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

[Chillcavern]

It’s pretty fitting (and fun!) that you faced Syracuse here! Especially with that level of comeback

[djp73]

That was heated!

[redsox907]

Holy hell what a win

It’s pretty fitting (and fun!) that you faced Syracuse here! Especially with that level of comeback

That was heated!

When we were down 28-7 midway through the 2nd this was literally my thought - this is how it ends huh? Savage's final season and the Orange end it.

Then said FUCK THAT LETS GET IT

I felt like if we were going to lose in the CFP I'd want it to be to either Cuse or Ball State - would be the 2nd best send off to lose to Semonza in the finale. But we ain't going to give it away

[The JZA]

Short of 500! Hell of a game from him

[redsox907]

Short of 500! Hell of a game from him

With the defense loading the box on Barry - we had to have him step up and he didn't disappoint. Bittersweet with this being the last run, Delgado and Mosley in particular I really think could be generational players with a full career

[redsox907]

Texas' Aerial Assault Downs Mountaineers - Sets Up Emotionally Charged National Championship Showdown With Ball State


Emilio Delgado is growing up before the nations eyes - totaling nearly 1,000 passing yards and 9 touchdowns over the Playoffs as his aerial assault sunk the Mountaineers.

fffff
BOXSCORE

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
West Virginia	7	10	7	7	31
Texas	7	38	17	0	52

fffff
coringSummary

Q	Team	Time	Play	West Virginia	Texas
1st	West Virginia	6:56	Doug Shabazz, 22 Yd Pass From Marvin Banks	7	0
1st	Texas	3:58	Prince Oluokon, 16 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	7	7
2nd	Texas	10:25	Barry Orlovsky, 7 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	7	14
2nd	West Virginia	6:25	Glenn Jordan, 55 Yd FG	10	14
2nd	Texas	3:19	Prince Hooey, Returned Interception 29 Yds	10	21
2nd	Texas	2:34	Prince Oluokon, 54 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	10	28
2nd	West Virginia	1:56	Oscar Bunting, 52 Yd Pass From Marvin Banks	17	28
2nd	Texas	1:47	John Silverman, 75 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	17	35
3rd	Texas	10:47	Rico Mama, 81 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	17	42
3rd	Texas	5:46	Rico Mama, 83 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	17	49
3rd	West Virginia	5:34	Lamar Figurs, 84 Yd Pass From Marvin Banks	24	49
3rd	Texas	0:29	Edward Jaimes, 23 Yd FG	24	52
4th	West Virginia	7:48	Lamar Figurs, 9 Yd Run	31	52

fffff

Texas Longhorns
Passing_Stats

Emilio Delgado	18/25, 480 Yds, 6 TD, INT

Rushing_Stats

Barry Orlovsky	18 Att, 91 Yds
Earl Petty	7 Att, 39 Yds
Emilio Delgado	3 Att, -15 Yds
Trevor Olson	1 Att, 12 Yds

Receiving_Stats

Rico Mama	8 Rec, 256 Yds, 2 TD
Prince Oluokon	3 Rec, 92 Yds, 2 TD
Barry Orlovsky	2 Rec, 11 Yds
John Silverman	2 Rec, 86 Yds, TD
Trevor Olson	2 Rec. 16 Yds
Titus Hicks	1 Rec, 19 Yds

Defensive_Stats

MLB Timmy Cantwell	9 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks
LB Esteban Castillo	9 Tkl, 3 TFL
FS Bryce Fiedorowicz	7 Tkl, 2 TFL
DE James Mosely	2 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks
CB Prince Hooey	4 Tkl, 2 INT, TD

West Virginia Mountaineers
Passing_Stats

Marvin Banks (84)	26/37, 401 Yds, 3 TD, 2 INT

Rushing_Stats

Lamar Figurs (91)	16 Att, 27 Yds, TD
Marvin Banks (84)	6 Att, 7 Yds

Receiving_Stats

Lamar Figurs (91)	7 Rec, 158 Yds, TD
Doug Shabazz (87)	7 Rec, 96 Yds, TD
Dallas Arnold (81)	6 Rec, 46 Yds
Bruce Dantzler (83)	3 Rec, 27 Yds
Bartt Stevens (85)	2 Rec, 21 Yds
Oscar Bunting (76)	1 Rec, 52 Yds, TD

Defensive_Stats

MLB Shaakir Fatinikun (83)	10 Tkl, TFL
SS Enrique Ortiz (78)	9 Tkl, 2 TFL, INT
DE Caleb Apple (83)	2 Tkl, TFL, Sack
DT Christian Campanaro (80)	1 Tkl, TFL, Sack

fffff

Atlanta, GA. -If Texas’ Sugar Bowl comeback was a test of grit, their Peach Bowl performance was a showcase of pure firepower. Behind another electric outing from redshirt freshman quarterback Emilio Delgado, the Longhorns rolled past West Virginia 56-31 to punch their ticket back to the College Football Playoff National Championship.

For head coach Nash Savage, it sets the stage for the ultimate reunion: a title-game clash with his former program, the Ball State Cardinals.

“This is what you dream of,” Savage said postgame, his voice even but his grin unmistakable. “Two elite programs, two sets of guys I care deeply about. But there’s only room for one champion.”

The Longhorns didn’t start like champions. Barry Orlovsky, still battling the hip injury that knocked him out of the Sugar Bowl, was again limited early, managing just 18 yards on five first-half carries. A back-and-forth first quarter had Texas locked in a stalemate with the Mountaineers as they loaded the box to stop Orlovsky, daring Delgado to beat them.

Bad gamble.

Delgado delivered a passing clinic in the second quarter, torching West Virginia’s press coverage with pinpoint strikes. Prince Oluokon and John Silverman each burned the Mountaineers secondary for long touchdowns, while the Texas defense joined the party when cornerback Prince Hooey jumped a route for a 38-yard pick-six.

By halftime, the scoreboard read 35-17, and the Longhorns never looked back.

“Coach tells me every week: let it fly,” Delgado said after his 480-yard, six-touchdown masterpiece. “So I let it fly.”

West Virginia quarterback Marvin Banks showed his own flashes of brilliance, tossing for over 400 yards, including a dazzling 52-yard catch-and-run by Oscar Bunting late in the second quarter to keep the game interesting. But every time the Mountaineers made a move, Texas responded.

Rico Mama provided the knockout blows, breaking free for an 81-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second half and adding another later in the quarter to balloon the lead to 49-17. Mama, the 6’4” burner, finished with 256 yards and two scores on eight receptions.

“Delgado to Mama is starting to feel like the next great Texas combo,” noted ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit during the broadcast.

The Longhorns’ defensive star didn’t disappoint either. James Mosely, already the NCAA single-season sack leader, added another 2 sacks to his total, pushing the record to a staggering 32.5 on the year.

But there were concerns amid the celebration. For the second straight game, the Texas secondary was torched early, giving up over 400 passing yards before defensive coordinator Quincey Lincoln’s shift to a drop-zone scheme stifled the Mountaineers’ attack.

“That’s playoff football,” Lincoln said bluntly. “They’ve got a year of tape on us. It’s about adjustments — and we’re making them.”

Now all eyes turn to Glendale, where Savage’s present and past collide in the most anticipated championship matchup of the CFP era. Ball State held off BYU 35-30 in the Fiesta Bowl after nearly squandering a 28-3 halftime lead, setting up a rematch of the epic 2035 Peach Bowl where the Cardinals edged Texas on a missed extra point.

“It’s emotional for sure,” admitted Cardinals head coach Kadin Semonza, once Savage’s star pupil. “But when that whistle blows, it’s football. And we want our crown back.”

Prince Oluokon elevating for the first of two touchdowns.


Texas' defense may be getting torched, but timely interceptions have helped stem the tide as Prince Hooey nabbed a pair - including this pick six.


Oscar Bunting with a brutal stiff arm to spring himself free on a 52 yard touchdown catch and run.


James Mosely' added two more sacks as he stretches his NCAA single season record to new heights.

[Agent]

Mosely eating the offense. Literally

[redsox907]

Mosely eating the offense. Literally

He's a one man wrecking crew

He's got gold quick jump and a 90 or so in finesse moves, he doesn't always get home but if I time the jump right he's past the OL before the QB is done dropping back

[redsox907]

Delgado Earns MVP Honors As Longhorns Secure Repeat

\\
BOXSCORE

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Texas	7	14	8	10	39
Ball State	7	3	0	7	17

\\
ScoringSummary

Q	Team	Time	Play	Texas	Ball State
1st	Ball State	6:34	Ben Crum, 7 Yd Run	0	7
1st	Texas	3:53	Dominick Lamur, Returned Interception 50 Yds	7	7
2nd	Texas	5:17	Emilio Delgado, 2 Yd Run	14	7
2nd	Ball State	0:28	Maurice Gooch, 28 Yd FG	14	10
2nd	Texas	0:16	Rico Mama, 84 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	21	10
3rd	Texas	8:07	Barry Orlovsky, 1 Yd Run (Missed XP)	27	10
3rd	Texas	1:35	Safety	29	10
4th	Texas	8:21	Edward Jaimes, 32 Yd FG	32	10
4th	Texas	6:16	Earl Petty, 3 Yd Pass From Emilio Delgado	39	10
4th	Ball State	2:10	Miguel Padrina, 3 Yd Pass From Jabari Okoronkwo	39	17

\\

Texas Longhorns
Passing_Stats

Emilio Delgado	18/27, 406 Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT

Rushing_Stats

Barry Orlovsky	15 Att, 84 Yds, TD
Earl Petty	5 Att, 26 Yds
Emilio Delglado	4 Att, -14 Yds, TD

Receiving_Stats

Rico Mama	8 Rec, 228 Yds, TD
Heath Dalton	3 Rec, 61 Yds
Arie Battles	3 Rec, 34 Yds
Prince Oluokon	2 Rec, 61 Yds
Barry Orlovsky	1 Rec, 19 Yds
Earl Petty	1 Rec, 3 Yds, TD

Defensive_Stats

FS Bryce Fiedorowicz	11 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks, INT
MLB Timmy Cantwell	10 Tkl, TFL
DE James Mosely	3 Tkl, 3 TFL, 2 Sacks
LB Jimmy Vellano	3 Tkl, TFL, Sack, Safety
CB Dominick Lamur	Tkl, INT, TD

\\
Ball State Cardinals
Passing_Stats

Jabari Okoronkwo (81)	23/35, 297 Yds, TD, 2 INT

Rushing_Stats

Cary Jeffrey (88)	7 Att, 62 Yds
Ben Crum (90)	9 Att, 38 Yds, TD
Jabari Okoronkwo (81)	6 Att, -10 Yds
Karlos Farris (90)	1 Att, -6 Yds

Receiving_Stats

Karlos Farris (90)	5 Rec, 55 Yds
Jameson Hurtado (85)	5 Rec, 58 Yds
Martin Guardado (88)	4 Rec, 75 Yds
Ralph Flinn (83)	3 Rec, 45 Yds
Cary Jeffery (88)	2 Rec, 26 Yds
Miguel Padrino (83)	2 Rec, 22 Yds, TD
Ben Crum (90)	2 Rec, 22 Yds

Defensive_Stats

SS Tre'vante Arnette (92)	11 Tkl, INT
MLB Marquee Fantuz (82)	8 Tkl, TFL, 0.5 Sack
DE Amari Hay (92)	5 Tkl, 2 TFL, 0.5 Sack
DE Felix Abreu (87)	3 Tkl, 2 TFL, Sack
CB Howie Shaw (85)	Tkl, INT

\\

Glendale, AZ. - In the long and storied history of college football, there are few narratives as poetic—or as ruthless—as when mentor faces mentee. Monday night in Glendale, that script reached its climax. Nash Savage, the grizzled architect of dynasties, outdueled his former quarterback and protégé, Kadin Semonza, as Texas claimed a 39–17 victory over Ball State to secure the program’s second straight national championship.

“You knew it was going to be a chess match the entire way,” a reflective Semonza said afterward. “But I guess the old master has a few more tricks up his sleeve.”

The matchup wasn’t just about X’s and O’s—it was about legacy. Savage, seeking his record-tying seventh national title, stood opposite Semonza, the young coach already with three rings of his own and a program still dripping with the Savage blueprint. But on this night, there was no question which sideline was in control.

Ball State opened with promise, marching nine plays to pay dirt, thanks in part to a critical roughing-the-passer penalty on Texas All-American James Mosely that converted a 3rd and 14. Ben Crum capped the drive with a 7-yard score to give the Cardinals a 7–0 lead. For a moment, it looked like Semonza’s balanced attack might outfox his mentor.

But Texas had been here before. And just like in their two previous playoff games, it was the Longhorn defense that struck first blood. Dominick Lamur jumped a Jabari Okoronkwo pass and raced it back for six—the Longhorns’ third pick-six of the postseason—and the tide began to turn.

“This defense has taken its lumps in these playoffs,” said ESPN’s Jesse Palmer from the booth, “but when they need a game-changing play, they keep delivering.”

A Cardinals drive stalled after back-to-back sacks from Mosely and Bryce Fiedorowicz, and Texas took over deep in their territory, quickly falling even farther back after a brutal sack on 1st down. Facing a daunting 3rd and 22 from their own 2 yard line, Texas redshirt freshman Emilio Delgado made the first of many big-boy throws: a rope to Artie Battles to move the chains. Nine plays later, Delgado dove over the pile for a touchdown and Texas had its first lead of the night.

It was a lead they would never give back.

Ball State fought back with a scramble-heavy drive by Jabari Okoronkwo but settled for a field goal after Mosely’s second sack killed the Cardinals’ red zone momentum. If that didn’t sting enough, Delgado and Rico Mama delivered a dagger seconds later. With 32 ticks on the clock, Mama found a seam on a post route and went 84 yards untouched, sending Texas to the locker room up 21–10 and sending Ball State reeling.

“It felt like déjà vu,” said Semonza, referencing the backbreaking last-minute touchdowns Texas pulled off against Syracuse and West Virginia earlier in the playoffs. “You give Savage an inch before halftime, and he takes a mile.”

The second half lacked the fireworks of the first but was all business for the Longhorns. Delgado hit Heath Dalton for a 52-yard strike to set up Barry Orlovsky for his final touchdown of the season—a fitting but quiet sendoff for a running back who carried the Longhorns all year but struggled in the postseason.

Orlovsky’s score pushed the lead to 27–10 after a missed extra point. That miscue, a haunting echo of Texas’ 2035 Peach Bowl loss to Ball State, never came back to bite the Longhorns. Instead, their defense pinned the Cardinals deep on the ensuing possession, and Okoronkwo was engulfed in the end zone for a safety. Delgado added one final touchdown before Ball State punched in a cosmetic score late in the fourth.

As burnt orange and white confetti rained down at State Farm Stadium, Savage and Semonza met at midfield for a rare extended handshake, exchanging quiet words that neither would reveal postgame.

“If Coach wants to spill those beans, that’s his choice,” Semonza said with a grin. “But you’re not getting anything out of me.”

Savage, visibly emotional as he took the podium to hoist his seventh national championship trophy, deflected attention to his team. “This is their moment,” he said, before calling Delgado forward to accept the game’s MVP honors.

“I can’t think of a young man who’s grown up more in one season,” Palmer said on air. “We thought this was Orlovsky’s ride to Glendale, but it turned out Delgado was the one driving the bus.”

Delgado finished his postseason run with 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions across four games, showing a poise and deep-ball accuracy that was evident throughout the Longhorns 32 game winning streak - dating back to last season - but was needed now more than ever without the punishing rushing attack of Barry Orlovsky.

While Delgado’s star rose, Orlovsky’s dimmed in the playoffs. The Heisman runner-up was held under 100 yards rushing in both the semifinal and title game, falling short of breaking Daryl Pope’s single-season touchdown record of 40. “It would’ve been nice,” Orlovsky admitted, “but records come and go. This? This is forever.”

James Mosely, however, did etch his name in the record books. With two sacks in the championship, he extended his NCAA single-season record to 34.5, eclipsing Jason Veasy’s previous mark of 29 set in 2031.

“Legendary,” said defensive coordinator Quincey Lincoln, his arm slung around Mosely. “People said Veasy’s record would never be broken. Now? I can’t see anyone touching this.”

Savage’s seventh title ties him with Nick Saban for the most all-time in the CFP era, though Savage’s perfect 7–0 record in championship games stands in contrast to Saban’s 7–2 mark.

Texas may celebrate into the night, but questions already swirl about the future. For now, Savage is keeping the focus on his players. “They earned this,” he said simply, his eyes glistening under the stadium lights.
\\

The turnover that turned the tide. Dominick Lamur read the curl all the way and took advantage.


Two more sacks put the NCAA single season sack record into the stratosphere.


Three games - three touchdowns. All in the final minute as Rico Mama and Delgado do it again to seize momentum going into the break.


Ball State had a chance in the 3rd quarter after stopping the Longhorns on 4th and goal, but instead quickly gave up the ball and two points on the safety.

[redsox907]

Texas Longhorns 2037 Statistics
PassingStats

Name	Comp	Att	Comp %	Yards	TD	INT	YPG	YPA	Sacks
Emilio Delgado	215	309	69%	4,586	45	15	286.6	14.8	18

RushingStats

Name	Attempts	Yards	Avg	TD	AVG.G	Fumb	BTK	YAC	Long	20+
Barry Orlovsky	334	2,556	7.7	40	159.8	1	46	796	63	22
Earl Petty	107	538	5.0	4	33.6	2	12	183	29	3
Trevor Olson	19	150	7.9	1	9.4	1	5	16	0
Ted Amerson	15	71	4.7	0	11.8	1	1	31	1
Emilio Delgado	39	46	1.2	4	2.9	0	2	25	2

ReceivingStats

Name	Receptions	Yards	AVG	AVG.G	TD	RAC	Long	Drops
Rico Mama	77	1,768	23.0	110.5	17	1,204	84	4
Heath Dalton	24	784	32.7	49.0	6	250	80	4
Prince Oluokon	24	741	30.9	46.3	8	134	80	3
Earl Petty	23	189	8.2	11.8	3	214	56	1
Arie Battles	21	254	12.1	15.9	1	114	29	3
Trevor Olson	19	196	10.3	12.3	1	73	21	4
John Silverman	18	543	30.2	33.9	6	139	75	1
Barry Orlovsky	9	89	9.9	5.6	3	41	42	0
Titus Hicks	2	44	22.0	2.8	0	7	25	2

Blocking

Name	Position	Sacks	DP
Juan Ramos	LT	4	792
Andres Genus	LG	2	830
Greg Augustine	C	1	788
Jeff McGlinn	RG	7	7922
Spencer Samuel	RT	0	790

DefensiveStats

Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks	Interceptions	PBU	FF/FR	TD
MLB Timmy Cantwell	111	28	9	0	3	1/0	0
FS Bryce Fiedorowicz	93	17	3	6	6	0/0	0
LB Esteban Castillo	87	35	13	0	1	2/0	0
CB Prince Hooey	86	5	1	4	13	0/0	3
LB Jimmy Vellano	82	26	12	1	3	1/0	0
FS Daymond Lemmons	79	6	0	1	7	0/0	0
CB Jarrad Frank	74	5	1	5	12	1/0	3
DE James Mosely	68	53	34.5	0	4	1/1	0
CB Dominick Lamur	64	1	0	4	3	0/0	1
FS William Montez	57	8	1	0	1	0/0	0
CB Juan Ventura	49	2	0	1	4	0/1	0
DT Sione Savage	47	24	11.5	0	1	0/0	0
LB Miles Wilcox	31	0	0	0	0	0/0	0
DT Jon Cummings	2	11	6.5	1	0	0/0	0
DE Luis Nunes	25	14	5	0	0	0/0	0
MLB Raekwon Robbins	16	6	2	0	1	0/1	0
LB Sateki Cummings	13	0	1	0	0	1/2	0