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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The No. 18 ranked Washburn Ichabods scored on their first three drives of the game opening up a 27-0 lead and never looked back as they won their road opener 33-17 over the Sioux Falls Cougars. Washburn will open MIAA play next Thursday when they will play host to Lincoln on Sept. 8 in Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl.

Washburn opened the scoring when Dane Simoneau hit Tore Hurst with a 13-yard strike as the Ichabods took the opening kickoff 77 yards on 10 plays. Washburn added to the scoring when Simoneau hit Just Cooper on a 47-yard pass over the middle capping a five-play drive and 66 yards. 

The Ichabods wrapped up the first quarter scoring with a 10-yard pass from Simoneau to Matt Kobbeman putting the Ichabods up 21-0.

On the Cougars' next possession, they drove down to the Ichabod 30-yard line but Marty Pfannenstiel picked off the first of his two passes on the night ending the drive.

After the teams traded drives with no points, Washburn again scored as DeJuan Beard pulled down a pass from Simoneau on a third and ten putting the Ichabods up 27-0 with 2:44 to play in the first half capping an 11-play, 96-yard drive.

The Cougars scored their first points of the game when Jeremiah Oates pulled down a 2-yard reception from Carrington Hanna right before the end of the half.

Sioux Falls scored with 5:14 to play in the third quarter cutting Washburn's lead to 27-14 however each team had their next drives stall and Simoneau hit Ronnell Garner on a 58-yard strike pushing the lead back to 33-14. 

The Cougars added a fourth quarter field goal to end the scoring.

Simoneau finished with the school record 452 yards completing 27 of 40 attempts with five touchdowns snapping the previous high-water mark set by Mike Atkins in 1979 against Missouri Western who recorded 418 yards. He threw touchdowns to five different receivers. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes tossing touchdown passes to four different players. 

Sean McPherson led the Ichabods with 85 yards on the ground while averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 15 attempts.

Casey Curran and Jahmil Taylor each had five tackles to lead the team. Cameron Jackson had two tackles for loss while Pfannenstiel added the two picks. Terry Grimmett also had an interception for the Ichabods.

Washburn finished with 592 yards of total offense while holding the Cougars to 295 yards overall. Washburn outgunned the Cougars 140 to 54 on the ground.

The Ichabods used the kick start to snap the Cougars' 32-game home field winning streak.