Complete Game Notes

Game Quick Facts
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11, 2007
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST       
Site: Bolivar, Mo.
Stadium: Plaster Stadium       
Opened: 1985
Surface: Natural Grass       
Capacity: 2,500
Series History: Saturday's meeting will be the 19th between the two schools … WU leads the series 13-5 and have won four straight.
Rankings (AFCA/D2football.com): WU (RV/NR), SBU (NR/NR)
WU Radio:  AM580 WIBW with Bruce Steinbrock (play-by-play), Mark Elliott (color analyst), Jan Lunsford (sideline). The broadcast begins 30 minutes before kickoff.
Internet: Live audio available through wusports.com; video at www.themiaa.tv

Setting the scene. . .
The Ichabods will be part of history as they travel to Bolivar, Mo., to take on Southwest Baptist in their final game as a football-playing member of the MIAA. Next season, Nebraska-Omaha will replace the Bearcats in the conference schedule. The game will also wrap up the regular season for both teams as the Ichabods enter the game with a 7-3 record and a 6-2 mark in the MIAA. The Bearcats are winless this season with an 0-10 mark overall and 0-8 in conference play.
The Ichabods are coming off a 35-28 win over then No. 18 ranked Pittsburg State and the Bearcats fell 36-30 to Southwest Baptist.

Ichabods on Radio . . .
The game will be broadcast live on AM580 WIBW. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.wusports.com by following the “LiveAudio” link under the football tab. Bruce Steinbrock will be the play-by-play voice of the Ichabods and former WU quarterback Mark Elliott will be the color analyst, while Jan Lunsford will be on the sidelines.

The Coaches . . .
Washburn head football coach Craig Schurig was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. Schurig is 39-28 (.593) in his sixth season as the Ichabod head coach and he is 31-21 (.491) against the MIAA. He led the Ichabods their first MIAA title since joining the league and the first conference title since the Ichabods won the CSIC in 1983 in 2005. He was the 2005 MIAA Coach of the Year after leading the Ichabods to their first NCAA Playoffs and MIAA Championship. Schurig is 4-1 against the Bearcats.
Southwest Baptist coach Keith Allen is in his first year as the head coach of the Bearcats. Allen has a 0-10 coaching mark at SBU. He had the interim title removed from his name before the FHSU game on Nov. 3.

Ichabods last time out . . .
Nov. 3, 2007 • Washburn 35, #18 Pittsburg State 28 • TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods topped the No. 18 Pittsburg State Gorillas 35-28 in Yager Stadium improving to 7-3 on the season and 6-2 in the MIAA keeping its postseason hopes alive on senior day. The Ichabods wrap up the regular season next weekend in Bolivar, Mo., against Southwest Baptist at 1:30 p.m.
Senior wide receiver Jake Lebahn pulled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jordan Brill with 9:31 to go in the game to put Washburn up 35-28. After the Gorillas took over with 9:25 to go in the game, the Ichabods' Xavier Beckford picked off a Mark Smith pass at the Washburn 21 returning possession to the Ichabods.
The Ichabods were able to run 4:27 off the clock before punting the ball back to PSU. After an incomplete pass, Zach Watkins intercepted Smith on the second play of the drive returning the ball to the Ichabods with 1:49 to go in the game. The Ichabods ran five plays down to the Pitt State 4 yard line. After a pass completion to Pitt State 20, the Gorillas tried several laterals before fumbling and the Ichabods Eric Lawrence recovered at the end of the game wrapping up the second straight win for the Ichabods over the Gorillas in Topeka.
Pittsburg State opened the game with a 31-yard drive as Smith scored on a 2-yard run with 3:52 to go in the first quarter. The Ichabods responded to knot the score at 7 as Brandon Walker scored on a 3-yard run capping a 13-play, 80-yard drive.
After the Ichabods were stopped on a fourth and goal from the 3-yard line, the Gorillas put together a 99-yard, 12-play drive wrapped up a 3-yard Smith touchdown plunge with 1:20 to go in the first half. The Ichabods took over before the break and tied the score at 14 as Drameagon Powers pulled down an 11-yard pass from Brill with 12 seconds to go.
The Gorillas took the second half kickoff and marched 80 yards as Caleb Farabi scored from 1-yard out to give PSU a 21-14 lead.
Again the Ichabods came back on a 72-yard drive wrapped up as Lebahn pulled in his first touchdown pass of the afternoon on a 31-yard reception from Brill with 5:13 to go in the third quarter knotting the score at 21.
The Gorillas took the lead again at 28-21 as Smith rushed for his third touchdown of the afternoon with 14 seconds to go in the third quarter.
On the first play of the Ichabods ensuing drive, Brandon Walker rushed 68 yards up the middle tying the score at 28 entering the fourth quarter.
The Ichabods forced the Gorillas first punt of the afternoon and Washburn setting up Lebahn's go-ahead touchdown.
Walker led the Ichabods with 145 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
Brill became Washburn's all-time leader in passing yards raising his career total to 6618 yards while breaking the Ichabods' touchdown record with his 55th for his career.
Lebahn finished with a career-high 153 yards receiving on six receptions with the two touchdowns.
The Ichabod defense was led by Zach Watkins, who had 12 tackles with a half sack and the interception.
Smith had 96 yards to lead the Gorilla rushing attack and the three scores.
The Ichabods gained 479 yards in total offense compared to 359 for the Gorillas and Washburn outpassed Pitt State 291 to 127.

About the opponents . . .
The Bearcats enter the game with an 0-10 overall record and an 0-8 mark in MIAA play. SBU is playing their final game as an MIAA football school as they will play as an independent in 2008. The Bearcats will remain eligible for the MIAA championship in other sports. Next season, Nebraska-Omaha will fill SBU's slot on the schedule.

Last time out for the Bearcats . . .
HAYS, Kan. -- The Fort Hays State Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak, as they held on for a 36-30 victory over Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon (Nov. 3) at Lewis Field Stadium.
The Bearcats (0-10, 0-8 MIAA) lost their 15th in a row, overshadowing senior WR Nick Smart setting the NCAA Division II single-season reception record.
He had a school-record tying 18 catches for 125 yards and a score to raise his total to 127 -- surpassing the previous record of 119 set in 1994 by West Texas A&M's Brad Bailey.
The Tigers (4-6, 2-6 MIAA) rallied from a 17-13 second-quarter deficit by scoring 23 straight points to get a 36-17 lead with 12:42 left in the game.
Senior K Justin Barr kicked three field goals (20, 41 and 25 yards), junior WR Bryan Haynes returned the kickoff to open the second half 93 yards to paydirt, and sophomore DB C.J. Lovett returned an interception 78 yards for a TD on the SBU possession following Haynes' score.
SBU answered Barr's third field goal with a 12-play, 68-yard scoring drive capped by a 12-yard TD pass from freshman QB Steven Gachette to senior WR LaMarcus Windham with 9:18 left in the fourth quarter. Gachette failed on a two-point run to leave it at 36-23.
After a punt by FHSU, each team traded turnovers to leave SBU with the ball at the Tigers' 23 with 1:37 to go. After two incomplete passes, Gachette ran for 8 yards to the FHSU 15 to set up a fourth-and-2 play.
He found Smart for a 15-yard TD pass with 1:11 to go, and freshman K Jeremy Ware's point-after kick cut the deficit to six.
SBU couldn't recover the onside kick, but the Bearcats forced FHSU to punt and had the ball back with 49 seconds left. They could get no further than their own 22 before turning the ball over on downs with 14 seconds to go.
Senior QB Ryne Salyer was 21-of-33 passing for 275 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also ran for 12 yards on seven carries.
Freshman WR Matt Brevi caught a 32-yard TD pass from Salyer to open the game's scoring, and he led all Fort Hays State receivers with 86 yards on six receptions. Senior RB Jordan Hickel had 48 yards on 22 carries for the Tigers.
Gachette was 45-of-68 for 362 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. He broke the MIAA single-season record for passing attempts, raising his 2007 total to 512 to surpass the mark of 503 set in 1985 by Truman's Chris Hegg. His 314 completions for the year are 10 shy of the league mark set in 2005 by Northwest Missouri State's Josh Lamberson (324).
Senior RB Jeffrie Finnell collected 62 rushing yards and a TD on 13 totes.
SBU junior DB Lavarus Rue had a game-high 11 tackles (nine solos) and teamed with senior LB Clint Carroz on a sack. Three players had eight tackles for FHSU -- senior LB Zach Scruggs (five solos), junior LB Brandon Taylor (five solos) and junior LB Cody Engle (four solos).

Series Notes . . .
Saturday's meeting is the 19th meeting in the series. The Ichabods lead the all-time series 13-5 and they have won 10 of the last 13 meetings. The Ichabods are 7-2 against the Bearcats in Topeka. SBU's last win in Topeka was on Nov. 10, 2001 in a 48-20 win. In Bolivar, the Ichabods are 6-3 all-time.
Series Record: WU leads 13-5
First Meeting: SBU 34, WU 19 (11/4/1989) in Bolivar
Last Meeting: WU 56-23 (9/30/06) in Topeka
Last WU win: 56-23 (9/30/06) in Topeka
Last SBU win: 26-20 (11/16/2002) in Bolivar
Largest WU win: 58-21 (10/14/2000) in Topeka
Largest SBU win: 38-20 (11/10/2001) in Topeka

Last Meeting with Southwest Baptist. . .
(Sept. 20, 2006) TOPEKA - The No. 20 Washburn Ichabods shrugged of a feisty Southwest Baptist team scoring 42 unanswered points in a 56-23 win in front of 6,527 fans for Family Day in Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods jumped on the scoreboard early after taking the opening drive 49 yards in seven plays with Brandon Walker scoring from 1-yard out putting Washburn up. On the ensuing possession, the Bearcats scored on a 29-yard field goal after driving all the way to the Ichabod 12 yard line.
On the Ichabods' next possession, Jordan Brill hooked up with Sam Sissom for a 40-yard touchdown pass. The TD reception was Sissom's 39th of his Washburn career snapping the MIAA's record for touchdown receptions in a career passing the Dallas Cowboys' Jamaica Rector (Northwest Missouri) who recorded 38.
SBU's Robert Woodson cut the lead to 14-10 after he caught a 49-yard pass from John McCoy at the 1:41 mark of the first quarter. After one quarter, the Washburn defense held SBU (0-5, 0-3 MIAA) to -2 yards rushing.
In the second quarter, Washburn rolled off two straight rushing touchdowns via Ra'Shawn Mosley's 11-yard carry at the 7:29 mark and Trent Hearn's 3-yard dive with 4:33 remaining in the second quarter as the Ichabods took a 28-17 lead into the break.
To begin the second quarter, Washburn's Aaron Neal picked off a Robert Clardy pass and returned it 74-yards for a touchdown putting the Ichabods up 35-17. On SBU's next possession, Washburn's Zach Watkins recovered a fumble and two plays later Mosley scampered 40-yards for a score putting the Ichabods up 42-17.
On SBU's next possession, the Ichabod defense came up with another stop as Fletcher Terrell picked off McCoy setting up Trent Hearn's 13-yard touchdown run increasing the Ichabods' lead to 49-17.
Walker opened the scoring in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run at the 13:51 mark of the fourth quarter.
SBU added a touchdown with 3:13 remaining, but the extra point was blocked by Roy Sims.
The teams combined for 1,039 yards in total offense with the Ichabods recording 644 - going over the 600-yard mark for the first time since they had 612 against Missouri-Rolla   on Nov. 11, 2002.
The Washburn defense held SBU to 88 yards in rushing on 28 carries.
Mosley finished with 193 yards on 15 carries and two scores while Walker had 10 yards on 20 carries with two scores. Hearn also had two touchdowns scores as well.
Brill was 10 of 16 for 246 yards for the Ichabods. Sissom finished with three catches for 71 yards.
On defense, Neal led the team with six tackles (five solo) with a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a sack as well as the interception returned for a touchdown.

Washburn Football History . . .
Washburn is 482-540-44 in its 117th year of college football.

A win for Washburn would . . .
• lift the Ichabods to 483-540-44 in its football history.
• push the Ichabods to 8-3 on the season and 7-2 in MIAA play.
• push the Ichabods to 14-5 all-time against the Bearcats.
• be the third straight win for the Ichabods over SBU in Bolivar improving to 7-3 all-time in Plaster Stadium.

A loss for Washburn would . . .
• drop the Ichabods to 482-541-44 in its football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 13-6 all-time against the Bearcats.
• even the Ichabods 2007 record to 7-4 overall and 6-3 in MIAA play.

Ichabods vs ranked opponents . .
   The Ichabods are 8-35 vs ranked Division II opponents after their win over No. 18 Pittsburg State on Nov. 3, 2007. The win over the then No. 14 ranked Colorado Mines in the 2005 opener was the first win over a ranked team on the road for the Ichabods and the win over then No. 5 Northwest Missouri was the Ichabods' highest win over a ranked opponent on the road.  The Ichabods' highest win ever over a ranked opponents is their 35-34 overtime win over Pittsburg State, who was ranked No. 4 before losing to the Ichabods on Oct. 1, 2005. Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods are 8-14 against ranked opponents since 2002. They are 6-6 since the 2004 season including a 3-1 record in 2005 and an 1-2 record in 2007.

NCAA Southwest Regional Rankings . . .
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Washburn Ichabods moved up to No. 8 in the NCAA Southwest Regional Rankings which were released today. Only the top six teams in the final rankings will move onto the national tournament.
1.     Chadron State     (10-0)
2.     Northwest Missouri State     (8-1)
3.     West Texas A&M     (10-0)
4.     Missouri Western State     (8-2)
5.     Abilene Christian     (8-2)
6.     Mesa State     (9-1)
7.     Tarleton State     (9-1)
8.     Washburn     (7-3)
9.     Pittsburg State     (7-3)
10.     Midwestern State     (8-2)
11.     Central Missouri     (6-4)
12.     Colorado School of Mines     (6-4)

Bods and Ends . . .
• Saturday's game against Southwest Baptist will be the second for the Ichabods on natural turf this year … the other was against Colorado Mines in the first road game of the season.
• Senior quarterback Jordan Brill snapped the career passing record against Pittsburg State as he raised his yardage total to 6,618 yards breaking Tyler Schuerman's record of 6,525 yards. Brill also broke Schuerman's career touchdown passing record of 53 connecting on his 55th against the Gorillas.
• Brill also moved into 10th on the MIAA's all-time passing chart.
• Ichabod senior running back Ra'Shawn Mosley needs 35 yards to become the fifth running back to go over the 1,000-yard mark in a single season and he is also looking to become the second Ichabod running back to accomplish the feat twice. Trent Hearn rushed for 1,203 yards in 2005 and 1,116 in 2003. Mosley went over the 1,000-yard plateau with 1,084 yards in 2004. The other 1,000-yard rusher was Dino DeLisa who tallied 1,185 in 1983. Mosley rushed four times for -4 yards battling a sternum injury against Pitt State.
• Zach Watkins moved into 10th on the Ichabod all-time tackles chart. He has 221 for his career after tallying 100 last season, Watkins has 121 this season.
• Jake Lebahn enters this week's game with 66 career receptions for 1,221 yards and 11 touchdowns. He needs four catches to move into 11th all-time in total receptions. He needs eight yards to move into 10th on the all-time reception yardage chart.
• The Ichabods have had at least one interception in each game this season. Overall, Washburn has 17 interceptions. The school single-season team record is 22 set in 1983.
• The Ichabods improved to 6-0 on senior day under head coach Craig Schurig.
• The Ichabods have now gone 100 games since they were last shutout. The last time Washburn was blanked in a game was a 37-0 loss to Central Missouri on Nov. 7, 1998 in Topeka.

On this day in Washburn football History . . .
Nov. 10 - Since 1961, the Ichabods are 4-2 on this date.
2001 - The Ichabods lost 48-20 in Topeka in Tony DeMeo's last game at Washburn.
1990 - The Ichabods won 21-10 at Missouri Western under Dennis Caryl in his first season at Washburn.
1984 - The Ichabods won at Missouri Southern 31-29 under Larry Elliott after he took over as an interim coach leading the Ichabods the final five games of the season and was named full-time coach for the second time starting in 1985.
1979 - The Ichabods beat Missouri Southern in Topeka 20-19 under Gary Hampton.
1973 - The Ichabods won at Emporia State 20-10 in Bob Noblitt's last game as Washburn's head coach.
1962 - The Ichabods lost at Fort Hays State 33-14 in Ellis Rainsberger's first season at Washburn.

Other items from Nov. 10
1969 - Sesame Street is shown for the first time.
1975 - The 729-foot-long freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks during a storm on Lake Superior, killing all 29 crew on board.
from the National College Football Hall of Fame:
1984 - Jackie Jackson of Southwestern (Kansas) scored 8 touchdowns against McPherson.
1984 - Maryland, down 31-0, rallied beat Miami (Fla.) 42-40.
2001 - Grand Valley State ended the season with a Division II scoring record, an average of 58.4 points a game. David Kircus of Grand Valley caught 28 touchdown passes in the season setting an NCAA record.
 
Up next . . .
Time will tell. Should the Ichabods receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Playoffs, it will begin next week at a site to be determined. If the Ichabods do not receive an invitation to the NCAA postseason, the Ichabods could still receive an invitation to the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo. against a member of the Northern Sun Conference.