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

[redsox907]

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

Harbor Makes History On Senior Day


Harbor extending to haul in his 28th touchdown on the season, setting a new NCAA record for single season touchdown receptions as the clock hit triple 0s on the 1st half.

Northern Illinois Huskies at Ball State Cardinals
Nov 14, 2026 1 2 3 4 F NIU (6-3) 0 7 3 7 17 #6 BALL (9-0) 14 21 7 14 56 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 18/25, 305 Yds, 3 TD RUSH: NIU Jaylen Poe - 12 Att, 136 Yds, TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 4 Rec, 227 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison NIU BALL First Downs 6 28 3rd Down Efficiency 2/7 9/13 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 3/4 Total Yards 300 654 Passing Yards 115 383 Rushing Yards 19 - 112 45 - 198 Penalties-Penalty Yards 2 - 20 7 - 121 Turnovers 3 0 Time of Possession 13:27 30:33
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING NIU BALL 9:29 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 67 Yd Pass From Chase Harrison 0 7 4:14 (BALL) Christian Davis, 1 Yd Run 0 14 SECOND QUARTER SCORING NIU BALL 6:33 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 0 21 2:48 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 29 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 28 2:32 (NIU) Jaylen Poe, 82 Yd Run 7 28 0:00 (BALL) NycK Harbor, 58 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 35 THIRD QUARTER SCORING NIU BALL 6:15 (NIU) Malachi Doss, 45 Yd FG 10 35 6:03 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 79 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 10 42 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING NIU BALL 9:09 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 10 49 8:22 (NIU) Kyle Thomas, 78 Yd Pass From Frederick Singleton 17 49 1:18 (BALL) Christian Davis, 6 Yd Run 17 56
Northern Illinois Huskies PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Frederick Singleton 5/13 115 1 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jaylen Poe 12 136 11.3 1 Fredrick Singleton 6 -33 -5.5 0 George Dimopoulos 1 9 9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kyle Thomas 2 87 43.5 1 Jake Appleget 2 23 11.5 0 George Dimopoulos 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Landon Hron 5 1 Luke Skartvedt 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Trey Porter 15 0 0 0 LB Jake Gassaway 14 0 0 0 MLB Marquee Majette 13 0 0 0 DT Reggie Jean 11 2 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Nevaeh Sanders 6 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Malachi Doss 1/1 2/2 5 45 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Dennis Sumner 3 80 26.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD George Cavanaugh 4 62 15.5 0 Dane Pardridge 1 11 11.0 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 18/25 305 3 0 Chase Harrison 2/2 78 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Nick Presley 18 85 4.7 0 Kadin Semonza 15 25 1.6 2 Christian Davis 12 88 7.3 2 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 7 96 13.7 1 Cam Pickett 5 37 7.4 0 Nyck Harbor 4 227 56.7 3 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 3 3.0 0 Christian Abney 1 4 4.0 0 Christian Davis 1 9 9.0 0 Barry Poutasi 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 19 0 Luke Dalton 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Dalton Townsel 3 0 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Dakari Frazier 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweaether 2 2 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Cameron Jones 1 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 0 0 2 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 8/8 8 NA KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 3 51 17.0 0 Philip Onwualu 1 9 9.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 2 13 6.5 0

LEFT - Senior Chase Harrison got the start on senior day and took advantage tossing a long TD to Nyck Harbor to open the game.
CENTER - Jaylen Poe bouncing the run to the outside before exploding for 82 yards on his way to the endzone.
RIGHT - Kenneth Merrieweather tallied two sacks in the game to push his season total to 10 as Ball State's D had a bounce back game after a rough pair of outings.

Muncie, IN. - In a day filled with emotion and history, the #6 Ball State Cardinals (10-0) put on a show for their home crowd, dismantling Northern Illinois (6-4) by a score of 56-17. Senior Day provided the perfect backdrop for Nyck Harbor’s record-breaking performance as the standout receiver etched his name into the NCAA history books.

The Cardinals struck early and often, opening the scoring in the first quarter with a 67-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Chase Harrison to Harbor. The play not only electrified the stadium but also tied Randy Moss’ MAC single-season record of 26 receiving touchdowns. Following the play, Harrison made a selfless gesture by requesting that sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza take over the offense, ensuring that Harbor’s record-breaking moment would come from the Cardinals' starting quarterback.

Ball State extended their first-quarter lead with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Christian Davis, setting the tone for the Cardinals’ offensive explosion.

In the second quarter, Semonza added to the lead with a 1-yard quarterback sneak before connecting with Philip Onwualu on a 29-yard touchdown pass. Northern Illinois briefly responded when Jaylen Poe broke free for an 82-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 28-7. However, Ball State answered in dramatic fashion. On the final play of the half, Semonza launched a 58-yard bomb to Harbor, who extended to make the catch and secure his record-breaking 28th receiving touchdown of the season. The historic moment sent the Cardinals into halftime with a commanding 35-7 lead.

Ball State’s defense continued to stifle the Huskies throughout the second half, limiting Northern Illinois to just 227 total yards and forcing two interceptions. Senior defensive end Dakari Frazier and cornerback Blair Schonhorst led the way, with Frazier recording three tackles, two for loss, and a sack, while Schonhorst snagged two interceptions in his final home game.

In the third quarter, Harbor added another highlight to his historic day, hauling in a 79-yard touchdown pass from Semonza. The touchdown pushed Ball State’s lead to 42-10 and cemented Harbor’s dominance on the field. He finished with four receptions for 227 yards and three touchdowns, solidifying his case as one of the most explosive receivers in college football history.

Northern Illinois managed a late 78-yard touchdown pass from Frederick Singleton to Kyle Thomas in the fourth quarter, but the game was well out of reach. Ball State capped off their performance with two more rushing touchdowns—one from Semonza and another from Christian Davis.

The Cardinals racked up an impressive 581 total yards, with 383 coming through the air and 198 on the ground. Senior quarterback Chase Harrison, in his only drive, finished a perfect 2-for-2 for 78 yards and a touchdown, while senior running back Nick Presley added 85 rushing yards on 18 carries.

As the Cardinals remain undefeated, Harbor’s record-breaking day underscores a season of dominance for Ball State. With the win, they improve to 10-0 and solidify their spot in the College Football Playoff conversation. The Cardinals will now turn their attention to closing out the regular season and keeping their national championship aspirations alive.

Week Eleven MAC Results
14 Utah State (4-6) @ Miami (OH) (5-6) 26
29 Buffalo (6-4) @ Central Michigan (5-5) 21
19 Texas A&M (5-5) @ #16 Toledo (8-2) 22
34 Eastern Michigan (5-5) @ Bowling Green (4-6) 31
39 Kent State (2-8) @ Akron (1-9) 41

Week Elveven Notable Results
20 #12 San Jose State (9-2) @ #3 USC (10-0) 42
28 #25 LSU (7-3) @ Auburn (5-5) 30
30 #7 Michigan (8-2) @ Michigan State (6-4) 7
11 #9 Miami (8-2) @ Maryland (5-5) 26
37 #17 South Carolina (8-2) @ NC State (6-4) 16
22 Oklahoma (6-4) @ #1 Alabama (9-1) 33
33 #23 Penn State (7-4) @ Ohio State (6-4) 23

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Twelve Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 21, 2026
	@
#5 Ball State Cardinals (10-0, 4-0 Away)		Kent State Golden Flashes (2-8, 0-4 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 553.4 Total Offensive Yards 338.9 365.7 Passing Yards 270.3 187.7 Rushing Yards 53.7 54.4 Points Per Game 24.4 Defensive Stats Comparison 386.1 Total Yards Allowed 358.5 313.9 Passing Yards Allowed 265.2 72.2 Rushing Yards Allowed 93.3 43 Sacks 16 12 Interceptions 5 28.1 Points Per Game 27.0 Injury Report WR Jay Jay Etheridge (81) Broken Ribs (4 Weeks) Game Notes Kent, OH – Kent State started the season with promise, earning a solid 24-10 road victory over Rice. However, the Golden Flashes have struggled mightily since, dropping eight of their last nine games. Last week’s double-overtime loss to rival Akron—a team previously winless—marked a new low in a disappointing 2-8 campaign. On the other hand, #5 Ball State enters the matchup with their spot in the MAC Championship Game already locked in. However, the stakes remain high as the Cardinals are firmly in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race with two weeks left in the regular season. “In theory, they can afford to drop one of their final two, so long as they win the MAC,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum noted on College Football Gameday. “But we all know how the non-Power 5 conferences are viewed. If they lose a game, odds are they’ll fall out of the top four and miss out on a first-round bye.” With a CFP berth on the line and both Nyck Harbor (#1) and Kadin Semonza (#2) in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race, expect Ball State to keep their foot on the gas offensively in this conference matchup.

Kent State Golden Flashes 75/76/75 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Jahzae Kimbrough (78)	JR(RS) Justin Sherels (73)	JR(RS) Dash Dorsey (69)
TE	SR(RS) Alex Harrison (68)	JR(RS) Peyton Faulkner (70)	FR(RS) Alani Talavou (74)
LT	SR(RS) Garrett Masterson (74)	JR(RS) Larry Tuihalamaka (72)
LG	SO(RS) Carl Campanaro (78)	FR(RS) Bill Nicks (72)
C	SO(RS) Joshua Valles (78)	SO(RS) Elijah Williams (73)
RG	SO Manuel Gonzales (70)	SO Fredrick Vinson (71)
RT	JR(RS) Braylon Smith (82)	SR Cecil Wilson (75)
WR	JR DaShawn Martin (82)	JR(RS) Dontrell Bennett (73)	SO(RS) Gio Perry (69)
QB	JR(RS) JD Sherrod (83)	JR(RS) Dru DeShields (72)
HB	SR Marques Hicks (77)	SO(RS) Garrick Gains (71)	FR(RS) Ben Biggs (62)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SO(RS) Aaron Gunter (80)	FR(RS) Trevor Meeks (72)
LDT	JR Travis Meredith (80)	SO(RS) Seth Nelson (74)
RDT	SO(RS) Devin Chancellor (77)	SR Kaden Beatty (73)
RDE	FR(RS) Greg Addison (76)	SO Brian Silva (75)
WLB	SO(RS) Nylan Brown (86)	JR Jayden Studio (80)
MLB	JR Julius Denney (70)	SO De'Angelo Mafe (69)
SLB	SR Sayed Abuhamdeh (78)	SR Canaan Williams (80)
CB	SO(RS) Jaire Rawlison (84)	JR(RS) JT Mims (76)	FR(RS) Charlie Tobeck (73)
SS	SO Jordan McMillan (72)	FR Danny Fleming (55)
FS	JR(RS) Tevin Tucker (75)	FR(RS) Evan McCall (73)
CB	SR(RS) Tyler Bivens (78)	SO(RS) Mitchell Newby (76)	FR(RS) Charlie Tobeck (73)

Kent State Golden Flashes Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
JD Sherrod	224/380 (58%)	2,703	7.1	270.3	83	25	6	137.2
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Marques Hicks	132	476	3.6	31	6	2	47.6	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Jay Jay Etheridge *INJ*	67	875	13.1	9	41	6	87.5	282
Jahzae Kimbrough	49	679	13.9	6	80	4	67.9	309
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
LB Sayed Abuhamdeh	49	10	59	0.5	2	5	0	0
DT Travis Meredith	26	10	36	4	9	1	0	0
DT Seth Nelson	10	2	12	3	2	1	0	0
CB Tyler Bivens	29	13	42	0	0	3	2	0

Week Twelve MAC Schedule
Western Michigan (5-5) @ Tennessee (6-4)
Ohio (3-7) @ #16 Toledo (8-2)
Eastern Michigan (5-5) @ Buffalo (6-4)
Akron (1-9) @ Northern Illinois (6-4)
Bowling Green (4-6) @ Central Michigan (5-5)

Notable Week Twelve Matchups
#24 Tulsa (7-3) @ #20 Arkansas (6-4)
#1 Alabama (9-1) @ #25 LSU (7-3)
#14 Virginia Tech (7-3) @ #9 Miami (8-2)

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Pulls Away In 2nd Half To Keep Streak Alive


Senior safety Tawfiq Byard rising up to snag the INT in the 3rd quarter to preserve Ball State's 26-21 lead.

Ball State Cardinals at Kent State Golden Flashes
Nov 21, 2026 1 2 3 4 F #5 BALL (10-0) 7 12 14 21 54 KENT (2-8) 7 14 0 14 35 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 19/25, 362 Yds, 6 TD, INT RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 14 Att, 101 Yds, TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 10 Rec, 212 Yds, 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL KENT First Downs 22 15 3rd Down Efficiency 4/10 4/7 4th Down Efficiency 2/2 0/0 Total Yards 650 442 Passing Yards 362 376 Rushing Yards 33 - 177 13 - (-8) Penalties-Penalty Yards 4 - 40 1 - 10 Turnovers 1 3 Time of Possession 25:34 18:26
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL KENT 8:57 (BALL) Barry Poutasi, 25 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 0 1:57 (KENT) Jaire Rawlison, Returned Interception 56 Yds 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL KENT 10:56 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 14 Yd Run 14 7 10:15 (BALL) Safety 16 7 7:19 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 47 Yd FG 19 7 4:21 (KENT) Garrick Gains, 2 Yd Run 19 14 1:00 (KENT) Jahzae Kimbrough, 11 Yd pass From JD Sherrod 19 21 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL KENT 5:04 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 9 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 26 21 2:26 (BALL) Barry Poutasi, 14 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 33 21 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL KENT 10:51 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 81 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 40 21 5:16 (KENT) DeShawn Martin, 7 Yd Pass From JD Sherrod 40 28 1:52 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 56 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 47 28 1:44 (KENT) DaShawn Martin, 75 Yd Pass From JD Sherrod 47 35 1:35 (BALL) Christian Davis, 22 Yd Run 54 35
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 19/25 362 6 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 14 101 7.2 1 Kadin Semonza 13 74 5.7 1 Nick Presley 5 4 0.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 10- 212 21.2 2 Nyck Harbor 2 76 38.0 1 Barry Poutasi 2 39 19.5 2 Cam Pickett 2 12 6.0 0 Christian Davis 1 15 15.0 0 Nick Presley 1 8 8.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 0 0.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eli Freeman 2 2 Arkel Anugwom 7 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Blair Schonhorst 9 2 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 5 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 FS Isaiah Thacker 6 0 0 (FR) 0 SS Tawfiq Byard 4 1.5 (3TFL) 1 0 LB Caden Johnson 3 0 0 (FF) 0 LB Ethan Evers 3 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 7/7 10 47 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 2 74 37.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Devin Teague 1 22 22.0 0 Philip Onwualu 3 55 18.3 0 Christian Davis 3 34 11.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 1 0 0.0 0 Kent State Golden Flashes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT JD Sherrod 27/34 376 3 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Marques Hicks 8 29 3.6 0 JD Sherrod 4 -39 -9.8 0 Garrick GAins 1 2 2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jahzae Kimbrough 10 118 11.8 1 Dashawn Martin 7 138 19.7 2 Alex Harrison 6 104 17.3 0 Marques Hicks 3 12 4.0 0 Dontrell Bennett 1 4 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Garrett Masterson 2 2 Braylon Smith 3 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD DT Travis Meredith 12 2 (7TFL) 0 0 CB Jaire Rawlison 8 0 (2TFL) 1 1 LB Jayden Studio 8 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Canaan Williams 6 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Seth Nelson 6 0.5 (3TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Will Hryszko 0/0 5/5 5 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Charlie Durkin 1 43 43.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Colin Ackerman 5 73 14.6 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Colin Ackerman 1 1 1.0 0

LEFT - Ball State's defense forcing the fumble on Kent State's first drive, giving Kadin Semonza excellent field position to start the game.
CENTER - Jaire Rawlison jumping Philip Onwualu's drag route, sparking the Kent State team with the 56 yard pick six to tie the game.
RIGHT - Kent State's offense continued shooting themselves in the foot after a sack on 1st down lead to the safety on 2nd down.

Kent, OH – Ball State survived a spirited first half from Kent State before dominating the second half to secure a 54-35 victory and improve to 11-0 on the season. The Cardinals used a balanced offensive attack and key defensive plays to pull away late, while Kent State showed flashes of resilience despite falling to 2-9.

The game opened evenly, with Ball State’s Barry Poutasi catching a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kadin Semonza on the game’s opening drive. Kent State responded moments later when Jaire Rawlison returned an interception 56 yards for a score, tying the game at 7-7 by the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Semonza scrambled for a 14-yard rushing touchdown, and the Cardinals added a safety and a 47-yard field goal by Jackson Courville. However, Kent State answered with a pair of touchdowns—a 2-yard run by Garrick Gains and an 11-yard pass from JD Sherrod to Jahzae Kimbrough—to take a 21-19 lead into halftime.

At the break, Ball State had 211 yards of total offense, with Semonza throwing for 136 yards and a touchdown but also tossing a costly pick-six. Meanwhile, Kent State’s JD Sherrod impressed, completing 10 of 12 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown, though the Golden Flashes managed just -8 rushing yards in the first half after deducting sack yardage.

The second half was a different story. Ball State’s defense tightened up, holding Kent State scoreless in the third quarter while Semonza found Philip Onwualu and Barry Poutasi for touchdowns to give the Cardinals a 33-21 lead heading into the fourth.

The final quarter saw an offensive explosion, starting with an 81-yard touchdown bomb from Semonza to Onwualu. Kent State briefly kept pace with two touchdown passes from Sherrod to DeShawn Martin, including a 75-yarder, but Ball State answered with a 56-yard touchdown strike to Nyck Harbor and a 22-yard touchdown run by Christian Davis to seal the victory.

Semonza finished with a spectacular stat line, completing 19 of 25 passes for 362 yards and six touchdowns, overcoming his early interception. On the defensive side, Ball State recorded four sacks, two interceptions, and a safety, while limiting Kent State to -8 rushing yards on the night.

JD Sherrod led Kent State with 376 passing yards and three touchdowns but couldn’t overcome the relentless Ball State defense, which forced critical turnovers and pressured him throughout the game.

With the win, Ball State moves one step closer to an undefeated regular season and remains in the hunt for a College Football Playoff spot. They’ll look to continue their dominant run next week in the regular season finale.

Week Twelve MAC Results
0 Western Michigan (5-6) @ Tennessee (7-4) 59
20 Ohio (4-7) @ #24 Toledo (8-3) 17
31 Eastern Michigan (5-6) @ Buffalo (7-4) 35
35 Akron (1-10) @ Northern Illinois (7-4) 43
28 Bowling Green (5-6) @ Central Michigan (5-6) 23

Notable Week Twelve Results
13 Tulsa (7-4) @ #17 Arkansas (7-4) 15
23 #9 Alabama (9-2) @ #18 LSU (8-3) 38
24 Indiana (3-8) @ #14 Michigan (8-3) 18

[redsox907]

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

2026 Week Thirteen Preview

Matchup Preview *|* November 28, 2026
	@
#6 Ball State Cardinals (11-0, 5-0 Away)		Akron Zips (1-10, 1-4 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 552.0 Total Offensive Yards 293.9 365.3 Passing Yards 202.1 186.7 Rushing Yards 80.6 54.4 Points Per Game 18.9 Defensive Stats Comparison 384.4 Total Yards Allowed 380.7 319.5 Passing Yards Allowed 260.1 64.9 Rushing Yards Allowed 120.5 47 Sacks 24 14 Interceptions 6 28.7 Points Per Game 34.5 Injury Report DE Eric Sheppard (78) Dislocated Knee (2 Weeks) C Keylen Davis (76) Dislocated Ankle (7 Weeks) Game Notes Akron, OH. - The Ball State Cardinals have the MAC South locked up and are awaiting the results of several contests this week to see who will be their opposition in the MAC CCG in two weeks. The main goal for Ball State this weekend is to remain healthy and grind out a W. A loss this late in the season could potentially doom their playoff hopes, with little time to right the ship even with a conference championship.

Akron Zips 80/81/80 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Jarvis Rush (78)	FR(RS) Roger Reece (76)	JR(RS) Paul Davis (73)
TE	SR Max Whisner (81)	SR(RS) Grant Gainer (77)	SR Conner Cravaack (77)
LT	JR Jayvin James (81)	SO Eric Helton (79)
LG	FR Pat Hill (69)	SO Arie Peat (68)
C	FR(RS) Jeff Townsend (72)	FR Warren Dewey (68)
RG	SR(RS) AJ George (79)	SR Delvin Morris (76)
RT	FR(RS) Demar Nortman (80)	SO(RS) Jonas Mann (76)
WR	SR Adrian Norton (84)	JR Israel Polk (77)	SO(RS) Kentrell Felix (74)
QB	FR(RS) Cam Tant (74)	SO(RS) Brayden Roggow (69)
HB	JR(RS) Marquese Williams (85)	SR(RS) Charles Kellom (82)	SO Kurt Fogg (76)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SO(RS) Jalen Taylor (84)	SO Elijah Skoronski (73)
LDT	SO(RS) Elijah Davis (78)	JR(RS) Marcus Moore Jr (73)
RDT	SR(RS) Kiawan Murphy (75)	SO(RS) Elton Kennard (75)
RDE	SO(RS) Jon'Trell Mixon (81)	SO(RS) Tristen Graham (73)
WLB	SO Russ Babineaux (78)	FR(RS) Greg Zeise (74)
MLB	JR(RS) Melvin Spriggs (76)	SO Quay Talbott (71)
SLB	JR(RS) Austin Wondolowski (74)	JR(RS) Rich Benenge (71)
CB	JR(RS) Stevie Brown-Gordon (81)	FR(RS) Bernard Meyers (76)	FR Pierre Bacon (66)
SS	SO(RS) James Cartwright (74)	SO(RS) Rodrick Hunter (69)
FS	FR(RS) De'Andre Bryant (76)	FR Josh Perkins (52)
CB	SR(RS) Davion Jennings (80)	FR Chip Saunders (67)	FR Pierre Bacon (66)

Akron Zips Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Cam Tant	186/357 (52%)	2,224	6.2	202.2	56	17	12	113.4
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Marquese Williams	164	759	4/6	46	12	4	69.0	3
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Israel Polk	54	652	12.1	5	38	2	59.3	258
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
LB Jason Hocker	74	19	93	3	3	10	0	0
DE Jalen Taylor	23	8	31	7.5	6	0	0	0
DT Elijah Davis	25	9	34	4.5	2	4	0	0
CB Davion Jennings	50	11	61	0	1	5	2	0

Week Thirteen MAC Schedule
Central Michigan (5-6) @ Eastern Michigan (5-6)
Ohio (4-7) @ Miami (OH) (5-6)
#24 Toledo (8-3) @ Western Michigan (5-6)
** Winner wins the MAC North Division**
Kent State (2-9) @ Northern Illinois (7-4)
Bowling Green (5-6) @ Buffalo (7-4)

Notable Week Thirteen Matchups
#25 Ohio State (7-4) @ #14 Michigan (8-3)
**Winner claims Big Ten East**
#21 Georgia Tech (7-4) @ #4 Georgia (9-2)
#3 Notre Dame (10-1) @ #1 USC (11-0)

[redsox907]

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

Cardinals Zip Through Akron


It was already 31-10, but Akron was driving hoping to double dip into the Cardinals lead with a late score, then possession after the half. Instead, Cam Tant found Kaleb Purdy for a pick six and a 38-10 Ball State lead.

Ball State Cardinals at Akron Zips
Nov 28, 2026 1 2 3 4 F #6 BALL (11-0) 14 24 14 7 59 AKR (1-10) 7 3 0 3 13 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 14/16, 279 Yds, 3 TD RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 16 Att, 173 Yds, 3 TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 7 Rec, 155 Yds, 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL AKR First Downs 28 15 3rd Down Efficiency 1/5 3/10 4th Down Efficiency 2/2 0/0 Total Yards 675 456 Passing Yards 279 275 Rushing Yards 37 - 314 21 - 35 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3 - 30 2 - 15 Turnovers 0 1 Time of Possession 25:57 18:03
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL AKR 6:43 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 23 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 0 2:36 (BALL) Christian Davis, 9 Yd Run 14 0 1:07 (AKR) Marquese Williams, 11 Yd Run 14 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL AKR 9:27 (BALL) Christian Davis, 31 Yd Run 21 7 4:32 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 36 Yd FG 24 7 1:55 (AKR) Owen Wiley, 42 Yd FG 24 10 1:11 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 54 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 31 10 0:28 (BALL) Kaleb Purdy, Returned Interception 61 Yds 38 10 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL AKR 8:03 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 45 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 45 10 2:17 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 11 Yd Run 52 10 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL AKR 8:41 (BALL) Christian Davis, 46 Yd Run 59 10 3:59 (AKR) Owen Wiley, 44 Yd FG 59 13
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 14/16 279 3 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 16 173 10.8 3 Kadin Semonza 13 101 7.7 1 Nick Presley 8 40 5.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 7 155 22.1 2 Cam Pickett 3 28 9.3 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 2 34 17.0 0 Nyck Harbor 1 45 45.0 1 Nick Presley 1 17 17.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eli Freeman 8 1 Carl Poyer 4 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Tawfiq Byard 10 0 (4TFL) 0 0 FS Elijah Davis 6 1 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 6 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Kaleb Purdy 6 0 1 1 DE Dakari Frazier 3 1 (2TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 8/8 11 36 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 1 42 42.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 2 38 19.0 0 Philip Onwualu 2 33 16.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 11 3.6 0 Akron Zips PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Cam Tant 25/30 275 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Marquese Williams 13 53 4.0 1 Cam Tant 4 -26 -6.5 0 Charles Kellom 3 7 2.3 0 Adrian Norton 1 1 1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Max Whisner 7 47 6.7 0 Marquese Williams 5 43 8.6 0 Adrian Norton 5 33 6.6 0 Jarvis Rush 5 99 19.8 0 Israel Polk 3 53 17.6 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Max Whisner 2 0 Marquese Williams 0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS James Cartwright 11 0 0 0 MLB Melvin Spriggs 10 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Elijah Davis 6 1 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Jalen Taylor 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Elton Kennard 1 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Owen Wiley 2/2 1/1 7 45 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Joseph Castle 5 221 44.2 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barry Bragg 9 140 15.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barry Bragg 1 6 6.0 0

LEFT - SO LB Dalton Townsel tackling QB Cam Tant back yard style with the suplex.
CENTER - Marquese Williams had the Zips moving on the ground in the 1st quarter, but as the lead mounted Akron strayed away from pounding the ball.
RIGHT - Christian Davis celebrating the 46 yard TD run that capped his 3 touchdown afternoon.

Akron, OH. - In a dominating performance, #6 Ball State (11-0) cruised to a 59-13 victory over Akron (1-10) on the road. The Cardinals were in control from the start, outpacing the Zips in all phases of the game.

Ball State wasted no time, jumping out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter. The Cardinals struck first with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Kadin Semonza to Philip Onwualu. Shortly after, Christian Davis capped off a strong drive with a 9-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead. Akron responded with an 11-yard run by Marquese Williams, but the momentum quickly shifted back to Ball State.

In the second quarter, Ball State put the game out of reach, outscoring Akron 24-3. Davis broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run, and Jackson Courville added a 36-yard field goal. Akron’s Owen Wiley answered with a 42-yard field goal, but Ball State wasn’t done. Semonza found Onwualu for a 54-yard touchdown pass, and then Kaleb Purdy picked off Akron’s quarterback and returned it 61 yards for another touchdown, giving the Cardinals a commanding 38-10 lead heading into halftime.

The second half saw more of the same dominance from Ball State. Nyck Harbor, who had been kept relatively quiet up to that point, caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Semonza to extend the lead. Semonza later added a touchdown of his own, running 11 yards into the end zone to make it 52-10 heading into the final quarter.

Akron managed to get on the scoreboard again in the fourth quarter with a 44-yard field goal from Wiley, but Ball State’s Christian Davis capped off his stellar performance with a 46-yard touchdown run to complete the 59-13 victory.

Ball State finished with 593 total yards, 279 of which came through the air and 314 on the ground. Semonza was highly efficient, completing 14 of 16 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Davis led the way on the ground, carrying the ball 16 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Onwualu was a major target in the passing game, hauling in 7 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

The victory finalizes a perfect regular season for Ball State, who will now prepare to defend their MAC crown in two weeks in the Conference Championship Game as they hope to position themselves for a deep postseason run.

Week Thirteen MAC Results
24 Central Michigan (6-4) @ Eastern Michigan (5-7) 16
13 Ohio (4-8) @ Miami (OH) (6-6) 25
17 #15 Toledo (9-3) @ Western Michigan (5-7) 13
30 Kent State (3-9) @ Northern Illinois (7-5) 29
39 Bowling Green (6-6) @ Buffalo (7-5) 17

Notable Week Thirteen Results
38 Ohio State (7-5) @ #10 Michigan (9-3) 43
16 #12 Georgia Tech (8-4) @ #9 Georgia (9-3) 14
7 #8 Notre Dame (10-2) @ #1 USC (12-0) 56

[redsox907]

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

2026 Conference Championship Preview

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#15 Toledo Rockets (9-3, Away)		#5 Ball State Cardinals (12-0, Home)
Injury Report DT Wayne Peart II (81) Torn Tricep (11 Weeks) LT Matt Hofer (81) Broken Fibula (1 Week) SS Anthony Stewart (81) Broken Collarbone (4 Weeks) Game Notes Detroit, MI – The Toledo Rockets and Ball State Cardinals are set to clash for the fourth time in two years, marking their second consecutive meeting in the MAC Championship Game. Last season, the Cardinals secured a thrilling 63-49 victory over Toledo before dominating their newfound MAC rival with a commanding 70-31 win earlier this year. "You can't call it a rivalry yet—you’ve got to win first," remarked Rockets senior John Alan Richter. This showdown carries massive stakes, with the MAC title and a potential College Football Playoff berth on the line for both teams. A victory for the Cardinals would all but secure them a first-round bye in the 2026 playoffs. For Toledo, a win guarantees them a playoff spot, though climbing from No. 15 into a bye remains a long shot, depending on the outcomes of other championship games. On the other hand, a Ball State loss would likely leave them just outside the playoff picture, adding even more pressure on Kadin Semonza and the Cardinals to deliver another stellar performance under the brightest lights.

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
Texas State Bobcats (8-4, Away)		Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (9-3, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#13 Utah Utes (10-2, Away)		#2 Oregon Ducks (12-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
Arkansas Razorbacks (7-5, Away)		#25 Iowa State Cyclones (8-4, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#24 Kennesaw State Owls (10-2, Away)		#22 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#9 Georgia Bulldogs (9-3, Away)		#6 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
UNLV Rebels (8-4, Away)		#1 USC Trojans (12-0, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
UAB Blazers (9-3, Away)		#23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-3, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#10 Michigan Wolverines (9-3, Away)		Wisconsin Badgers (8-4, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* December 12, 2026
	@
#18 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3, Away)		#4 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (10-2, Home)

[redsox907]

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

Still Not A Rivalry As Ball State Rolls To MAC Title


Semonza did toss a pair of interceptions, but his 359 total yards and 6 combined touchdowns likely secured him the 1st Heisman in Ball State history.

Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals
Dec 12, 2026 1 2 3 4 F #15 TOL (9-3) 0 0 3 0 3 #5 BALL (12-0) 9 24 13 14 60 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 16/23, 259 Yds, 3 TD, 2 INT RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 19 Att, 100 Yds, 3 TD REC: BS Philip Onwualu - 8 Rec, 133 Yds, 2 TD	Team Stats Comparison TOL BALL First Downs 11 31 3rd Down Efficiency 4/12 4/5 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 1/1 Total Yards 299 675 Passing Yards 169 259 Rushing Yards 23 - 2 39 - 238 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 2 2 - 15 Turnovers 1 2 Time of Possession 16:52 27:08
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 7:22 (BALL) Safety 0 2 3:54 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run 0 9 SECOND QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 9:41 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 44 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 16 3:30 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 16 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 0 23 1:20 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, Returned Punt 77 Yds 0 30 0:00 (BALL) Jackson Courville, 35 Yd FG 0 33 THIRD QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 10:06 (TOL) Darren Norris, 45 Yd FG 3 33 6:47 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 10 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 3 40 2:59 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 1 Yd Run (Missed PAT) 3 46 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING TOL BALL 7:08 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 6 Yd Run 3 53 3:39 (BALL) Christian Davis, 21 Yd Run 3 60
Toledo Rockets PASSING C/A YDS TD INT John Alan Richter 17/30 169 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Connor Walendzak 16 35 2.1 0 John Alan Richter 7 -33 -4.7 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eric Holley III 5 44 8.8 0 Tashi Braceful 4 53 13.2 0 Connor Walendzak 4 25 6.2 0 Zy'marion Lang 3 41 13.6 0 CC Exirim 1 6 6.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Cole Rhett 4 1 Stephen Gales 3 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Danny Vildor 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 MLB Trae Gaston 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Hyajah Miller 5 0 1 0 CB Matthew Johnson 3 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darren Norris 1/1 0/0 3 45 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Emilio Duran 6 247 41.1 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dean Prosch 9 128 14.2 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 16/23 259 3 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 20 138 6.9 1 Kadin Semonza 19 100 5.2 3 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 8 133 16.6 2 Cam Pickett 3 34 11.3 0 Nyck Harbor 2 53 26.5 1 Barry Poutasi 1 12 12.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 9 9.0 0 Christian Davis 1 18 18.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Arkel Anugwom 15 0 Cody Smith 7 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Tawfiq Byard 12 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 8 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Caden Johnson 5 0.5 (3TFL) 0 0 CB Blair Schonhorst 4 1 (3TFL) 0 0 DT Jaiden Cameron 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 3 2.5 (3TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 2 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 1/1 7/8 10 36 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 2 61 30.5 0 Christian Davis 1 12 12.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 6 105 17.5 1

LEFT - Hyajah Miller rising up with Nyck Harbor to snatch a 1st quarter INT, but unfortunately Miller couldn't make a return and was downed inside the 5 leading to...
CENTER - Jaiden Cameron and Scott Humphries collaborating on a safety to put 2 points on the board.
RIGHT - Philip Onwualu showcasing his dynamic playmaking abilities with a 77 yard return as the Cardinals blew open the game in the 2nd quarter.

Detroit, MI – In a one-sided showcase of dominance, the #5 Ball State Cardinals cruised past #15 Toledo, 60-3, at Ford Field to win their second consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship. The Cardinals delivered a complete team performance that left no doubt about their place among college football's elite, as they now eye a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The game started with an early misstep by Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza, who threw an interception on the opening drive. However, Toledo’s Hyajah Miller was tackled at the 1-yard line, setting up a disastrous sequence for the Rockets. Ball State’s relentless defense swarmed Toledo’s backfield, recording a safety and setting the tone for a dominant first half.

Semonza quickly recovered from his early mistake to deliver a performance worthy of the Heisman conversation. The dual-threat quarterback finished the game 16-of-23 for 259 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 100 yards and three additional scores. His 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter got the Cardinals on the board, and his precision passing throughout the game kept the Rockets' defense reeling.

Wide receiver Philip Onwualu was the game’s standout playmaker, hauling in two touchdown passes, including a 44-yard strike in the second quarter. He added a 77-yard punt return for a score that electrified the crowd and pushed the Cardinals’ halftime lead to 33-0. Nyck Harbor, another key target for Semonza, contributed a 16-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

Toledo’s lone points came from a third-quarter field goal by Darren Norris, but their offense was otherwise stifled by Ball State’s aggressive pass rush and smothering secondary. The Cardinals tallied five sacks on the day and consistently disrupted Toledo quarterback John Alan Richter.

Semonza continued to dominate in the second half, adding two more rushing touchdowns, including a 6-yard scramble in the fourth quarter. Running back Christian Davis capped the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown run to seal Ball State’s emphatic victory.

With the win, the Cardinals secured back-to-back MAC titles and solidified their claim for a top-four spot in the College Football Playoff. Semonza’s stellar performance has likely cemented his status as the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, while the Cardinals’ defense continues to prove they are championship-caliber.

Ball State now awaits the final playoff rankings, confident they have earned a chance to compete for a national championship.



Conference Championship Game Results

Texas State Bobcats at Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Texas State Bobcats ()	0	10	0	7	17
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns ()	7	9	11	10	37

Utah Utes at Oregon Ducks
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#9 Utah Utes ()	7	0	7	14	28
#4 Oregon Ducks ()	3	7	7	7	24

Arkansas Razorbacks at Iowa State Cyclones
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Arkansas Razorbacks ()	14	7	0	7	28
#25 Iowa State Cyclones ()	0	14	10	9	33

Kennesaw State Owls at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#24 Kennesaw State Owls ()	0	7	0	14	21
#22 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers ()	10	7	3	0	20

Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#12 Georgia Bulldogs ()	0	3	14	7	24
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide ()	7	21	7	10	45

UNLV Rebels at USC Trojans
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
UNLV Rebels ()	0	3	14	7	24
#1 USC Trojans ()	7	21	7	10	45

UAB Blazers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
UAB Blazers ()	7	7	10	14	38
#23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights ()	7	0	0	7	14

Michigan Wolverines at Wisconsin Badgers
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#15 Michigan Wolverines ()	7	7	0	13	27
Wisconsin Badgers ()	3	7	9	13	32

South Carolina Gamecocks at Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Dec 12, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#14 South Carolina Gamecocks ()	14	7	14	7	42
#8 Miami (FL) Hurricanes ()	0	14	7	12	33

[redsox907]

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

The Road To Inglewood Is Announced, Sans Georgia Again



For the second consecutive season, the Georgia Bulldogs find themselves as the "first out" of the College Football Playoff, this time with more controversy than a year ago.

Georgia’s season finale against Georgia Tech was initially dismissed as inconsequential to the national landscape, with the Bulldogs already locked into the SEC Championship Game and the Yellow Jackets eliminated from ACC contention. However, after Georgia suffered a decisive loss to Alabama in the SEC title game, their earlier defeat to Georgia Tech loomed larger.

The Yellow Jackets, buoyed by their upset over Georgia, surged just outside the top 10, while the Bulldogs, following their flat performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, also found themselves on the playoff bubble.

“It came down to Tech vs. Georgia for the last two spots, and Georgia Tech owned the tiebreaker. It was kind of a no-brainer for us,” said a CFP committee member who chose to remain anonymous.

Adding to the controversy, #10 Iowa earned the final playoff berth despite finishing the regular season with an 8-4 record, aided by a five-game win streak to close out the year. The decision raised eyebrows across the college football world.

“The only team Iowa beat was a disappointing Michigan squad six weeks ago. You’re telling me they’re one of the 12 best teams in the country?” scoffed Pat McAfee on his show following the playoff announcements.

While the Bulldogs may have a legitimate gripe, the playoff field is set, and several “Cinderella” teams have emerged as intriguing storylines.

Ball State’s explosive offense, led by likely Heisman winner Kadin Semonza, is already a well-known force. Meanwhile, San Jose State and Georgia Tech could pose significant challenges with the right matchups. However, Georgia Tech will face a daunting task against Oregon, whose only loss came in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Ball State awaits the winner in what promises to be an offensive showcase in the Fiesta Bowl.

San Jose State will take on red-hot Iowa in a matchup that could springboard the winner into a clash with #2 Alabama in the Orange Bowl.

Elsewhere, Notre Dame and Miami are set to renew their rivalry, with the Irish eager to redeem themselves after a humiliating 56-7 loss to USC to close out the season and hoping for a grudge match in the Peach Bowl.

Finally, Texas and South Carolina will battle for a shot at Utah in the Cotton Bowl, rounding out a postseason full of intriguing narratives and potential upsets.

[redsox907]

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

Final 2026 Regular Season Standings

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

AAC (East Coast)	Record	Conf Record		AAC (Southern)	Record	Conf Record
#23 Rutgers	9-4	7-2		UAB	10-3	7-2
Boston College	7-5	6-3		#20 East Carolina	9-3	6-3
Army	5-7	4-5		USF	6-6	5-4
UConn	5-7	4-5		Charlotte	6-6	5-4
Temple	3-9	3-6		UCF	6-6	4-5
Navy	3-9	1-8		FAU	3-9	2-7

Big 12 (North)	Record	Conf Record		Big 12 (South)	Record	Conf Record
Arkansas	7-6	6-3		#25 Iowa State	9-4	7-2
SMU	8-4	5-4		#19 Kansas State	8-4	6-3
TCU	6-6	5-4		Missouri	7-5	6-3
Texas A&M	6-6	4-5		Nebraska	5-7	4-5
Texas Tech	4-8	3-6		Kansas	6-6	3-6
Oklahoma State	2-10	2-7		Houston	5-7	3-6

Big Ten (West)	Record	Conf Record		Big Ten (East)	Record	Conf Record
WIsconsin	9-4	7-2		#15 Michigan	9-4	6-3
#10 Iowa	8-4	6-3		#13 Penn State	8-4	5-4
Illinois	7-5	5-4		Michigan State	7-5	5-4
Purdue	4-8	4-5		Ohio State	7-5	5-4
Northwestern	5-7	4-5		Indiana	4-8	3-6
Minnesota	6-6	3-6		Cincinnati	3-9	1-8

C-USA (West)	Record	Conf Record		C-USA (East)	Record	Conf Record
Texas State	8-5	6-3		Louisiana	10-3	7-2
UTSA	8-4	6-3		#18 Tulane	8-4	7-2
Baylor	6-6	6-3		Louisiana Tech	9-3	6-3
Tulsa	7-5	5-4		Sam Houston	5-7	4-5
UTEP	4-8	4-5		Rice	6-6	4-5
New Mexico State	5-7	4-5		Memphis	4-8	3-6
New Mexico	3-9	2-7		Arkansas State	5-7	3-6
North Texas	4-8	2-7		UL Monroe	3-9	3-6

MAC (North)	Record	Conf Record		MAC (South)	Record	Conf Record
#17 Toledo	9-4	6-3		#5 Ball State	13-0	9-0
Bowling Green	6-6	5-4		Northern Illinois	7-5	5-4
Western Michigan	5-7	5-4		Miami (OH)	6-6	4-5
Buffalo	7-5	5-4		Ohio	4-8	4-5
Central Michigan	6-6	4-5		Kent State	3-9	2-7
Eastern Michigan	5-7	4-5		Akron	1-11	1-8

MWC (Mountain)	Record	Conf Record		MWC (Pacific)	Record	Conf Record
UNLV	8-5	5-4		#1 USC	13-0	9-0
Utah State	6-6	5-4		#6 San Jose State	10-2	8-1
Nevada	7-5	5-4		UCLA	6-6	4-5
Colorado State	7-5	5-4		Fresno State	6-6	4-5
Air Force	4-8	3-6		San Diego State	3-9	3-6
Wyoming	2-10	2-7		Hawaii	2-10	1-8

PAC-12 (Central)	Record	Conf Record		PAC-12 (West Coast)	Record	Conf Record
#9 Utah	11-2	7-2		#4 Oregon	12-1	9-0
Arizona	6-6	5-4		Washington State	8-4	6-3
BYU	8-4	5-4		Oregon State	7-5	5-4
Colorado	6-6	4-5		Washington	5-7	3-6
Boise State	6-6	3-6		Stanford	4-8	3-6
Arizona State	3-9	2-7		California	3-9	2-7

SEC (Southwest)	Record	Conf Record		SEC (Southeast)	Record	Conf Record
#2 Alabama	11-2	7-1		#12 Georgia	9-4	6-2
#3 Texas	10-2	6-2		#21 Tennessee	8-4	5-3
#16 Oklahoma	8-4	5-3		Kentucky	8-4	5-3
LSU	8-4	4-4		Florida	5-7	3-5
Ole Miss	6-6	4-4		Vanderbilt	4-8	3-5
Auburn	5-7	2-6		Florida State	5-7	3-5
Mississippi State	4-8	2-6		Louisville	5-7	1-7

[redsox907]

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

Semonza Announced As 2026 Nissan Heisman Memorial Trophy Recipient



Muncie, IN — For the first time since 1990, when BYU's Ty Detmer claimed the Heisman Trophy, a player from a non-Power 5 program has captured college football's most prestigious award. Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza earned the 2026 Nissan Heisman Memorial Trophy, making history for the Cardinals.

"To go from being the runner-up last year and just being grateful to have a seat at the table, to having the expectation this season to not only return but win it all, has been an incredible journey," Semonza said during his acceptance speech.

He expressed gratitude to his family, teammates, and Coach Savage, who transformed Ball State football just two seasons ago.

Semonza’s spectacular performance down the stretch of the 2025 season—25 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions in his final five games—came up just short of Florida's DJ Lagway, whose undefeated regular season and #1-seeded Gators edged him out for the award.

This year, Semonza left no doubt about his dominance. The junior quarterback dazzled the college football world with 4,479 passing yards, 56 touchdowns, 13 rushing scores, and an undefeated regular season. He led Ball State to victories over ranked opponents, including #9 Indiana and #5 NC State, culminating in a resounding MAC Championship win over rival Toledo.

The Cardinals earned one of the four first-round byes in the 2026 College Football Playoff. With bowl stats now counting toward season totals, Semonza has the opportunity to climb from fourth to first in NCAA history for single-season passing touchdowns.

The Heisman was just one highlight of Semonza’s decorated weekend. He also collected the Davey O’Brien, Maxwell, and Walter Camp awards—his second consecutive win for each.

Wide receiver Nyck Harbor, Semonza’s favorite target, set an NCAA record with 28 touchdown receptions, surpassing Troy Edwards’ mark of 27. Harbor claimed his second consecutive Biletnikoff Award, becoming the first player to do so since Justin Blackmon in 2010 and 2011.

Ball State’s defensive stars also earned accolades: strong safety Tawfiq Byard took home the Nagurski and Thorpe awards, while defensive end Kenneth Merrieweather won the Bednarik.

In addition to the accolades received by Ball State players, head coach Nash Savage was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year after leading the Cardinals to an undefeated season and securing a first-round bye in the upcoming College Football Playoff.

"This is a great honor," Savage said. "But it’s just a small piece of the puzzle we’re building here in Muncie. Regular season awards are fantastic, but our ultimate focus is making sure this season ends in SoFi Stadium with a National Championship."

Under Savage's leadership, Ball State has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a mid-tier MAC program to a legitimate national contender. His innovative offensive schemes, aggressive recruiting strategy, and culture of accountability have propelled the Cardinals to heights few thought possible.

Savage’s recognition as Coach of the Year further solidifies his reputation as one of college football’s brightest minds. His ability to maximize the talent of players like Kadin Semonza and Nyck Harbor while fostering a cohesive, championship-caliber team has captured the attention of the entire football world.

Now, with the eyes of the nation on Ball State, Savage and his Cardinals are preparing for the next step: navigating the College Football Playoff and chasing the program’s first-ever national title. The road ahead will not be easy, with elite programs standing in their way, but Savage remains resolute.

"We’ve made history already," Savage added. "But history isn’t done being written. This team has the heart, the drive, and the belief to finish the job. Muncie deserves a championship, and we’re ready to bring it home."

2026 National Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Bronko Nagurski Trophy	Tawfiq Byard	SS	Ball State
Chuck Bednarik Award	Kenneth Merriewether	DE	Ball State
Davey O'Brien Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Doak Walker Award	Raleek Brown	RB	USC
Fred Biletnikoff Award	Nyck Harbor	WR	Ball State
Heisman Memorial Trophy	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Jim Thorpe Award	Tawfiq Byard	SS	Ball State
John Mackey Award	Walker Matthews	TE	USC
Linebacker of the Year	Stanquan Clark	LB	Louisville
Lombardi Award	Braylan Shelby	DE	USC
Lou Groza Award	Kyle Konrardy	K	Iowa State
Maxwell Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State
Outland Trophy	AJ Burton	G	Iowa State
Ray Guy Award	Will Karoll	P	Tulane
Returner of the Year	Kristen Hoskins	WR	Minnesota
Rimington Trophy	Sam Yoon	C	UCLA
Walter Camp Award	Kadin Semonza	QB	Ball State

Kadin Semonza Heisman Stats Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Kadin Semonza	222/299 (74%)	4,479	15.0	344.5	84	56	11	254.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Kadin Semonza	145	761	5.2	25	5	13	58.5	3

[redsox907]

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

2026 All Americans & League Leaders

All Americans

2026 NCAA 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Kadin Semonza, Ball State			Jr.
HB	Carson Hansen, Iowa State			Sr.
HB	Christian Davis, Ball State			Jr.
WR	Nyck Harbor, Ball State			Jr.
WR	Armani Winfield, SMU			Sr.
WR	Philip Onwualu, Ball State			So.
TE	Luke Reynolds, Penn State			So.
OL	Jordan Seaton, Colorado			Jr.
OL	Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State			Sr.
C	Addison Nichols, Arkansas			Sr.
OL	Zach Rice, North Carolina			Sr.
OL	Brandon Baker, Texas			So.
DL	Ernest Willor Jr, Wisconsin			Jr.
DL	Mike Green, Marshall			Sr.
DL	Stephiylan Green, Clemson			Jr.
DL	Justin Scott, Miami			So.
LB	Derion Gullette, Texas			Jr.
LB	Arvell Reese, Ohio State			Sr.
LB	Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss			Sr.
DB	Malik Muhammad, Texas			Sr.
DB	Avieon Terrell, Clemson			Sr.
DB	Keon Sabb, Alabama			Sr.
DB	Randon Fontenette, Vanderbilt			Sr.
P	Ryan Eckley, Michigan State			Sr.
K	John Love, Virginia Tech			Sr.

2026 NCAA 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Darian Mensah, USC			So.
HB	John Anenih, Oregon			So.
HB	LeQuint Allen, Syracuse			Sr.
WR	Bruce Mayweather, Marshall			Jr.
WR	Makai Lemon, USC			Sr.
WR	TJ Moore, Clemson			Jr.
TE	Lawson Luckie, Georgia			Sr.
OL	Kadyn Proctor, Alabama			Jr.
OL	AJ Burton , Iowa State			So.
C	Mark Nabou Jr, Texas A&M			Sr.
OL	Shamurad Umarov, Tennessee			Jr.
OL	Brain Parker II, Duke			Sr.
DL	TJ Parker, Clemson			Sr.
DL	Colin Simmons, Texas			Jr.
DL	Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Texas A&M			Sr.
DL	Terrance Green, Oregon			Jr.
LB	Trey Reddick, Maryland			Jr.
LB	Ben Roberts, Texas Tech			Sr.
LB	DaKarri Nelson, Penn State			Jr.
DB	Zabien Brown, Alabama			Jr.
DB	Vicari Swain, South Carolina			Jr.
DB	Kamari Ramsey, USC			Sr.
DB	Larry Yates, Bowling Green			Jr.
P	Dylan Joyce, Miami			Sr.
K	David Olano, Illinois			Sr.

League Leaders

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Dec 15, 2026
Passing Yards	YDS	Passing Touchdowns	TD
1. Kadin Semonza, Ball State	4,479	1. Kadin Semonza, Ball State	56
2. Dylan Longergan, Alabama	3,958	2. Christopher Vizzina, Clemson	46
3. Jaden Rashada, Georgia	3,916	3. Dylan Longergan, Alabama	41
4. Christopher Vizzina, Clemson	3,806	4. Jaden Rashada, Georgia	41
5. John-Keawe Sagapolutele, Hawaii	3,780	5. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina	38
Carries	CAR	Rushing Yards	YD
1. Jai'Den Thomas, UNLV	263	1. Bill Davis, ULL	1,467
2. Bill Davis, ULL	238	2. Christian Davis, Ball State	1,462
3. Christian Washington, Coastal Carolina	223	3. Jai'Den Thomas, UNLV	1,382
4. LeQuint Allen, Syracuse	219	4. Carson Hansen, Iowa State	1,360
5. Rickey Hunt Jr, Ohio	217	5. LeQuint Allen, Syracuse	1,152
Rushing Touchdowns	TD	Receptions	REC
1. Christian Davis, Ball State	17	1. Philip Onwualu, Ball State	97
2. Kadin Semonza, Ball State	13	2. Corri Milliner, UAB	86
3. LeQuint Allen, Syracuse	12	3. Jaden Gibson, Virginia	84
4. Qua Ashley, Kennessaw	12	4. Isaiah Sategna, Arkansas	81
5. John Anenih, Oregon	12	5. Maxwell Moss, JMU	80
Receiving Yards	YDS	Receiving Touchdowns	TD
1. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	2,004	1. Nyck Harbor, Ball State	32
2. Philip Onwualu, Ball State	1,644	2. Philip Onwualu, Ball State	21
3. Corri Milliner, UAB	1,353	3. Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, VTech	18
4. Maxwell Moss, JMU	1,224	4. TJ Moore, Clemson	18
5. Coy Eakin, TTU	1,202	5. Bruce Mayweather, Marshall	18

NCAA Football Leaders - Updated: Jan 1,
Tackles	TKL	Tackles For Loss	TFL
1. Tre Williams, Stanford	109	1. Tawfiq Byard, Ball State	23
2. Darius Jones, Wake Forest	103	2. Kenneth Merrieweather, Ball State	18
3. Evan Free, UCF	103	3. Travis Meredith, Kent State 17	17
4. Tawfiq Byard, Ball State	101	4. Brett Haas, Rutgers	16
5. Marvin Bowe, Iowa	100	5. TJ Bush Jr, Liberty	14
Sacks	SCK	Interceptions	INT
1. Tobi Osunsanmi, Kansas State	16.5	1. Eric Fletcher, ECU	10
2. Ezra Odinjor, UAB	16	2. Jaylen Mbake, Alabama	8
3. Kevon Merrell, ECU	15.5	3. Malik Muhammad, Texas	7
4. Kingjoseph Edwards, Syracuse	15	4. Evan Johnson, BYU	7
5. Obinna Onwuka, WVU	15	5. Jacques Castille, North Texas	6

[redsox907]

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

2026 1st Round Results

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Oregon Ducks
Dec 19, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#11 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ()	0	7	14	7	28
#4 Oregon Ducks ()	7	14	14	35	70

Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Dec 19, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#8 Miami (FL) Hurricanes ()	0	7	0	14	21
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish ()	14	14	7	0	35

South Carolina Gamecocks at Texas Longhorns
Dec 19, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#14 South Carolina Gamecocks ()	14	7	0	7	28
#3 Texas Longhorns ()	0	14	3	7	24

Iowa Hawkeyes at San Jose State Spartans
Dec 19, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#10 Iowa Hawkeyes ()	3	14	7	14	38
#6 San Jose State Spartans ()	14	3	3	3	23

[redsox907]

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

2026 Quarterfinal College Football Playoff Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 2, 2027
	@
#4 Oregon Ducks (13-1, Away)		#5 Ball State Cardinals (13-0, Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 405.7 Total Offensive Yards 551.0 274.4 Passing Yards 350.5 121.1 Rushing Yards 200.4 38.6 Points Per Game 55.2 Defensive Stats Comparison 285.1 Total Yards Allowed 362.3 209.0 Passing Yards Allowed 304.5 76.0 Rushing Yards Allowed 57.7 42 Sacks 55 15 Interceptions 16 18.1 Points Per Game 25.5 Injury Report WR Ryan Pellum (83) Torn Tricep (2 Weeks) HB John Anenih (84) Broken Femur (45 Week) Game Notes Glendale, AZ – The Oregon Ducks wasted no time reminding everyone why they were the preseason favorite to win the National Championship. Following a narrow 28-24 loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship—Oregon’s only blemish this season—the Ducks responded emphatically with a 70-28 dismantling of Georgia Tech in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Now, the stage is set for a Vrbo Fiesta Bowl showdown against the high-flying Ball State Cardinals. Despite boasting the nation’s top-ranked offense and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Kadin Semonza, Ball State enters the matchup as underdogs against an Oregon team loaded with NFL-caliber talent on both sides of the ball. “Not to slight any team we’ve played this year, but Oregon is the real deal,” said Ball State head coach Nash Savage, who is making his playoff coaching debut. “We’re going to have to play 60 minutes of world-class football, and even then, we may fall short.” The marquee battle will be Ball State’s record-setting offense versus Oregon’s elite defense. Semonza, who has shredded defenses all season, will face his toughest test yet against a unit designed to suffocate opposing quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Ball State’s defense, which has exceeded expectations but struggled at times against lesser offenses during MAC play, will need to find answers for Oregon’s high-powered attack. Turnovers could be a deciding factor in this matchup. Semonza’s aggressive playstyle—while instrumental in his Heisman-winning campaign—has occasionally led to costly mistakes, particularly when the Cardinals are forced to chase points. Empty possessions against Oregon’s dynamic team could leave Ball State in a deep hole early. With a trip to the National Championship on the line, both teams will need to be at their best in what promises to be an electrifying clash of styles.

Oregon Ducks 88/87/90 Depth Chart - 2026
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SR(RS) Kyler Kasper (82)	JR Jeremiah McClellan (81)	FR(RS) Larry Fiedler (79)
TE	SR(RS) Kenyon Sadiq (84)	SO Shaquille Doucet (80)	FR Mario Salas (74)
LT	JR(RS) Gernorris Wilson (78)	FR Nick Kinley (75)
LG	SR(RS) Kawika Rogers (79)	JR(RS) ipe Moala (80)
C	SR(RS) Iapani Laloulu (87)	FR Ethan Ringo (69)
RG	SO Quincy Roldan (84)	SO(RS) Devin Brooks (76)
RT	SO(RS) Fox Crader (80)	SO Levi Avant (82)
WR	JR Jurrion Dickey (86)	SR Rico Flores Jr (84)	SR(RS) Justius Lowe (78)
QB	SR Dante Moore (87)	SR(RS) Emmett Brown (84)
HB	SR(RS) Jay Harris (78)	FR Oscar Barbosa (75)	FR Taylor Freeman (74)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR Aydin Breland (87)	SO(RS) Xadavien Sims (82)
NT	JR(RS) Terrance Green (88)	FR(RS) Matt Wadman (82)
RDE	SR(RS) Matayo Uiagalelei (88)	SR De'ontay Rogers (84)
LOLB	JR Elijah Rushing (86)	SR(RS) Blake Purchase (84)
LILB	SR(RS) Devon Jackson (86)	FR(RS) Maka Mauga (80)
RILB	SO(RS) Kamar Mothudi (83)	FR Connor Cantrell (75)
ROLB	SO(RS) Dylan Williams (79)	FR(RS) Alex Melendez (81)
CB	SR(RS) Sione Laulea (86)	JR(RS) Daylen Austin (82)	FR(RS) Tavares Duvall (80)
SS	SR Raider Damuni (82)	JR(RS) Tyler Turner (81)
FS	SO(RS) Peyton Woodyard (88)	FR Trae Brees (76)
CB	SO(RS) Ify Obidegwu (84)	SR(RS) Rodrick Pleasant (83)	FR(RS) Tavares Duvall (80)

Oregon Ducks Stats - 2026
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Dante Moore	283/426 (66%)	3,842	9.0	274.4	75	37	5	168.5
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
John Anenih *INJ*	214	1,012	4.7	62	12	13	72.3	2
Jay Harris	57	183	3.2	29	1	3	13.1	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Rico Flores Jr	55	786	14.3	7	72	6	56.1	353
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Devon Jackson	53	10	63	3	4	2	4	0
DE Aydin Breland	29	11	40	9.5	13	2	0	0
DE De'ontay Rogers	30	9	39	9.5	5	1	0	0
CB Daylen Austin	50	12	62	0.5	0	4	3	0

Matchup Preview *|* January 2, 2027
	@
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (, Away)		#1 USC Trojans (, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 2, 2027
	@
#10 Iowa Hawkeyes (, Away)		#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (, Home)

Matchup Preview *|* January 2, 2027
	@
#14 South Carolina Gamecocks (, Away)		#9 Utah Utes (, Home)

[Deuce2223]

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

Horrible draw in the seeding. You get to take on a Oregon squad that dropped 70 in the 1st Round.. Going to be a offensive shootout for sure.

[redsox907]

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

Ball State Advances After Overtime Thriller In The Desert!


Former Kansas CB Kaleb Purdy with the play of the game, knocking down the potential game tying touchdown on 4th and 11 to send Ball State to the Semis.

Oregon Ducks at Ball State Cardinals
Jan 2, 2027 1 2 3 4 OT F #4 ORE (13-1) 7 3 3 15 0 28 #5 BALL (13-0) 14 0 7 7 7 35 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 16/27, 338 Yds, 3 TD RUSH: BS Christian Davis - 19 Att, 131 Yds, TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 6 Rec, 267 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison ORE BALL First Downs 22 17 3rd Down Efficiency 4/12 4/13 4th Down Efficiency 0/1 2/3 Total Yards 490 558 Passing Yards 463 338 Rushing Yards 19 - (-3) 34 - 149 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4 - 34 3 - 25 Turnovers 1 1 Time of Possession 19:30 24:30
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING ORE BALL 4:39 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 10 Yd Run 0 7 3:52 (ORE) Kyler Kasper, 75 Yd Pass From Dante Moore 7 7 0:44 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 45 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 7 14 SECOND QUARTER SCORING ORE BALL 4:07 (ORE) Grant Meadors, 47 Yd FG 10 14 THIRD QUARTER SCORING ORE BALL 4:17 (ORE) Grant Meadors, 56 Yd FG 13 14 1:20 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 70 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 21 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING ORE BALL 3:35 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 80 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 13 28 2:56 (ORE) Kyler Kasper, 9 Yd Pass From Dante Moore 20 28 1:20 (ORE) Rico Flores Jr, 19 Yd Pass From Dante Moore (2PT) 28 28 OVERTIME SCORING ORE BALL (BALL) Christian Davis, 2 Yd Run 28 35
Oregon Ducks PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Dante Moore 28/47 463 3 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Dante Moore 9 -55 -6.1 0 Jay Harris 6 30 5.0 0 Taylor Freeman 4 22 5.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kyler Kasper 9 176 19.5 2 Rico Flores Jr 7 113 16.1 1 Kenyon Sadiq 6 120 20.0 0 Jurrion Dickey 3 38 12.6 0 Jay Harris 2 7 3.5 0 Jeremiah McClellan 1 4 4.0 0 Taylor Freeman 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Kawika Rogers 9 1 Gernorris Wilson 1 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Devon Jackson 12 0.5 (1TFL) 0 (FF) 0 FS Peyton Woodyard 11 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DT Terrance Green 8 1 (3TFL) 0 0 DE Matayo Uiagalelei 6 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE De'ontay Rogers 5 2 (4TFL) 0 (FR) 0 DE Aydin Breland 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Grant Meadors 2/2 2/2 8 56 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Luke Dunne 5 204 40.8 2 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Jeremiah McClelland 1 14 14.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Jeremiah McClelland 3 16 5.3 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 16/27 338 3 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 19 131 6.8 1 Kadin Semonza 14 16 1.1 1 Nick Presley 1 2 2.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Nyck Harbor 6 267 44.5 3 Philip Onwualu 5 46 9.2 0 Nick Presley 2 19 9.5 0 Cam Pickett 1 7 7.0 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 1 2 2.0 0 Christian Davis 1 -3 -3.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Carl Poyer 3 2 Arkel Anugwom 1 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Isaiah Thacker 9 1 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 8 1 (2TFL) 0 0 SS Tawfiq Byard 7 0 0 0 MLB Dalton Townsel 4 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humphries 4 2 (2TFL) 0 0 FS Elijah Davis 3 0 1 0 DE Dakari Frazier 3 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Cameron Jones 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Caden Johnson 2 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 SS Devin Teague 2 0 0 (FF) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jackson Courville 0/0 5/5 5 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Carson Holmer 6 237 39.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Christian Davis 2 44 22.0 0 Philip Onwualu 2 23 11.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 4 1.3 0

LEFT - Rico Flores Jr barely got his foot inside the white, scoring the potential game tying touchdown whiel atoning for his earlier redzone mishap.
CENTER - Nyck Harbor and every Cardinal fan that made the trip from Muncie thought the game was over after Harbor's 3rd TD extended Ball State's lead 28-13.
RIGHT - Christian Davis tried fighting for more yardage, but instead gifted the Ducks new life as his fumble set up the game tying touchdown.

Glendale, AZ. - In one of the most dramatic games of the college football season, the #5 Ball State Cardinals (14-0) edged the #4 Oregon Ducks (13-2) 35-28 in overtime at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. With the victory, the undefeated Cardinals secured a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals, thanks to a gritty performance on both sides of the ball.

Ball State struck first with a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Kadin Semonza to cap off a methodical 16-play drive. Oregon responded immediately, as Dante Moore connected with Kyler Kasper on the first play of the Ducks’ ensuing drive for a 75-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7. The Cardinals regained the lead when Semonza found Nyck Harbor for a 45-yard touchdown pass to end the quarter ahead 14-7.

Oregon’s offense struggled to find its rhythm against Ball State’s ferocious pass rush. A pair of sacks by Scott Humphries forced the Ducks to settle for a 47-yard field goal by Grant Meadors, cutting the deficit to 14-10. The Cardinals’ defense held firm, as the quarter ended without further scoring.

Oregon inched closer with a 56-yard field goal from Meadors early in the third quarter, but Semonza continued his electric connection with Harbor, hitting him for a 70-yard touchdown. Harbor’s explosive play gave the Cardinals a 21-13 lead heading into the final period.

Ball State appeared to seal the game early in the fourth when Semonza found Harbor once again—this time for an 86-yard touchdown—stretching the lead to 28-13. The Ducks, however, refused to go quietly. Moore hit Kasper for a 9-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to eight.

On the next Ball State possession, Christian Davis fumbled on his first carry, giving the Ducks another chance. Moore orchestrated a five-play drive and found Rico Flores Jr. for a 19-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone. Flores, who had fumbled earlier at the 1-yard line to set up Harbor's 3rd TD, redeemed himself, and Oregon converted the two-point play to tie the game at 28 with 1:21 left.

After a Ball State three-and-out, Oregon had a chance to win but turned the ball over on an interception. Semonza connected with Harbor for a 38-yard gain, but time expired after Harbor failed to get out of bonds sending the contest into overtime.

In overtime, Ball State struck first. Semonza found Philip Onwualu for a 23-yard gain, setting up Davis for a 2-yard touchdown run to put the Cardinals ahead 35-28. Oregon’s ensuing drive reached fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, where a potential touchdown was wiped out by a holding penalty on tackle Gernorris Wilson. Backed up to the 11, Moore’s final pass into the end zone was broken up by Kansas trasnfer Kaleb Purdy, sealing the win for Ball State.

Nyck Harbor delivered an unforgettable performance, hauling in three touchdown passes of 45, 70, and 86 yards to spark the Cardinals’ offense. Ball State’s defense was relentless, amassing nine sacks—three in the first half, five in the second half, and one in overtime—with Scott Humphries anchoring the pressure. Kadin Semonza showcased poise and precision, contributing four total touchdowns, while Christian Davis redeemed himself for a late-game fumble by scoring the overtime-winning touchdown. This victory highlighted Ball State’s ability to capitalize on big plays and deliver in crucial moments, sending them to their first-ever College Football Playoff semifinal.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at USC Trojans
Jan 2, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-2)	7	7	0	14	28
#1 USC Trojans (13-0)	0	10	0	13	23

Iowa Hawkeyes at Alabama Crimson Tide
Jan 2, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#10 Iowa Hawkeyes (9-4)	7	3	7	0	17
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2)	14	10	7	14	45

South Carolina Gamecocks at Utah Utes
Jan 2, 2026	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#14 South Carolina Gamecocks (11-3)	0	7	14	3	24
#9 Utah Utes (11-2)	0	3	0	7	10