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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods defense held off a late drive by the Missouri State Bears securing a 35-27 win for the Ichabods over the NCAA Football Championship Series Bears. The Ichabods improve to 2-0 on the season and will travel to Fort Hays State to take on the Tigers in their MIAA opener on Sept. 13.

After a 31-yard field goal by MSU's Matt Hottelman, the Ichabods found themselves down 24-21, but the Ichabods scored the next 14 points. The first seven were on a Terrence Lowe 1-yard run and the second with 14 minutes to go in the game was a 9-yard touchdown reception by Drameagon Powers from Jake Iverson with Garret Cummings adding the extra point in both cases.

MSU cut the lead to 35-27 on another Hottelman field goal, this time from 38-yards out with 8:22 left. After the teams traded drives with no scores, the Bears took possession on the Washburn 39 with 3:34 remaining and ran off 13 plays - the final was a 14-yard pass completion from Cody Kirby to Chris Geisz with Casey Curran pulling him down at the 1-yard line on a fourth and goal from the 15. Washburn took over on downs and Jake Iverson and the Ichabods took over at the one running the ball up the middle with 10 seconds left for the final play of the game sealing the win for the Ichabods.

The Ichabods jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but Missouri State was able to get it tied by halftime at 21-21. The Bears' only lead came in the third quarter, when MSU's Hottelman made the first of his two field goals with 6:13 on the clock.

WU regained the lead for good on the ensuing drive. A 29-yard run by Brandon Walker and a 21-yard completion from Iverson to Ryan Mertz gave the Ichabods first-and-goal at the MSU 9.

Walker was able to move the ball to the 2-yard line, but fumbled -- Greg Schoenberg was able to pounce on the loose ball at the MSU 3. Terrence Lowe carried the ball the next two plays -- scoring from a yard out with 3:33 left in the third stanza to give WU a 28-24 advantage.

A 9-yard pass from Iverson to junior Powers with a minute gone in the fourth quarter made it an 11-point lead before Hottleman's second three-pointer pulled Missouri State within eight points with 8:22 to go.

Iverson completed 13 of 31 passes for 203 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. He added 32 yards and two scores on the ground. Walker ended up with 96 rushing yards on 19 carries and had 2 catches for 33 yards as well. Junior WR Brad Cole, who's 29-yard catch started the scoring for WU, had a team-high four receptions for 76 yards.

The Ichabods were out-gained by the Bears, 433-374, but picked off Kirby twice and forced six punts by MSU.

Curran finished with 10 tackles (seven solos) while junior LB Michael Krajicek led WU with 11 stops (nine solos, one for loss).