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TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods handed Central Oklahoma its worst loss since the 1972 season while remaining perfect on the season at 7-0 win a 48-3 win over the Bronchos on Family Day in Yager Stadium. Washburn will travel to Maryville, Mo., next week for a top 10 battle against Northwest Missouri on Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. for the Bearcats' homecoming game.

Washburn scored the first points of the game after taking the opening kickoff and marching 71 yards on 12 plays as Dane Simoneau connected with Ryan Mertz on a 15-yard touchdown pass staking the Ichabods to a lead they would not give up the rest of the game. The teams traded possessions and after a missed field goal by Central Oklahoma, Jeremy Linn capped 59-yard drive with a 21-yard field goal putting the Ichabods up 10-0 with 1:15 left in the opening quarter. The Ichabods defense held the Bronchos to 35 total yards in the first quarter while gaining 153 of their own.

Washburn stretched its lead to 17-0 after Simoneau found DeJuan Beard for a 17-yard touchdown score with 9:59 left in the first half. The Bronchos scored their only points of the game on the ensuing drive as Chris Robbs nailed a 40-yard field goal cutting Washburn's lead to 17-3 with 6:53 left in the opening half.

After the teams traded punts, including a career-long 67-yarder by Aaron Hummert, Simoneau hooked up with Beard for an 8-yard touchdown score just before the half sending the Ichabods to the locker rooms with a 24-3 lead. In the first half of the game, Simoneau was 14 of 23 for 228 yards and three touchdowns while the Ichabod defense held UCO to 128 total yards.

Washburn held the Bronchos on their first drive of the second half and Washburn's Linn hit a 23-yard field goal to put the Ichabods up 27-3. After a fumble by Central Oklahoma, Washburn needed only three plays as Simoneau hit Ronnell Garner for a 23-yard pass threading the needle between three Central Oklahoma defensive backs for another touchdown pass. Neither team scored until the Ichabods second play of the fourth quarter when Simoneau threw his fifth touchdown pass of the afternoon - this one to Beard for 9-yards out putting Washburn up 41-3.

After another UCO fumble which was caused by Michael Hollins and recovered by Casey Curran at the Washburn 30, Mitch Buhler relieved Simoneau at quarterback and moved the team 76 yards on seven plays hitting Garner on a 21-yard strike to cap the drive and the scoring for both teams with Washburn ahead 48-3.

Simoneau finished 19 of 31 for 338 yards with the five scores and no interceptions. Three different Ichabods pulled down touchdown passes and two had more than 100 yards receiving. Garner led the team with six catches for 127 yards and two scores while Beard had five catches for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Sean McPherson had 120 yards on the ground to lead the Ichabods on 16 carries.

Curran led the Ichabod defense with 13 tackles including five solo stops and Hollins and Jahmil Taylor each had nine tackles. Hummert finished with five punts averaging 49.4 yards per punt for Washburn.

Joshua Birmingham had 49 carries to lead UCO while Ethan Sharp was 22 of 36 passing for 161 yards. Christian Hood had seven catches for 64 yards.

Defensively, Washburn held the Bronchos to 303 yards on 80 plays for a 3.8 yard per play average. Washburn racked up 565 total yards averaging 7.3 yards per play. The Ichabod defense held UCO to 2 of 16 on third down conversion plays.