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

[Deuce2223]

Despite losing, still looked/sounded like a fun game to play.

It's interesting that Washington made a run at Coach Savage. Both the Huskies and Trojans are making offers to Coach Miller. Both rosters are loaded and I am sure playing in front of 60,000 fans in the Bg Ten would be more exciting then 16,000 in CUSA.

What would be your dream list of schools you would like to potentially take.

I know me even though i have plans to keeps ties to FIU even after I leave, playing with Logan and getting a look at my 4* QB's for a full season is still super major draw for me to stay.

Well recruiting is still pretty easy in terms of landing 4* and 3* to FIU, I pretty much don't even leave the state unless a recruit has me Top 8 to start the year. Landing the 4* and potential 5* i would really like isn't going to happen anytime soon. Miami, Florida, Florida State all go hard after any instate 5* and most of the top 4* talent is getting offers from Georgia, Oregon, Alabama ect..

I am guessing you face the same struggles in the MAC, and being in Indiana with less instate kids. Top talent is going to probably be offered by all the Big Ten schools and Notre Dame

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2027 Ball State Pre-Season Recruiting

Muncie, IN. - Ball State continues to make strides in high school recruiting under Coach Nash Savage, building on their impressive 26-3 record over the past two seasons. After signing a program-best six 4-star recruits last offseason, Savage and his team are poised to maintain that momentum heading into 2027, with nine 4-star prospects currently on their big board as the season begins.

“We haven’t broken into the 5-star recruit territory yet,” Savage admitted. “Last year, we had a shot with Alex Carmazzi, but he ultimately chose Ohio State. This year, there aren’t any local 5-star prospects listing us as a preseason favorite, so we’ve shifted our focus back to locking in as many 4- and 3-star recruits as possible.”

With only 15 seniors graduating this year, compared to 30 last season, Ball State has the flexibility to pursue higher-tier recruits and take a more strategic approach.

“Last year, we balanced targeting top-tier players with ensuring depth through solid 3-star additions,” Savage explained. “This season, we need to replace key contributors, so we’re prioritizing high-quality recruits to maintain and elevate our program’s success.”

Ball State Recruiting Rankings - 2026
Championship Contender: A- 26th (25th - 2026)
Program Tradition: B- 56th (107th - 2026)
Campus Lifestyle: C- 130th
Stadium Atmosphere: C- 98th (130th - 2026)
Pro Potential: D+ 103rd (42nd - 2026)
Brand Exposure: C 91st (106th - 2026)
Academic Prestige: C 85th
Conference Prestige: C- 10th (11th - 2026)
Coach Stability: D+ 108th (102nd - 2026)
Coach Prestige: A- 19th (65th - 2026)
Athletic Facilities: D+ 108th
Team Prestige: 2 1/2 *

Caliber	Name	Position	Height	Weight	Hometown	Tendency	NAT/STA/POS
4*	Spencer Lewis	WR	5'9	202	Oak Lawn, IL	Deep Threat	42/3/2
4*	PJ Barmore	ATH	6'1	195	Belleville, MI	Scrambled	44/5/5
4*	Daryl Pope	WR	6'3	195	Indianapolis, IN	Physical	46/1/4
4*	Jelani Philip	MLB	6'3	238	Naperville, IL	Field General	77/4/5
4*	Duke de Beer	LB	6'4	262	Belleville, MI	Power Rusher	102/7/1
4*	Matt Etienne	LB	6'1	234	Bloomfield Hills, MI	Pass Coverage	125/8/2
4*	Joseph Stove	MLB	6'1	228	Merrillville, IN	Pass Coverage	200/4/13
4*	John Stock	S	6'2	195	Sumter, SC	Hybrid	241/7/11
4*	Kyree Artmore	DE	6'4	281	Chicago, IL	Run Stopper	306/9/23
3*	Bart Blackstock	LB	6'0	234	Mooresville, IL	Pass Coverage	494/11/29
3*	Frank Snyder	WR	5'9	187	Huntington, IL	Deep Threat	577/13/67
3*	Devin Todman	HB	6'0	232	Grandview, MO	Power Back	615/7/60
3*	Devin Blunt	G	6'5	312	West Branch, MI	Power	656/10/12
3*	Tyreke Rhodes	T	6'7	290	Fort Wayne, IN	Power	657/17/20
3*	Scott Landry	C	6'1	288	Sterling, VA	Agile	666/15/16
3*	Noah Meeks	G	6'2	312	Saline, MI	Power	671/19/36
3*	Tyler Warmack	QB	6'4	210	San Mateo, CA *JUCO*	Field General	1735/135/139

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Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

Despite losing, still looked/sounded like a fun game to play. It's interesting that Washington made a run at Coach Savage. Both the Huskies and Trojans are making offers to Coach Miller. Both rosters are loaded and I am sure playing in front of 60,000 fans in the Bg Ten would be more exciting then 16,000 in CUSA. What would be your dream list of schools you would like to potentially take. I know me even though i have plans to keeps ties to FIU even after I leave, playing with Logan and getting a look at my 4* QB's for a full season is still super major draw for me to stay. Well recruiting is still pretty easy in terms of landing 4* and 3* to FIU, I pretty much don't even leave the state unless a recruit has me Top 8 to start the year. Landing the 4* and potential 5* i would really like isn't going to happen anytime soon. Miami, Florida, Florida State all go hard after any instate 5* and most of the top 4* talent is getting offers from Georgia, Oregon, Alabama ect.. I am guessing you face the same struggles in the MAC, and being in Indiana with less instate kids. Top talent is going to probably be offered by all the Big Ten schools and Notre Dame

I expected to lose the game, but a game ending INT is not what I had in mind. But it happens. So far the HC offers I've gotten were Nevada and SJSU in 2025, then Washington and Cal offered this year. Plus a handful of coordinator jobs at P5 schools.

I'm more than likely going to stay away from the west coast, so Pac-12 and MWC, and the Big Ten just to avoid getting bored with the same base schools again. SEC is definitely my dream to end up at, but Big 12 or ACC I wouldn't completely hate either. Ole Miss / Mississippi St are the two I think would be my preferred destinations, SEC schools that have a solid base but haven't been good in a while. Florida State, Oklahoma, and OK St were all available in the offseason and I would have probably taken one of those if offered, rebuilding FSU in the SEC seems like it would be a decent challenge. But if something big opened up and I was offered (Texas, ND, Clemson, etc.) I would probably take it in a heartbeat lol.

As far as recruiting goes, having Ohio State and Notre Dame in your top two pipeline states is rough. Carmazzi I was actually leading in at one point last year, then ND and Ohio State swopped in and cleared me out. None of the 5* in my pipeline had interest and any of the ones I would have wanted had either Michigan, Ohio State, or Notre Dame in their top 3 already. I've only got 500 hours to spend, so I didn't want to dump 50 a week into a losing cause.

I don't think I mentioned it in the beginning, but I'm not investing any coaching points into the recruiting tree this time around. Any boosts I get will be from coordinators soley and I'm using my points in the Motivator and Architect skills to boost players progression. I might not be able to get the top players via recruiting, but I can make them better and I think that blends more with how a coach at Ball State would need to stay competitive realistically anyways.

I'll touch on it in my season preview, but this feels like the "last hurrah" for Savage at Ball State. I anticipate with another 10+ win season he'll get a few more offers from quality P5 schools and with Semonza leaving after the season it would be a nice transition, having a new coach take over with a new QB.

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2027 Ball State Season Preview

Muncie, IN. - The prevailing sentiment at the Ball State Cardinals’ spring game was clear: This is our year. After finally breaking through last season with a Heisman-winning quarterback and a young, offensively gifted head coach, the program is poised to make a national statement.

Beneath the optimism, however, lies a sense of urgency: This may have to be their year. Quarterback Kadin Semonza is heading into his final season. Star wide receiver Nyck Harbor and wide receiver Philip Onwualu are likely NFL-bound. And looming over it all is the future of head coach Nash Savage.

“It’s only a matter of time until one of these Power Five schools—especially one that’s been struggling—sees a young offensive savant and thinks, ‘He’s the guy to turn it around,’” remarked Kirk Herbstreit on ESPN’s College GameDay season preview.

Savage has already turned down head coaching offers from Nevada, San Jose State, California, and Washington over the past two seasons. However, the writing on the wall suggests he won’t be in Muncie forever. This adds even more pressure on Ball State to capitalize on its talented roster and coach while they still can.

Despite the challenges ahead, the Cardinals have the tools to remain competitive against top programs. Their schedule leaves little room for error, starting with three consecutive games against ranked opponents from the Big Ten and SEC. Ball State will open the season in Iowa City, host Kentucky in Muncie, and then travel to Happy Valley for a clash with Penn State.

Defense remains a question mark, particularly with the loss of depth in the secondary. And while Semonza will have his reliable duo of Harbor and Onwualu, the team must determine whether a third playmaker can emerge—or if the two stars will be enough to carry the load.

Still, the potential for record-breaking performances provides plenty of excitement. Semonza enters his senior season just 32 touchdown passes shy of breaking Case Keenum’s career record of 155. Meanwhile, Harbor, sitting just over 1,000 yards from Corey Davis’ all-time receiving record of 5,285 yards, will aim to solidify his place in college football history.

The Cardinals proved last season they can produce eye-popping numbers. But this season will hinge on their ability to avoid turnovers, sustain offensive production against elite talent, and generate enough defensive stops to hold onto leads.

Coach Savage and the Ball State Cardinals will look to answer those questions when they take the field at Kinnick Stadium on September 4th to kick off their 2027 campaign.

Ball State Cardinals 2027 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 4	at #8 Iowa (9-5)
Sep 11	vs #22 Kentucky (9-4)
Sep 18	at #9 Penn State (8-5)
Sep 25	vs BYE
Oct 2	at Western Michigan (5-7)
Oct 9	vs Toledo (10-4)
Oct 16	vs Bowling Green (7-6)
Oct 23	at Central Michigan (6-7)
Oct 30	at Miami (OH) (6-7)
Nov 6	vs Ohio (4-8)
Nov 13	at Northern Illinois (7-6)
Nov 20	vs Kent State (3-9)
Nov 27	vs Akron (1-11)

Name	Position	Class	Original OVR	Current OVR
Kadin Semonza	QB	SR(RS)	80	84
Emory Williams	QB	SR(RS)	77	81
Titus Awe	QB	FR	71	71
TJ Horton	HB	SR(RS)	71	80
Legend Ogbagu	HB	FR(RS)	64	76
Cortez Duva	HB	FR	76	76
Christian Davis	HB	SR(RS)	71	75
Philip Onwualu	WR	JR	74	87
Nyck Harbor	WR	SR(RS)	78	81
Dee Katula	WR	SO(RS)	81	81
RJ Mukes III	WR	SR(RS)	59	77
Barry Poutasi	WR	SO(RS)	64	75
Jonathan Lacosse	WR	FR	65	65
Theo Hrynkiewicz	TE	JR(RS)	67	82
Carson Bruhn	TE	JR(RS)	76	81
Marvin Mooney	TE	SO(RS)	64	75
Netori Blades	TE	FR(RS)	65	72
Anthony Okine	T	SO(RS)	67	82
Terrance Madison	T	FR	76	76
Carl Poyer	T	JR	70	80
Antonio Cheeks	T	SO(RS)	67	79
James Fritts	T	FR(RS)	71	75
Rashad Bunting	T	SO	72	72
Eli Freeman	G	SR(RS)	70	84
Tristan Cook	G	SR(RS)	75	80
Zach Bandy	G	JR(RS)	66	80
Arkel Anugwom	G	JR(RS)	73	82
Jaden Rasmussen	G	SO(RS)	70	79
Alonzo Atogwe	G	FR(RS)	67	76
Tyler Carraway	G	FR	71	71
Cody Smith	C	SR(RS)	70	81
Isaac Lucas	C	SR(RS)	72	79
Logan Wilbur	C	JR(RS)	65	79
Scott Humphries	DE	JR	71	84
Cameron Jones	DE	JR(RS)	83	84
Ben Marsh	DE	JR(RS)	68	79
Stephen Hippenhammer	DE	FR	69	69
Kenneth Merrieweather	DE	SR(RS)	81	84
Barry Hockenson	DE	SO(RS)	65	78
Rashaud Pepper	DE	FR(RS)	69	74
Jamie Duarte	DE	SO(RS)	74	74
Greg Bushman	DE	FR(RS)	68	73
Devin Lund	DT	SO(RS)	69	80
Brenan Vernon	DT	JR(RS)	74	79
Cam Chmura	DT	JR(RS)	79	79
Imani Miles	DT	FR(RS)	69	75
Tiomte Dove	DT	FR	75	75
Callum Cleveland	DT	SO	67	67
Tucker Foster	LB	SO(RS)	65	81
Greg Vernon	LB	FR	78	78
Kyle Fong	LB	JR	76	76
Jarrad Ogle	LB	FR	75	75
Ethan Evers	LB	SR(RS)	73	83
Amari Jimoh	LB	SO(RS)	69	74
Derek Plummer	LB	FR(RS)	69	69
JaMichael Tabor	MLB	SO	77	83
Dalton Townsel	MLB	JR	70	78
Matthew Scroggins	MLB	FR(RS)	69	77
Glenn McCord	MLB	SO	75	75
Diego Camacho	MLB	FR	68	68
Willizhuan Yates	CB	JR(RS)	76	81
Brandon Nicholson	CB	JR(RS)	77	81
Jordan Suggs	CB	JR(RS)	64	80
Jordan Davis	CB	JR(RS)	72	80
JP Kitchings	CB	SO(RS)	69	77
Timothy Hay	CB	FR(RS)	68	76
Jacobi Oliphant Jr	CB	JR(RS)	76	76
Warren Hart	CB	SO(RS)	76	76
Cooper Mahoney	CB	FR	68	68
Jimmy Hurns	CB	FR	67	67
Marcus Badie	CB	FR	66	66
Isaiah Thacker	FS	SR(RS)	79	86
Elijah Davis	FS	SR(RS)	76	81
Steven Tyree	FS	FR(RS)	67	78
Jason Cross Jr	FS	JR(RS)	77	77
Pat Ruggins	FS	FR	74	74
Devin Teague	SS	SO(RS)	66	81
Cole Earlewine	SS	SR(RS)	69	77
Jeremy Maslowski	SS	FR	67	67
Darrelle Stephen	K	FR	67	67
Nick Pino	P	SO(RS)	72	74

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2027 Week One Preview

Matchup Preview *|* September 4, 2027
	@
#19 Ball State Cardinals (, Away)		#8 Iowa Hawkeyes (, Home)
Game Notes Iowa City, IA. - The Ball State Cardinals traveled into Bloomington, Indiana last season and upset the then 9th ranked Indiana Hoosiers to set up a dream season for the Cardinals. Iowa will be looking to stop an encore in its track this weekend. The Hawkeyes have one of the best offensive lines in football and if they can keep James Resar clean, the dual threat QB could have a field day against a Cardinals defense that lived and died by the sack last year.

Iowa Hawkeyes 87/87/87 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	JR(RS) Dayton Howard (84)	SR(RS) Jarriett Buie (83)	JR Brendan Wozniak (74)
TE	SR Gavin Hoffman (86)	JR(RS) Patrick Schaller (80)	SR(RS) Zach Ortwerth (79)
LT	SR(RS) Trevor Lauck (88)	SO Tommy Hunt (74)
LG	SR(RS) Leighton Jones (85)	SR(RS) Kade Pieper (84)
C	SR(RS) Cade Borud (88)	SO(RS) Curt Welsh (78)
RG	JR(RS) Cody Fox (81)	SO(RS) Larry Reede (80)
RT	JR(RS) Will Nolan (81)	FR David Calcaterra (74)
WR	SR Reece Vander Zee (86)	JR(RS) KJ Parker (83)	JR(RS) Kane Herzlich (81)
QB	JR(RS) James Resar (81)	SR(RS) Marco Lainez (80)
FB	SR(RS) Rusty Vanwetzinga (78)
HB	SR(RS) Terrell Washington Jr (89)	SR(RS) Kamari Moulton (85)	FR(RS) Rico Woods (80)
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	JR(RS) Joseph Anderson (84)	JR(RS) Chima Chineke (83)
LDT	SR(RS) Chase Brackney (84)	FR Dwayne Hargreaves (74)
RDT	SO(RS) Melvin Powell (77)	SO(RS) Quincey Dora (73)
RDE	SO(RS) Curt Barnhardt (78)	FR Zac Biggs (74)
WLB	SR(RS) Nolan DeLong (83)	JR(RS) Melvin Pape (83)
MLB	JR Marvin Bowe (89)	SR Derek Weisskopf (83)
SLB	SO(RS) Marlon Hillhouse (82)	FR Jeff Ruud (74)
CB	SR(RS) Teegan Davis (87)	FR(RS) Eric Irving (79)	SO Tommy Ah You (75)
SS	JR DeMaro Bromell (80)	FR Timmy Searles (69)
FS	SR(RS) Zach Lutmer (80)	JR Steven Brown (77)
CB	SR(RS) Kahlil Tate (87)	FR(RS) Juan Lalos (76)	SO Tommy Ah You (75)

Week One MAC Schedule
Buffalo @ #11 Michigan
Northern Illinois @ Nebraska
Akron @ Rutgers
San Diego State @ Eastern Michigan
Toledo @ #22 Kentucky
Southern Miss @ Central Michigan
Bowling Green @ Ohio State
FCS East vs WesternM Michigan


Notable Week One Matchups
#10 Oklahoma @ #25 Clemson
#13 Tennessee @ #17 Virgina Tech
#3 Miami @ #20 Iowa State
#2 Texas @ #4 South Carolina

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Cardinals Defense Silences Critics In Road Victory


Kenneth Merrieweather drilling QB James Resar for the 2nd time as Ball State amassed 7 sacks and 3 interceptions in the contest, keeping Resar on edge all afternoon.

Ball State Cardinals at Iowa Hawkeyes
Sep 4, 2027 1 2 3 4 F #19 BALL (0-0) 0 10 3 21 34 #8 IOWA (0-0) 3 0 0 8 11 Top Performers PASS: BS Kadin Semonza - 26/32, 294 Yds, 2 TD RUSH: BS Kadin Semonza - 18 Att, 130 Yds, 2 TD REC: BS Nyck Harbor - 3 Rec, 116 Yds, TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL IOWA First Downs 28 14 3rd Down Efficiency 7/12 1/8 4th Down Efficiency 1/1 1/2 Total Yards 553 325 Passing Yards 294 311 Rushing Yards 34 - 234 14 - (-39) Penalties-Penalty Yards 5 - 45 2 - 15 Turnovers 1 3 Time of Possession 26:41 17:19
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 0:40 (IOWA) Jamie Trueblood, 41 Yd FG 0 3 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 6:22 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 23 Yd FG 3 3 1:53 (BALL) Philip Onwualu, 6 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 10 3 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 6:08 (BALL) Darrelle Stephen, 47 Yd FG 13 3 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL IOWA 9:37 (BALL) Nyck Harbor, 15 Yd Pass From Kadin Semonza 20 3 4:57 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 3 Yd Run 27 3 2:56 (IOWA) Dayton Howard, 74 Yd Pass From James Resar (2PT) 27 11 1:40 (BALL) Kadin Semonza, 2 Yd Run 34 11
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kadin Semonza 26/32 294 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kadin Semonza 18 130 7.2 2 Christian Davis 13 95 7.3 0 Cortez Duval 3 9 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 9 77 8.5 1 RJ Mukes III 6 34 5.6 0 Theo Hrynkiewicz 5 41 8.2 0 Nyck Harbor 3 116 38.6 1 Dee Katula 2 19 9.5 0 Legend Ogbogu 1 7 7.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Eli Freeman 9 0 Arkel Anugwom 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD FS Elijah Davis 6 0 0 0 CB Willizhuan Yates 6 0 2 0 MLB JaMichael Tabor 4 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 LB Ethan Evers 2 2 (2TFL) 1 0 DE Kenneth Merrieweather 3 1.5 (2TFL) 0 0 MLB Glenn McCord 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Scott Humprhies 2 2 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Darrelle Stephen 2/3 4/4 10 48 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Nick Pino 2 74 37.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Cole Earlewin 1 2 2.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Philip Onwualu 3 23 7.6 0 Iowa Hawkeyes PASSING C/A YDS TD INT James Resar 19/34 311 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD James Resar 7 -59 -8.4 0 Rico Woods 5 18 3.6 0 Terrell Washington Jr 2 2 1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Reece Vander Zee 5 84 16.8 0 Dayton Howard 5 119 23.8 1 Jarriett Buie 4 64 16.0 0 Patrick Schaller 2 14 7.0 0 Gavin Hoffman 2 24 12.0 0 KJ Parker 1 6 6.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Leighton Jones 4 2 Trevor Lauck 0 4 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Khalil Tate 18 0 0 0 DE Joseph Anderson 7 0 (3TFL) 0 0 FS Zach Lutmer 6 0 0 (FF) 0 DT Chase Brackney 6 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Eric Irving 6 0 0 (FR) 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jamie Trueblood 1/1 0/0 3 42 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Rhys Dakin 4 159 39.7 2 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Lonnie Mallory 3 46 15.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Lonnie Mallory 2 7 3.5 0

LEFT - Kadin Semonza waving the crowd goodbye after his 3 yard rushing touchdown pushed Ball State's lead to 27-3
CENTER - Dayton Howard hauled in the only touchdown of the day for Iowa late in the 4th quarter, leaving the defense spinning on the route before collecting the ball and finishing off the 74 yard TD.
RIGHT - Willizhuan Yates nabbed two interceptions in the game, including this 2nd Q INT to shut down a potential scoring drive by Iowa while still tied 3-3.

Iowa City, IA. - Add another shocking upset to the ledger after the #19 Ball State Cardinals dismantled the #8 Iowa Hawkeyes on their home turf, dominating in a 34-11 victory. Behind a stellar performance from reigning Heisman Trophy winner Kadin Semonza and a relentless defensive effort, Ball State made a statement to the nation.

The game started slowly, with Iowa taking a 3-0 lead in the first quarter courtesy of a 41-yard field goal by Jamie Trueblood. However, Ball State found their rhythm in the second quarter. Freshman kicker Darrelle Stephen tied the game with a 23-yard field goal, and Semonza connected with Philip Onwualu for a six-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 10-3 halftime lead.

A missed 27-yard field goal by Stephen as time expired in the second quarter kept Iowa within striking distance, but the Cardinals never looked back. Stephen redeemed himself with a 47-yarder early in the third quarter, extending the lead to 13-3.

The fourth quarter turned into a showcase for Semonza and the Cardinals’ balanced attack. Semonza threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Nyck Harbor and added two short rushing touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Iowa’s lone touchdown came on a 74-yard bomb from James Resar to Dayton Howard, but it was too little, too late.

Ball State’s defense was suffocating all game, holding Iowa to just 272 total yards of offense, including an abysmal -39 yards rushing due to seven sacks. The Cardinals’ defensive front harassed Iowa quarterback James Resar all afternoon, forcing three interceptions to go along with the sacks.

On the other side of the ball, Ball State racked up 526 yards of offense, with 294 coming through the air and 234 on the ground. Semonza was nearly flawless, completing 26 of 32 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 130 rushing yards and two scores on 18 carries, putting his dual-threat capabilities on full display.

Freshman kicker Darrelle Stephen overcame early nerves, going 2-for-3 on field goals, including a clutch 48-yarder coming out of halftime. Nyck Harbor chipped in with a crucial 55-yard reception that set up a missed field goal at the end of the second quarter and added a touchdown grab in the fourth quarter.

For Ball State, this win cements their place as a legitimate contender in the 2027 season. However, the Cardinals will face an early challenge after star wide receiver Philip Onwualu left the game late in the fourth quarter. While his presence will be missed, the Cardinals dodged a bullet—Onwualu is set to miss the next three weeks with an abdominal tear but is expected to return when Ball State begins conference play in Week 5.

Meanwhile, Iowa will need to regroup quickly after being outclassed in nearly every aspect of the game.

Week One MAC Results
13 Buffalo @ #7 Michigan 27
17 Northern Illinois @ Nebraska 24
34 Akron @ #24 Rutgers 42
24 San Diego State @ Eastern Michigan 13
39 Toledo @ #19 Kentucky 41
21 Souther Miss @ Central Michigan 34
27 Bowling Green @ Ohio State 35
20 FCS @ Western Michigan 37

Notable Week One Results
56 #6 Oklahoma @ Clemson 35
30 Syracuse @ #18 Penn State 14
31 Arkansas State @ #23 Georgia Tech 23
27 #21 Tennessee @ #12 Virginia Tech 35
24 #3 Miami @ #20 Iowa State 19
28 #8 Texas @ #1 South Carolina 38

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2027 Week Two Preview

Matchup Preview *|* September 11, 2027
	@
#19 Kentucky Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Away)		#10 Ball State Cardinals (1-0, 0-0 Home)
Injury Report TE Willie Rodriguez (80) Abdominal Tear (3 Weeks) WR Philip Onwualu (87) Abdominal Tear (3 Weeks) Game Notes Muncie, IN – The Kentucky Wildcats learned the hard way that the Mid-American Conference (MAC) is no longer a league to overlook. In Week 1, perennial MAC runner-up Toledo nearly pulled off the upset, pushing Kentucky to double overtime in a thrilling 41-39 shootout. A failed two-point conversion was all that separated the Wildcats from defeat, in the first of two games they’ll play against the MAC’s top teams this season. Now, Ball State is ready to prove the gap between second place and first in the MAC is as wide as the Grand Canyon. Fresh off a statement win over 8th ranked Iowa, the Cardinals are aiming to further solidify their reputation as legitimate contenders. Under head coach Nash Savage, Ball State has been fearless against the nation’s best, posting a 5-3 record against ranked teams in his brief tenure. The message is clear: these Cardinals don’t back down. This week, all eyes will be on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Kaiden Semonza as he navigates a critical test without star wide receiver Philip Onwualu, who will miss the next two games. Onwualu has been Semonza’s go-to weapon, tallying over 200 receptions across the last two seasons. In his absence, RJ Mukes III and transfer wideout Dee Katula will need to step up alongside Nyck Harbor to keep the Cardinals’ offense firing on all cylinders.

Kentucky Wildcats 86/85/87 Depth Chart - 2027
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	SO Alexander Duff (80)	JR(RS) David Washington Jr (80)	SO Fredrick Boyett (78)
TE	FR(RS) Enrique Northrop (80)	SR(RS) Mason Williams (77)	SO(RS) Gordon Hitchcok (77)
LT	JR(RS) Julio Dudley (81)	SO(RS) Rafael Barnes (79)
LG	SR(RS) Austin Ramsey (87)	SO(RS) Jamille Hasty (82)
C	SR(RS) Koby Keenum (86)	JR(RS) Aba Selm (86)
RG	SO(RS) Steven Beard (83)	FR Jimmy Bettis (76)
RT	SR(RS) Afernee Crease (77)	SO Lamar Bail (76)
WR	JR Jason Watts (82)	JR(RS) Kyson Anderson (81)	FR(RS) JR Presley (80)
QB	JR(RS) Cutter Boley (82)	SO(RS) John Tyms (73)
HB	SR Jason Patterson (83)	SO(RS) Leland Mahoney (78)	SR Tovani Mizell (75)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	SR Brian Robinson (88)	SO(RS) Jay Vaughn (80)
NT	FR(RS) George Garnes (85)	SR(RS) Tommy Ziesmer (82)
RDE	JR James Contreras (85)	SO(RS) Ricardo Blount (80)
LOLB	SR(RS) Grant Godfrey (85)	FR(RS) Stephen Lanier (75)
LILB	SR(RS) Devin Smith (86)	FR(RS) Andy Tangelo (79)
RILB	JR Bryce Judovsky (84)	FR Monty Bighill (60)
ROLB	SO Erik Casey (83)	SO Ben Sumner (64)
CB	SR(RS) Nasir Addison (82)	JR(RS) Jiquavious Marshall (79)	JR(RS) Jonathon Gates (76)
SS	SO(RS) Nick Benshaw (78)	FR(RS) Isaac Dobbs (78)
FS	SR Cam Dooley (86)	JR(RS) Jaden Smith (78)
CB	JR Zach Potts (79)	FR(RS) Daniel Velasco (78)	JR(RS) Jonathon Gates (76)

Week Two MAC Schedule
FCS West @ Toledo (1-0)
Marshall (0-0) @ Ohio (0-0)
Central Michigan (2-0) @ Michigan State (1-1)
Western Michigan (1-0) @ Syracuse (1-0)
Coastal Carolina (0-0) @ Eastern Michigan (0-2)
Buffalo (0-1) @ Miami (OH) (1-0)
Kent State (0-0) @ #3 Miami (1-0)
FCS Midwest @ Akron (0-1)

Notable Week Two Matchups
Nebraska (1-0) @ #18 Penn State (0-1)
#16 Iowa (0-1) @ #20 Iowa State (0-1)
#6 Oklahoma (1-0) @ SMU (1-0)
Indiana (0-1) @ #2 Alabama (1-0)

[Deuce2223]

Always nice to start the year off with a "W".. Offense took a little while to warm up but you got it going in the 4th.

Looking forward to that Penn Sate matchup. Should be a good challenge for you and let you know where you sit in terms of beating top tier teams..