)	JR(RS) Owen DiFranco (80)
LDT	JR(RS) RJ Keuchler (75)	FR(RS) LawShawn Proche (69)
RDT	JR(RS) Marco Parrott (74)	SO NIles Cashman (68)
RDE	SO(RS) Sam Ehret (80)	JR(RS) Austin Mitchell (75)
WLB	SR(RS) Michael Molnar (69)	JR(RS) Brady Sestili (75)
MLB	FR(RS) Steve Mann (79)	SR(RS) Jack Fries (73)
SLB	SO Ben McTavich (73)	JR Rishard Sandland (66)
CB	SO(RS) Charles Lester III (81)	JR(RS) Creed Hill (80)	FR(RS) Rico Vellano (77)
SS	JR(RS) DJ Walker (78)	FR(RS) Vernon Nester (67)
FS	SR Jalen Thomeson (80)	FR(RS) Derek Franklin (77)
CB	Tyrone Grymes (80)	JR Tony Mathis (79)	FR(RS) Rico Vellano (77)

Ohio Bobcats Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Callum Wither	164/286 (57%)	2,022	7.1	224.7	66	13	6	127.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Rickey Hunt Jr	152	673	4.4	35	6	6	74.8	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Rodney Harris II	43	601	14.0	3	29	4	66.8	164
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Steven Mann	50	8	58	0	0	7	0	0
DE Jay Crable	28	6	34	6	5	0	0	0
DE Austin Mitchell	24	6	30	2.5	4	1	0	0
CB Charles Lester III	30	7	37	0	0	5	2	0

Week Ten MAC Schedule
UMass (3-6) @ Buffalo (4-4)
Kent State (2-6) @ Eastern Michigan (3-5)
Akron (0-8) @ Miami (OH) (3-6)
Toledo (6-2) @ Bowling Green (4-4)
Westeren Michigan (5-4) @ Central Michigan (4-4)

Notable Week Ten Matchups
LSU (6-2) @ #4 Texas (7-1)
#11 Syracuse (6-2) @ #3 Miami (7-1)
#15 Utah (7-1) @ #24 Colorado (6-3)
#16 Virginia Tech (6-2) @ #9 NC State (5-3)
#7 Notre Dame (8-1) @ #18 Wisconsin (7-2)
#25 Texas A&M (5-3) @ #23 SMU (6-2)

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Bats Game Winning TD Away With 6 Seconds Left To Stay Undefeated


4th and 17 with the game on the line and Ohio QB Callum Withers came within an inch of finding Rodney Harris II for the game winning touchdown. Instead CB Jalon Jones made an athletic play to get enough of the ball to force the incompletion and ice the game for Ball State.

Ball State Cardinals at Ohio Bobcats
Nov 7, 2026 1 2 3 4 F #6 BALL (8-0) 7 14 7 13 41 OHIO (3-6) 10 6 10 11 37 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 17/28, 353 Yds, 6 TD, INT RUSH: OH Rickey Hunt Jr - 18 Att, 156 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 4 Rec, 222 Yds, 4 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL OHIO First Downs 19 20 3rd Down Efficiency 1/8 6/14 4th Down Efficiency 4/6 1/2 Total Yards 578 480 Passing Yards 353 316 Rushing Yards 20 - 136 27 - 131 Penalties-Penalty Yards 2 - 20 1- 10 Turnovers 1 0 Time of Possession 20:07 23:53
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL OHIO 6:39 (OHIO) Gianni Spetic, 45 Yd FG 0 3 2:25 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 10 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 3 0:30 (OHIO) Rickey Hunt Jr, 20 Yd Run 7 10 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL OHIO 7:04 (BALL) Theo Hrynkiewicz, 10 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 14 10 3:32 (OHIO) Gianni Spetic, 47 Yd FG 14 13 1:03 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 19 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 21 13 0:00 (OHIO) Gianni Spetic, 29 Yd FG 21 16 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL OHIO 7:26 (OHIO) Gianni Spetic, 45 Yd FG 21 19 5:31 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 56 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 28 19 1:14 (OHIO) AJ Miller, 5 Yd Pass From Callum Wither 28 26 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL OHIO 4:47 (OHIO) Gianni Spetic, 27 Yd FG 28 29 4:37 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 72 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza (Failed 2PT) 34 29 1:35 (OHIO) Rickey Hunt Jr, 36 Yd Run (2PT) 34 37 1:13 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 75 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 41 37
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 17/28 353 6 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 15 71 4.7 0 Christian Davis 10 54 5.4 0 Nick Presley 4 11 2.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 6 57 9.5 1 Nyck Harbor 4 222 55.5 4 Theo Hrynkiewicz 3 48 16.0 1 NIck Presley 2 9 4.5 0 Barry Poutasi 1 9 9.0 0 Christian Davis 1 8 8.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Taran Tyo 2 2 Eli Freeman 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Tawfiq Byrad 11 1 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 10 0 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 7 2 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 6 0 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Caden Johnson 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Jaiden Cameron 2 2 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 5/5 5 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 36 36.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 57 19.0 0 Christian Davis 2 27 13.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 5 5.0 0 Ohio Bobcats PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Callum Wither 25/35 316 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Rickey Hunt Jr 18 156 8.7 2 Callum Wither 8 -34 -4.3 0 Duncan Brune 1 9 9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD AJ Miller 9 134 14.9 1 Khamani Debrow 4 82 20.5 0 Chase Hendricks 3 31 10.3 0 Rickey Harris II 2 30 15.0 0 Kaden Hurst 2 25 12.5 0 Rickey Hunt Jr 2 14 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Kam Wright 11 1 Bryce Parson 6 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Creed Hill 10 0 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Steve Mann 9 0 (2TFL) 1 0 DE Jay Crable 6 1.5 (4TFL) 0 0 DE Lee Karm 5 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DT RJ Keuchler 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Owen DiFranco 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Marco Parrott 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Gianni Spetic 5/5 2/2 17 47 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 DeMarcus Kopp 2 49 24.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Greg Barkow 3 28 9.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Greg Barkow 1 5 5.0 0

LEFT - That feeling when you get burnt twice with the game on the line. Nyck Harbor hauled in passes of 56, 72, and 75 yards in the 2nd half to keep Ball State ahead and eventually take the lead with 1:13 remaining.
CENTER - Ball State went for it on 4th and 2 from midfield up 34-29 with just under 2 minutes left, hoping to ice the game. Instead, Semonza was sacked, which lead to...
RIGHT - Rickey Hunt Jr bolting up the sideline two plays later to put Ohio ahead by a full field goal with just 1:13 remaining. Pretty sure Cuba Gooding Jr was yelling "RICKYYYYY" somewhere in the stands...

Athens, OH. - The #6 Ball State Cardinals narrowly escaped the Ohio Bobcats in a thrilling 41-37 victory, improving to 9-0 on the season in a game that came down to the wire. In a battle of offenses, Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza proved why he is one of the nation's best, throwing for six touchdowns, including a game-winning 75-yard bomb to Nyck Harbor in the final minutes.

The game started with Ohio taking a 10-7 lead in the first quarter, thanks to Gianni Spetic’s 45-yard field goal and a 20-yard touchdown run from Rickey Hunt Jr. Ball State answered with an efficient passing attack, including a 10-yard touchdown from Semonza to Philip Onwualu. The teams traded punches throughout the first half, with the Cardinals holding a narrow 21-16 lead by halftime, punctuated by Theo Hrynkiewicz and Nyck Harbor scoring through the air.

Ohio opened the third quarter with Spetic’s 45-yard field goal, but Ball State regained momentum as Nyck Harbor hauled in a spectacular 56-yard touchdown pass. AJ Miller’s 5-yard touchdown for Ohio narrowed the gap, but Ball State led 28-26 entering the fourth quarter.

The final quarter saw chaos unfold. Spetic’s 27-yard field goal brought Ohio ahead by one, and moments later Nyck Harbor rang the bell again with a 73 yard TD to retake the lead. Eventually Ball State’s offense stalled as Semonza was sacked on a critical 4th-and-3 with two minutes remaining, giving Ohio excellent field position. Rickey Hunt Jr. capitalized, scoring a 36-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive, giving the Bobcats a 37-34 lead. With time ticking down, the pressure shifted back to Semonza.

Facing 4th-and-10 from their own 25-yard line, Semonza delivered when it mattered most. He launched a perfectly placed deep ball to Harbor, who sprinted into the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown, his fourth of the game. The go-ahead score not only gave Ball State a 41-37 lead but also tied Randy Moss’ MAC record of 26 touchdown receptions in a season.

Ohio mounted one final drive, marching downfield with surgical precision. Reaching Ball State's 20-yard line, they seemed poised for a game-winning score. However, a second-down sack by Jaiden Cameron put Ohio in a tough spot, and a 4th-and-17 desperation pass to the end zone was deflected by cornerback Jalon Jones, preserving the Cardinals’ victory.

Semonza finished with 353 yards and six touchdowns, while Harbor cemented his place in the record books with four touchdown receptions, including the game-winner. Despite a valiant effort, Ohio’s Callum Wither and Rickey Hunt Jr. fell short in their bid to upset Ball State.

The Cardinals showcased their resilience, holding firm in crunch time to remain undefeated in a game that underscored their championship aspirations.

Week Ten MAC Results
28 UMass (3-7) @ Buffalo (5-4) 41
9 Kent State (2-7) @ Eastern Michigan (4-5) 30
21 Akron (0-9) @ Miami (OH) (4-6) 37
23 #25 Toledo (7-2) @ Bowling Green (4-5)
26 Western Michigan (5-5) @ Central Michigan (5-4) 29

Notable Week Ten Results
34 #18 LSU (7-2) @ #11 Texas (7-2) 26
46 Nebraska (4-6) @ #17 Iowa State (6-5) 32
27 #13 Syracuse (6-3) @ #1 Miami (8-1) 34
24 #12 Utah (8-1) @ Coloraado (6-4) 13
35 #20 Virginia Tech (6-3) @ #7 NC State (6-3) 41
20 #4 Notre Dame (9-1) @ #19 Wisconsin (7-3) 14
31 Texas A&M (5-4) @ #21 SMU (7-2) 34

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Eleven Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 14, 2026
	@
Northern Illinois Huskies (6-3, 4-2 Away)		#6 Ball State Cardinals (9-0, 5-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 362.5 Total Offensive Yards 550.3 222.7 Passing Yards 363.7 130.7 Rushing Yards 186.5 27.9 Points Per Game 54.2 Defensive Stats Comparison 354.5 Total Yards Allowed 403.7 233.8 Passing Yards Allowed 336.0 120.6 Rushing Yards Allowed 67.7 15 Sacks 38 9 Interceptions 10 25.6 Points Per Game 29.3 Injury Report WR Jalen Johnson Dislocated Ankle (4 Weeks) DT Jeremiah Cheeson (71) Broken Ankle (13 Weeks) Game Notes Muncie, IN. - Northern Illinois started the season on fire winning their first 4 games, but have cooled off considerably since then as they've gone 2-3 since then. Northern Illinois is still in the hunt to represent the MAC South division in the conference game, but this weekends contest against Ball State is a must win, with the need for Ball State to lose out to end the season. Ball State will be looking for an easier contest than their last two matchups that required game winning scores in the final minute of each contest, with their defense barely hanging on to last weeks 41-37 win in Athens. Not only will Ball State be looking to clinch their 2nd straight MAC CCG appearance, but they'll be doing it honoring senior night once again as 9 new starters will take the field to honor their commitment to the Ball State program, headlined by QB Chase Harrison.

Northern Illinois Huskies 79/79/79 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Kyle Thomas (76)	FR(RS) Duane Wicks (75)	SR Dane Pardridge (77)
TE	SR(RS) Jake Appleget (78)	FR Jeff Troutman (66)	SR John Baity (64)
LT	JR(RS) Michael Jimmar (79)	JR(RS) Jacob Welch (74)
LG	JR(RS) Landon Hron (80)	SR(RS) Abiathar Curry (74)
C	FR(RS) Jordan Donnerson (76)	SO(RS) Aiden Olson (72)
RG	JR(RS) Luke Skartvedt (82)	FR(RS) Shakir Wing (68)
RT	JR(RS) Thomas Paasch (75)	JR(RS) Christian Medlock (71)
WR	JR George Dimopoulos (81)	SR(RS) Cam Thompson (75)	JR(RS) Rishard Barber (74)
QB	FR(RS) Fredrick Singleton (72)	FR(RS) Devaunte Best (71)
HB	JR(RS) Jaylen Poe (83)	JR(RS) Garrett Gensler (73)	SO George Cavanaugh (72)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR(RS) Nevaeh Sanders (84)	JR(RS) Jay'Shon Thomas (70)
NT	JR(RS) Reggie Jean (82)	JR(RS) Mark Hensley (71)
RDE	SO(RS) Chandler Bradfield (76)	FR Louis Steffa (69)
LOLB	SR(RS) Jake Gassaway (77)	JR(RS) Filip Maciorowski (73)
LILB	SO Clyde Battles (77)	FR(RS) Taylor Gooch (69)
RILB	SO Marquee Majette (75)	JR(RS) Filip Maciorowski (73)
ROLB	JR Dash Bauman (75)	SO Felix Colon (67)
CB	SR(RS) Jacob Finley (82)	JR Dashaun Gibson (79)	SR(RS) Andre Cobb (80)
SS	JR(RS) Santana Banner (80)	SR(RS) Andre Cobb (80)
FS	SR(RS) Trey Porter (78)	JR(RS) Ethan Tierney (77)
CB	SR(RS) Malik Armstrong (84)	SR(RS) Amariyun Knighten (79)	SR(RS) Andre Cobb (80)

Northern Illinois Huskies Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Frederick Singleton	151/248 (60%)	2,005	8.1	222.8	91	13	7	140.4
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Jaylen Poe	150	755	5.0	36	11	3	83.9	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
George Dimopoulos	32	530	16.6	4	31	7	58.9	128
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Marquee Majette	57	9	66	0.5	3	5	1	0
DE Nevaeh Sanders	14	10	24	6	8	1	0	0
LB Dash Bauman	18	4	22	3	2	2	0	0
CB Andre Cobb	9	3	12	0	0	0	2	0

Week Eleven MAC Schedule

Utah State (4-5) @ Miami (OH) (4-6)
Buffalo (5-4) @ Central Michigan (5-4)
Texas A&M (5-4) @ #25 Toledo (7-2)
Eastern Michigan (4-5) @ Bowling Green (4-5)
Kent State (2-7) @ Akron (0-9)

Notable Week Eleven Matchups
#10 San Jose State (9-1) @ #5 USC (9-0)
#9 Michigan (7-2) @ #23 Michigan State (6-3)
South Carolina (7-2) @ #7 NC State (6-3)
#22 Oklahoma (6-3) @ #2 Alabama (8-1)
Penn State (6-4) @ #16 Ohio State (6-3)