Game 9
Washburn (6-2, 4-2 MIAA) vs Northwest Missouri (7-1, 6-0 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008
Time: 1 p.m. CST   
Site: Topeka. Kan.
Stadium: Yager Stadium   
Opened: 1928
Surface: Sportexe Field Turf   
Capacity: 7,200
Series History: NWMSU leads 22-6 … WU has lost the last three games.
WU Rankings (AFCA/D2football.com): WU (RV/NR), NWMSU (3/3)
Game Notes: Washburn | Northwest Missouri

The Washburn Ichabods will play host to the No. 5-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats as part of Hall of Fame Saturday at Washburn. The Ichabods are also looking to keep their four-game winning streak alive and their six-game Yager Stadium winning streak going. Washburn topped Truman State last time out in a 31-17 win in Kirksville, Mo., last time out while the Bearcats hammered Fort Hays State 56-7 for their homecoming game.

Broadcast Information:
Television: None
WU Radio:  KTPK 106.9 FM with Bruce Steinbrock (play-by-play), Mark Elliott (color analyst), Jan Lunsford (sideline). The broadcast begins 30 minutes before kickoff.
Streaming Video: Live online through themiaa.tv (free)
Internet: Live audio available through www.wusports.com
Live Stats: Available at www.wusports.com/sports/2008/2/15/BB_0215082407.aspx

Ichabods on Radio . . .
The game will be broadcast live on KTPK 106.9 FM. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.wusports.com. Bruce Steinbrock will be the play-by-play voice of the Ichabods and former WU quarterback Mark Elliott will be the color analyst. Jan Lunsford will provide sideline insight for listeners on the field.

The Coaches . . .
Washburn head football coach Craig Schurig was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. Schurig is 46-31 (.581) in his seventh season as the Ichabod head coach and he is 36-23 (.590) against the MIAA. He has led the Ichabods to two NCAA Playoff appearances in the last three seasons and to the 2005 MIAA Championship. Schurig is 1-6 against the Bearcats and 0-4 against NWMSU in Topeka.
Northwest Missouri State head coach Mel Tjeerdsma is in his 15th year as the head coach of the Bearcats. Tjeerdsma has a 210-77-4 record in his 24th season overall. In 15 seasons at Northwest, he is 151-39 on the Bearcat sidelines.

Last time out for the Ichabods . . .
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods earned their fourth straight win in the series with the Truman Bulldogs, handing them a 31-17 setback Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18) at Stokes Stadium.
Washburn (6-2, 4-2 MIAA) opened the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown strike from freshman QB Dane Simoneau to junior WR Drameagon Powers with 9:15 left in first quarter. Truman tied the score with just over nine minutes to play in the half on a 5-yard run from sophomore RB Phil Kenney, which was set up by a 62-yard completion by senior QB Matt Ticich to junior WR Steve D'Antonio.
Over the next five series, neither team could move the ball and Washburn took over at their own 34 with 2:08 remaining. Simoneau hit senior RB Brandon Walker on a 40-yard pass down to the Truman 26. Simoneau then hit Powers for a 16-yard completion to the Bulldog 10. The Ichabods then were saddled with a false start, a rush for a loss of one and a sack back to the Truman 22.
On a third and goal play, Truman was whistled with a holding call giving the Ichabods a first down at the Truman 12. The Ichabods took advantage of the call and freshman RB Justin Cooper scored from 1-yard out three plays later pushing Washburn to a 14-7 lead.
In the second half, junior LB Zach Watkins picked off Ticich at the WU 8-yard line and returned it 80 yards to the Truman 12. The Ichabods' drive stalled, but freshman K Garrett Cummings connected on a 21-yard field goal stretching the lead to 17-7.
In the fourth, Truman junior K Mickey Masucci hit a 31-yard field goal cutting the Washburn lead to 17-10. On the next drive for the Ichabods, sophomore TE Cameron Knox pulled down a 22-yard pass from Simoneau with 10:51 to go in the game to put the Ichabods up, 24-10, and cap a five-play, 70-yard drive.
After the Washburn defense forced a punt on the Bulldogs' next possession, the Cooper rushed for his second touchdown on the afternoon completing a nine-play, 63-yard drive giving the Ichabods a 31-10 lead.
Truman added a score late to cut the lead to 14 points when Ticich rushed for 31 yards for the final score of the game.
Cooper led the Ichabods with a game-high 112 yards on 30 carries with the two touchdowns. Simoneau finished the game 13-of-24 for 233 yards passing and two touchdown with two interceptions. Powers led the Ichabod receivers with 89 yards on five catches and the first-quarter touchdown.
Overall, the Ichabods had 362 yards of total offense and 17 first downs with 129 net yards rushing.
Senior Bruce Ringwood led the Ichabod defense with 12 tackles including nine solo stops. Watkins finished with 10 tackles with seven solos, a sack and a tackle for loss with two pass break-ups and his league-best fifth interception.
Ticich finished with 264 yards passing on 26-of-47 attempts with two interceptions. He also led the Bulldogs (3-4, 2-4 MIAA) with 92 yards on 16 rushing attempts. He needs 47 more yards of total offense to crack the MIAA career top 10 -- he ended the day with 7,517 (6,243 passing, 1,271 rushing).
Kenney had seven catches to lead Truman's receivers. The Bulldogs had 10 different players register receptions.
Senior LB Jason Thier led the Bulldogs with 11 tackles (seven solos). 

About the opponents . . .
Northwest Missouri has won its last seven games after dropping the season opener to now-ranked No. 3 Abilene Christian. Laron Council leads the Bearcat rushing attack with 110.6 yards per game. Against Central Missouri, he set the MIAA's record for longest rush with a 99-yard run against the Mules. He has rushed for 885 yards on 163 carries and has only had 14 yards lost on attempted rushes.
Joel Osborn has connected on 68.5 percent of his passes hitting 146 of 213 attempts for 1869 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is averaging 233.6 yards per game.
Kendall Wright leads the receiving corps with 522 yards on 38 receptions. He has two touchdown receptions. Abe Qaoud has four touchdown receptions pacing the Bearcat receivers. Wright also leads the team and is third in the MIAA averaging 135.5 all purpose yards per game.
Defensively, the Bearcats are led by Aldwin Foster-Rettig who has 49 tackles with 31 solo stops. Sean Paddock and Josh Lorenson each have four sacks and Paddock leads the team with eight tackles for loss for 34 yards. Paddock also has three fumble recoveries.
As a team, the Bearcats have the No. 1 ranked scoring offense in the MIAA averaging 41.8 points per game. The Bearcat scoring defense is ranked second in the league behind the Ichabods allowing 17.1 points per game. The Northwest defense is allowing an MIAA-best 96.9 yards per game to opponents on the ground.

Last time out for the Bearcats . . .
MARYVILLE, Mo. -- Fifth-ranked Northwest Missouri State scored touchdowns on eight of nine offensive possessions to beat Fort Hays State, 56-7, Saturday (Oct. 18) in its Homecoming contest at Bearcat Stadium.
It's the seventh straight win for the Bearcats (7-1, 6-0 MIAA), who have won 14 of their last 15 homecoming match ups since 1995.
Northwest senior QB Joel Osborn completed 13-of-17 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He was named recipient of the Don Black Award, given annually to the most valuable player in the Bearcats' Homecoming contest.
Myles Burnsides, the 2006 Don Black Award Winner, blocked a punt following Fort Hays State's first possession of the game to set up first-and-goal from the 5-yard line for Northwest. Junior RB LaRon Council carried twice to give Northwest a 7-0 lead.
The Bearcats scored on all four first-half possessions and took a 28-0 lead into halftime. Fort Hays State (2-6, 1-5 MIAA) held possession of the ball for all but six minutes of the first half, but was out-gained, 200-148.
Osborn played less than three minutes of the second half, but found time to throw his third touchdown. He hit his high school teammate, junior TE Greg Applegate, for a 17-yard score on the opening possession of the second half to give the Bearcats a 35-0 lead.
Northwest tacked on two more touchdowns to make it 49-0 before sophomore P Michael Stadler took the field early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers then went 91 yards and scored on a 10-yard strike from sophomore QB Anthony Smith to freshman RB A.J. Willis.
Smith finished 30-of-44 for 261 yards and his first touchdown toss of the season -- he was sacked four times. Willis had 54 yards on 16 rushing attempts and another 38 on six catches. Sophomore TE Drew Steffen (56 yards) and freshman RB Daniel Moore (70 yards) each had seven catches for the Tigers.
The final score came on a 58-yard touchdown run by junior RB Sheldon Cook, his third of the season. All eight Northwest scoring drives took less than two minutes, 20 seconds.
The Bearcats scored 56 points in a little more than 13 minutes of possession. Northwest ran 39 plays for 418 yards (10.7 yards per play) compared to 83 plays and 334 yards for Fort Hays State (4.0 yards per play).
Freshman LB Chad Kilgore logged a game-high nine tackles (five solos) for Northwest. Sophomore DB Seth Blackwell had eight tackles (five solos) for FHSU.

Series Notes . . .
Saturday's meeting is the 29th in the series between the Ichabods and the Bearcats. The Bearcats lead the all-time series 22-6. Overall, the Bearcats have won 16 of the last 18.
In Topeka, the Bearcats have won seven straight with the Ichabods' last win coming on Oct. 8, 1994, by a score of 48-14. Since 1984, the Ichabods are 3-9 against the Bearcats in Topeka. Since 1984, the Ichabods are 2-10 against the Bearcats in Maryville.
Series Record: NWMSU leads 22-6
First Meeting: NWMSU 7, WU 6 (1940)
Last Meeting: NWMSU 28-27 (10/27/07) in Maryville
Last WU win: 31-28 (10/8/05) in Maryville
Last NWMSU win: 28-27 (10/27/07) in Maryville
Largest WU win: 48-14 (10/8/1994) in Topeka
Largest NWMSU win: 47-0 (9/8/1984) in Maryville

Last Meeting with the Bearcats . . .
 (Oct. 27, 2007) MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods dropped a heartbreaking 28-27 decision to No. 7 ranked Northwest Missouri State on the Bearcats' homecoming at Bearcat Stadium. The loss snapped the Ichabods' four-game winning streaking dropping their record to 6-3 and 5-2 overall. Washburn will be back in action next week in Yager Stadium against Pittsburg State, who also enters the game with a 5-2 overall in conference play as part of a four-way tie for second place in the MIAA race with two weeks to go.
Washburn took the lead at 27-21 with 2:35 left in the game as Jordan Brill hit Jake Lebahn on a 10-yard pass completion. However, the extra point attempt failed.
After the ensuing kickoff, the Bearcats drove 48 yards in six plays capped by Kendall Wright's touchdown reception from Joel Osborn with 59 seconds remaining.
Washburn gained possession with 54 seconds remaining, but the Ichabods drive stalled and the Beracats ran out the clock to gain the win.
The Bearcats scored first as Xavier Omon capped a 7-play, 60-yard drive with a 13-yard run putting Northwest up 7-0.
Washburn came right back on the ensuing kickoff as Brandon Walker pulled in a 7-yard touchdown strike. On the first play of the drive, Ra'Shawn Mosley ripped off a 69-yard run pushing him over Trent Hearn's career rushing yardage mark to 3,154. Mosley would finish the afternoon with a career total of 3,186 yards going for 101 yards on 18 carries.
After the teams traded drives, the Ichabods took the lead at 14-7 as Mosley scored on a fourth a goal from the Northwest 2-yard line.
The score would remain 14-7 as Washburn entered the halftime locker room with the lead.
On the Bearcats first drive of the second half, Omon carried the ball nine times on a 13-play drive wrapping it up with a 1-yard plunge with 9:02 left in the third quarter knotting the score at 14. Neither team would score the remaining of the half.
The Bearcats took the lead at 21-14 as Osborne hit Josh Gannan on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
Again the Ichabods would rally to tie the score at 21 as Brill hit Walker on a fourth and 12 from the Bearcat 26 with 6:14 left in the game.
On the Bearcats' next drive, Omon fumbled at the Northwest 27 and it was recovered by Bruce Ringwood.
Six plays later, Brill connected with Jake Lebahn on a 10-yard strike to put Washburn up 27-21 setting up the ill-fated extra point attempt. Northwest then would go on the winning drive taking the game 27-21.
Brill finished the game 14 of 31 for 194 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Walker for two touchdown passes and seven receptions overall for 115 yards. Lebahn finished with 61 receiving yards and four catches along with the touchdown reception.
Ringwood led the Ichabod defense with a career-high 17 tackles, including one for loss and the one fumble recovery. Jarod Tetuan had nine tackles and Zach Watkins had eight tackles, including a fumble recovery. Cary Williams recorded his sixth interception of the season and his 10th interception of his career.
The Ichabods had 326 total offensive yards compared to 340 for the Bearcats. Washburn was 3 of 17 on third down conversions, but were 5 of 7 on fourth down. The Bearcat defense limited Northwest to 5 of 15 on third down conversions.
   
Washburn Football History . . .
Washburn is 489-543-44 in the 118th year of Ichabod football.

A win for Washburn would . . .
lift the Ichabods to 490-543-44 in its football history … push the Ichabods' record to 7-2 overall … be the seventh straight win for the Ichabods in Yager Stadium … snap a three-game winning streak by the Bearcats in the series.

A loss for Washburn would . . .
drop the Ichabods to 489-544-44 in its football history … be the fourth straight loss to the Bearcats in the series … drop the Ichabods to 6-3 overall snapping a four-game winning streak by the Ichabods … snap a six-game winning streak in Yager Stadium (the last defeat at home was a 28-14 setback to Central Missouri on Sept. 22, 2007).

The Ichabods in the National Polls . . .
The Washburn Ichabods fell out of the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 after losing to Central Missouri on Sept. 20 and did not receive any votes after their wins over Missouri Western and Emporia State. Washburn also fell out of the d2football.com media poll. The Ichabods have been as high as No. 18 in the AFCA poll this season and No. 13 in the d2football.com poll in 2008.

Ichabods in the NCAA Regional Poll . . .
The Ichabods were ranked No. 10 in the NCAA Super Regional 4 poll after dropping from No. 9 in last week's poll.
        Overall Record    Division II Record
1.    Abilene Christian      7-0    7-0
2.    Northwest Missouri State      7-1    7-1
3.    Pittsburg State      7-1    7-1
4.    West Texas A&M      7-1    6-1
5.    Central Missouri      6-2    6-2
6.    Central Washington      7-1    7-0
7.    Tarleton State      7-1    7-1
8.    Midwestern State    5-2    5-2
9.    Texas A&M Kingsville      5-3    5-2
10.    Washburn    6-2    5-2

Ichabods vs ranked opponents . .
   The Ichabods are 8-37 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 8-16 against ranked opponents since 2002. They are 6-8 since the 2004 season including a 3-1 record in 2005 and an 1-3 record in 2007.

Bod Notes . . .
Hanging with Mr. Cooper - Ichabod redshirt freshman Justin Cooper recorded his third straight 100-yard rushing game at Washburn with 112 yards on 30. Cooper has rushed for 397 yards this season and four touchdowns after missing the first two games with a hand injury.
Walker rushing up the charts - The Ichabods' Brandon Walker, a Garland, Texas native, rushed for 29 yards against Missouri Southern to give him 1,939 yards for his career placing him in sixth all-time at Washburn on the career rushing chart. His is looking to become the sixth Ichabod running back to have 2,000 yards in a career at Washburn. Next on the chart is Brandon Rainer, who had 2,171 yards. Walker missed the Emporia Stat game with an injury.

Watkins climbing tackle charts - Ichabod junior linebacker Zach Watkins continues to climb the tackle charts after recording 10 against Truman. He went over the 300 tackle mark after recording eight against Emporia State. He career total now stands at 317, which is fifth on the all-time Washburn chart. Watkins trails Grant Gould (2002-05) who had 459 career tackles on the top of the charts. Next on the career chart is Matt Cahill (1979-82) who had 323 career stops. Watkins' 174 career assisted tackles is third all-time at Washburn trailing Gould's 254. He has tied Joe Corcoran (2000-04) for second on the career chart.
Special Teams playing larger roll - The Ichabods' special teams have come up with some big plays in the last four weeks. The first was an onside kick converted by freshman Greg Schoenberg after the Ichabods' first score against Missouri Western. This past week, Brad Haug took a direct snap in punt formation and carried the ball 37 yards for a first down. Against Emporia State, the Ichabods recovered two fumbles on punt returns by the Hornets and halted an extra point attempt. Garrett Cummings became the first Ichabod to hit two field goals in a single game since Connor Sable did it the first week of the 2006 season against Colorado Mines. Cummings has hit his last four field goals overall after hitting a 21-yard attempt against Truman. Punter Austin Hills is averaging 38.8 yards per punt on 50 attempts this season. He's ranked sixth in the MIAA in punt average and as team the Ichabods are ranked second in net punting yard average with a 36.4 average as opponents are averaging 1.2 yards per punt return against the Ichabods.

Time is on our side - Against Truman State, the Ichabods led the Bulldogs in time of possession 30:28 to 29:28 … it was the third straight game the Ichabods led an opponent in TOP.

Lawrence shutting down for the season - Washburn senior defensive end will be around one more season after suffering a knee injury on the first series of the Missouri State game.

On this date in Ichabod football - Oct. 25 . . .
Since 1961, the Ichabods are 4-1 on Oct. 25. Other items of note from Oct. 25: Bill Buckner of the Boston Red Sox let a “slow roller up the first baseline” go between his legs allowing Ray Knight to score and win game six of the 1986 World Series. The Mets went a head and won game seven … In 1998, Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied Rick Dempsey's record by booting a 63-yard field goal in a 37-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Mile High Stadium.
10/25/69 - Nebraska-Omaha, W 24-21
10/25/75 - Fort Hays State, W 27-8
10/25/80 - Missouri Western, L 14-45
10/25/86 - at Fort Hays State, W 40-35
10/25/03 - Missouri-Rolla, W 49-24
Schurig moving up the coaching ranks . . .
Seventh-year head coach Craig Schurig has compiled a 46-31 all-time record at Washburn. He is tied for fourth on the all-time victory chart with Ernest Bearg who had two stints as the Ichabod head coach (1918-19 and 1929-35) and recorded 46 victories. Bearg coached at Nebraska from 1925 through 1928 and compiled a 23-7-3 record before returning to Washburn.

Up next . . .
The Ichabods will travel to Pittsburg State for a road game in the Jungle on Nov. 1 before returning home for senior day on Nov. 8 against Nebraska-Omaha.