First and 10

• The No. 10-ranked Washburn Ichabods will return to MIAA play as they will host Lindenwood for the first time in Topeka on Homecoming Saturday with a 1 p.m. kick from Yager Stadium.

• It will be the first time the Lions have played in Topeka.

• Washburn is coming off a 41-0 win over Fort Valley State recording its first shutout in 31 games.

• Lindenwood lost to Emporia State at home last time out 52-21.

• Washburn won the first meeting in the series 19-16 in St. Charles, Mo., on Oct. 20, 2012.

• The Ichabods are 45-41-1 all-time on Homecoming and have won eight of their last 10 homecoming games. 

Numbers to know

• 16 - The number of interceptions the Ichabods have this season which is leads the NCAA Division II rankings.

• 23 - The Washburn single-season record for interceptions.

• 0 - The number of shutouts recorded by MIAA teams in games this season prior to the Ichabods' 41-0 win over Fort Valley State.

• 25 - The number of Ichabod scoring drives this season which have been under five plays.

• 50 - The number of Ichabod scoring drives this season.

• 374:46 - The amount of time in minutes and seconds of 420:00 the Ichabods have been in the lead in games this season -- 89 percent.

• 32:53 - The amount of time in minutes and seconds of 420:00 the Ichabods have been tied in games this season -- 8 percent.

• 12:21 - The amount of time in minutes and seconds of 420:00 the Ichabods have trailed in games this season -- 3 percent.

• 11.4 - The number of points the Ichabods are allowing this season which leads the MIAA.

• 47.3 - The number of points the Ichabods are scoring this season which is second in the MIAA.

• 294.7 - The number of yards the Ichabods are giving up this season, which is second in the MIAA.

• 88.0 - The number of rushing yards the Ichabods are giving up per game, which leads the MIAA.

• 21 - The number of take-aways the Ichabods have recorded this season which is tied the nation's lead with Mary (S.D.).

• 68-7 - The points the Ichabods have been scored compared to their opponents in the first quarter.

• 168-27 - The points the Ichabods have been scored compared to their opponents in the first half.

• 78-5 - Washburn's record under head coach Craig Schurig when leading after three quarters.

• 15-0 - Washburn's record under head coach Craig Schurig when the Ichabods score at least 50 points.

Coaches

Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .

• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. 

• is 86-48 (.602) in his 12th season as the Ichabod head coach. 

• is 68-38 (.630) against the MIAA. 

• has led the Ichabods to three NCAA Playoff appearances and two bowl appearance championships.

• led the Ichabods to the 2005 MIAA regular season outright championship. 

• has recorded nine-straight winning seasons for the first time in the program's history. 

• led the Ichabods to the program's first 10-win season and their first NCAA or NAIA playoff game victory in school history with a win over Abilene Christian during the 2011 season.

• is Washburn's all-time winningest coach with 86 wins.

• is 1-0 against Lindenwood.

Lions head coach Patrick Ross. . . 

• Is 99-36 overall in his 12th season as a head coach.

• Is 85-29 in his tenth season at Lindenwood.

• Was 14-7 at Ottawa prior to moving to Lindenwood for the 2004 season.

• He won three Heart of America Championships at Lindenwood.

• Coached the Lions to five NAIA national playoff appearances reaching the championship game in 2009.

• is 0-1 against Washburn.

On offense

• Senior tight end Tore' Hurst has started the last 33 games playing in 42 games and he leads the team this season with 25 catches and 435 receiving yards … he ranks fifth all-time at Washburn with 20 touchdown receptions while he is 10th in receiving yards with 1,728 and tied for eighth in receptions with 116 on the Ichabod career chart … his 20 touchdown receptions is the most in school history by a tight end and fifth overall.

• Junior quarterback Mitch Buhler has made 17 starts at Washburn passing for 3,694  career yards and 33 touchdowns … his 33 TD passes are tied for fourth all-time at Washburn and his 249 career completions are eighth … he is ranked fourth in the nation in passing yards per completion after 17.39 yards per Washburn catch.

• Sophomore running back Sean McPherson has rushed for 905 yards in his career and leads the Ichabods with 169 yards rushing this season and two scores on the ground … he is questionable for this week's game with a knee injury.

• Junior DaJuan Beard has 10 catches for 112 yards and one score … against Northeastern State he went over the 1,500-yard plateau  for career receiving yards and he needs two catches for 100 in his career … he is the 12th Ichabod to go over the 1,500-yard career receiving mark … he will be questionable this week with a thumb injury.

• Sophomore Jordan Hart leads the Ichabods with three touchdown receptions and 319 receiving yards … he has seven touchdown receptions in his career … he is questionable this week for the Ichabods.

• Senior center Kyle Duncan has started the last 31 games for the Ichabods on the offensive line while playing in 38 overall.

• Senior Matt Kobbeman became the 12th Ichabod to go over 100 receptions in his career … his 116  receptions is tied for eighth all-time at Washburn … his 1,567 career receiving yards is 13th all-time for the Ichabods.

• Junior Vershon Moore went over the 2,000-yard mark for his career as he now has 2,268 rushing yards in 25 games … the yardage total is fifth all-time at Washburn … his 117.6 all-purpose yards per game is the top in school history.

• Junior Dylan Ready has played in 28 games on the offensive line and has started at left tackle, left guard and right tackle on the offensive line.

• Junior wide receiver Tyrell Brown had a career-high game against Central Oklahoma … he had four catches for 117 yards and his first career touchdown at Washburn … for his career he has 11 catches for 250 yards and 25 rushes for 148 yards … he is questionable this week after suffering an injury at Southwest Baptist.

On defense

• Senior inside linebacker Bryce Atagi has started 33 career games playing in 43 overall … he is sixth all-time at Washburn with 321 total tackles … his 168 assisted tackles is fourth all-time and his 32.5 career tackles for loss is fourth all-time at Washburn and his 114 yards from tackles for loss is third … his two interception returns for touchdown is tied for second all-time at Washburn … he is 12th in the MIAA in tackles this season and tied for the lead league with four interceptions.

• Senior linebacker Willie Williams has started the last 30 games appearing in 42 overall and has recorded 194 tackles with 88 solo stops … he is tied for the lead in the MIAA with four interceptions this season.

• Senior defensive end Adebayo Oladapo has started the last 18 games appearing in 35 overall recording 66 tackles with 13 for loss and six sacks while picking off three passes.

• Senior linebacker Ryan Macken has played in 30 games making nine starts tallying 118 tackles with 60 solo stops and 11.5 tackles for loss.

• Junior safety Calvin Kenney has played in 31 games making 26 starts tallying 128 tackles with 78 solo stops with three interceptions.

• Junior defensive tackle Alex Dowty is second on the Ichabods with 5.5 tackles for loss for 25 yards and 2.5 sacks for 12 yards.

• Senior Jake Cervantes has started 18 games on the defensive line and has recorded 77 tackles with 9.0 tackles for loss with four sacks for 25 yards … he also has one interception against Central Missouri as a sophomore.

• Senior Cameron Jackson has started 19 games on the defensive line and has 16 tackles for loss and 54 career tackles adding seven sacks … he leads the Ichabods this season with seven tackles for loss for 22 yards and 2.5 sacks for 12 yards.

• Senior cornerback Devon Connors has 87 career tackles with 64 solo stops and five career interceptions …also has averaged 27.9 yards per kickoff return … has a interception return for a touchdown, a kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown.

On special teams

• Senior wide receiver/kickoff return specialist Mark Fancher's 1,422 kickoff return yards is second all-time at Washburn and his 65 kickoff returns is third all-time … in 2012 he broke a 22-year old Washburn record with his 38 kickoff returns and 786 kickoff return yards …he has appeared in 37 games and he needs 115 yards for  2,000 all-purpose yards.

• Redshirt freshman Justin Linn was named the MIAA special teams player of the week after the Nebraska-Kearney game after connecting on three field goals in three attempts including a 51-yard connection … the kick was one shy of the Washburn record … he is 10 of 14 on field goals this season hitting 5 of 6 beyond 40 yards … his 11 field goals are tied for fifth on the single season chart.

• Junior Aaron Hummert has 120 punts for 4,921 yards averaging 41.0 yards per punt playing in 31 career games … his 41.01 career punting average is the best in school history … his career 41.36 yards per punt is third among active punters in the NCAA … he completed his first career pass at Washburn against Southwest Baptist for 32 yards and a first down on a fake punt to Willie Williams.

• Sophomore punt returner Jaime Myers returned his first career return for a touchdown against Northeastern State … for his career he has 41  returns for 327 yards and one touchdown averaging 10.5 yards per return this season and 8.0 per return for his career … he leads the MIAA this season in punt return average.

Bods and ends . . . Fort Valley State wildcat edition

Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq had a career-high seven tackles against Fort Valley State … Bryce Atagi tied a career-high with 2.5 tackles for loss and two pass break ups against Fort Valley State … the three pass break ups by Calvin Kenney was a career-high … Mark Kolmer's 27-yard reception was his career-long and the first which went for a touchdown … Randy Luedke had a career-high two tackles …  Mark Rollison tied a career-high with two tackles and recorded his first tackle for loss … Isaac Wright recorded his first career sack.

Know the foe

• Lindenwood is 3-4 on the year and 2-4 in the MIAA. 

• They have lost their last three games for the first time since going 1-10 in 2002.

• The Lions are last in the MIAA in rushing yards at 84.6 per game but they are third in the MIAA in passing offense with 292.3 per game.

• Marvin Byrd is eighth in the MIAA with 72.1 yards rushing per game.

•  Dillon Miller is averaging 266.3 yards per game passing, which ranks third in the MIAA rankings.

• Senior quarterback Pierre Desir played the 2009-10 season for the Ichabods and was second team All-American selection in 2009 and his 12 interceptions is third all-time at Washburn. 

Series history with Lindenwood

Series Record: WU leads 1-0-0

Streaks: WU won the only meeting

First Meeting: WU 19-16 (10/20/2012)

Last Meeting: WU 19-16 (10/20/2012)

Last WU win: 19-16 (10/20/2012)

Last LU win: n/a

Largest WU win: 19-16 (10/20/2012)

Largest LU win: n/a  

Series Notes with Lindenwood

• The game will be the first between the two schools played in Topeka.

• Washburn won the only meeting in the series 19-16 on Oct. 20, 2012 in St. Charles last season.

Last Meeting with Lindenwood (10/20/13)

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods used their four quarter final drive for a come-from-behind 19-16 win at Lindenwood improving to 7-1 on the season. 

With 3:08 remaining in the game, the Ichabods took over at their own 27 yard line after a field miss by the Lions. On the first play Mitch Buhler hit Jordan Hard for 21 yards and then Hayden Groves rushed for 11 more moving the ball to the Lindenwood 41. Buhler then connected with Brad Gourley for eight yards. After a loss on a rush, Buhler hit Matt Kobbeman for 14 yards down to the Lions 21 and then Hart for eight yards to the Lion 13. After an incomplete pass and a penalty on the Ichabods moving the ball back to the Lindenwood 28. On second and 17, Buhler hit Tore' Hurst for a 10-yard completion. Buhler's pass to Mertz was overthrown on third down. On fourth and seven from the Lion 18, Buhler hit Hart for 10 yards and the first down. Buhler then connected with Mertz for 7-yard to the Lions' 1-yard line. After spiking the ball, Buhler scored from the one over left guard for the winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining putting Washburn up 19-16 after the extra point.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Lions took over at their 39. After an incomplete pass, Dillon Miller's pass was intercepted by Calvin Kenney wrapping up the game and the win for the Ichabods.

Neither team scored in the first quarter and the Lions took the early lead on a 27-yard field goal by James Neal on the first play of the second quarter. The Ichabods responded with a 13-play, 63-yard drive capped by a 2-yard Groves' touchdown run putting Washburn up 6-3 after the extra point was blocked.

However the lead was short-lived as Denodus O'Bryant rushed for 88 yards on the first play of the series putting the Lions back up 10-6. The team then traded field goals going into the half with Jeremy Linn hitting a 29-yard field goa with 5:41 to play in the first half and then Neal hitting one from 32 yards with 3:52 to play in the half as the Lions took a 13-9 lead into the break.

Linn hit another field goal with 7:35 to play in the third quarter to cut the Lions' lead to 13-12  and then on Lindenwood's next drive, Neal hit from 34 yards out to go up 16-12 with 3:45 to play in the third quarter.

Buhler led the Ichabods with 17 of 27 passing for 146 yards passing including going 7 of 9 for 78 yards on the winning drive. Groves led the Ichabods on the ground with 109 yards on 19 carries and one score. Hart had five catches for 50 yards to lead Washburn.

Defensively, Washburn was led by Bryce Atagi who had nine tackles. Jaime Myers had three tackles for loss and Kenney had the one interception for Washburn.

O'Bryant had 228 yards rushing for the Lions on 30 carries averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Miller was 9 of 19 passing for 132 yards and the one interception.

Last time out for Lindenwood vs Emporia State (10/19/13)

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The Lindenwood football team dropped its Homecoming contest against Emporia State on Saturday afternoon at Hunter Stadium by a 52-21 margin.

The Lions had some success early slowing down one of the top offenses in NCAA Division II. Emporia State managed just 81 yards the first four times it touched the ball and Lindenwood forced three punts in that span.

The Hornets offense heated up though later in the first quarter. They would go on to score six touchdowns and one field goal on their next nine possessions. By the time the dust settled, Emporia State had built a 52-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Emporia State finished with 561 total yards of offense, including 256 rushing and 305 passing. Lindenwood had 254 total yards, with the majority coming from 213 passing yards. The Hornets also forced four turnovers, compared to just one for the Lions.

Dillon Miller threw three touchdowns for Lindenwood to Jordan Gater, Alex Robinson and Jaron Alexander. Gater finished with team-highs of five receptions and 61 receiving yards. Marvin Byrd was Lindenwood's top rusher with 41 yards.

Defensively, Dillon Hawkins returned to the lineup and recorded a career-high 15 tackles. Chris Floyd had the team's only sack and Pierre Desir had an interception. D'Wayne Ward had two tackles for loss for Lindenwood, which finished with seven tackles for loss as a team.

Last time out for Washburn vs Fort Valley State (10/17/13)

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The No. 13 Washburn Ichabods held the visiting Fort Valley State Wildcats to 26 rushing yards and 141 total yards in a 41-0 win as they improved to 7-0 on the season Thursday night in Yager Stadium. 

Washburn jumped on the board first after taking advantage of the Wildcats' (2-5) on special teams when Jeremy Carlisle blocked a punt which Ryan Macken recovered at the Fort Valley 2-yard line. Washburn needed only one play as Vershon Moore picked up the first score of the game putting the Ichabods up 7-0.

After the teams traded punts, Washburn again took advantage of a miscue on a punt when the snapped was fumbled and Washburn took over at the Wildcat 18. Washburn could not convert the drive in to a touchdown, but Justin Linn hit a 37-yard field goal staking the Ichabods to a 10-0 with 3:46 left to play in the first quarter.

Washburn scored on the first play of the second quarter when Mitch Buhler connected with Mark Kolmer for a 27-yard touchdown pass.

Washburn stretched the lead to 20-0 when Linn hit his second 50-yard field goal of the season with 9:20 left in the first half to end the scoring in the first half.

The Ichabods took the second half kickoff and marched 75 yards on six plays as Buhler hit Matt Kobbeman on a 34-yard touchdown pass putting the Ichabods up 27-0. Neither team would score again until Cody Heiman rushed for the first of his two touchdowns on the ground with 3:16 left in the third quarter.

After a fumble by the Wildcats on their next drive, Heiman scored from 12 yards out with 1:29 remaining putting Washburn up 41-0 to finish out the scoring as neither team would put any points on the board in the fourth quarter.

The shutout for the Ichabods was the first since topping Emporia State 42-0 on Nov. 6, 2010 - a streak of 31 games.

The defense held the Wildcats to 141 total yards overall with 115 passing and 26 on the ground. Fort Valley State averaged 0.7 yards per carry on 38 attempts.

Bryce Atagi led the Ichabod defense with eight tackles including three solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss for 25 yards adding a sack for 14 yards with an interception, two pass break ups and a fumble recovery playing early into the fourth quarter. Isaac Wright had seven tackles and Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq had seven as well. Willie Williams added an interception as well.

Offensively Washburn had 115 yards on the ground with Moore finishing with 49 yards on 16 carries and Heiman had 38 yards on eight carries and the two scores. Mitch Buhler finished 13 of 25 with two touchdowns and 190 passing yards ending play at the end of the third quarter. Kobbeman had five catches for 87 yards and a score.

Washburn's win over Fort Valley State . . .

• lifted the Ichabods to 524-554-44 in their football history.

• was the first by the Ichabods over a team from the SIAC and the first over a team from Georgia.

• gave the Ichabods a 7-0 record.

• moved the Ichabods to 7-0 for the first time since the 2011 season.

• made the Ichabods 1-0 all-time against the Wildcats.

Washburn football history

Washburn is 524-554-44 (.480) in the 123rd year of Ichabod football. 

A win for Washburn over Lindenwood would . . .

• lift the Ichabods to 525-554-44 in their football history.

• give the Ichabods an 8-0 overall record.

• move the Ichabods to 7-0 for the first time since the 2011 season.

• improve the Ichabods to 7-0 in the MIAA since the Ichabods started the the 2005 season 7-0 before losing the regular season finale to Missouri Western.

A loss for Washburn to Lindenwood would . . .

• drop the Ichabods to 524-555-44 in their football history.

• drop the Ichabods to 1-1 against the Lions.

• snap the Ichabods' seven-game winning streak to start the season.

Ichabods in the national polls

WACO, Texas -- The Washburn Ichabod football team jumped three spots up to No. 10 in the latest American Football Coaches Association top 25 poll which was released Monday.  The Ichabods will host Lindenwood returning to MIAA on Saturday in Yager Stadium at 1 p.m. after blanking Fort Valley State last time out 41-0.

The Ichabods are making their first appearance in the top ten since they were ranked No. 9 on Sept. 17, 2012.

Among other MIAA schools, Northwest Missouri is ranked No. 2 while Missouri Western is ranked fourth, Pittsburg State is ranked 12th and Emporia State is ranked 17th. Northwest Missouri will face Missouri Southern while Pittsburg State will face Missouri Western in St. Joseph this weekend. The Hornets are off this week.

Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 48 times and have been ranked in the top 10 14
times.

Up next

Washburn returns to the road to face No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri on Nov. 2 in Bearcat Stadium in the MIAA TV Game of the Week. Washburn will then return to Yager Stadium to face No. 4 Missouri Western on Nov. 9 for senior day. The Ichabods will wrap up the regular season on Nov. 16 when they will face No. 20 Emporia State.