Opening Notes
•     The Washburn Ichabods will wrap the 2014 season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., they will take on the No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats.
•    Washburn is coming off a 42-7 win over Northeastern State improving to 4-6 on the season while the Bearcats topped Emporia State 42-14.
•    The Ichabods are playing only their tenth neutral site game in the program's history. They have gone 4-4-1 overall and are 2-0 in neutral site games under head coach Craig Schurig.
•    It will be the first time for the Ichabods playing in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead while the Bearcats have gone 9-3 in the previous 13 Fall Classic games with Pittsburg State.
•     The Bearcats have won nine consecutive road games and two straight neutral site games including last season's NCAA Championship game in Florence, Ala.
•    Saturday's game will be the final game at Washburn for 14 Ichabod seniors.
•    The Ichabods will be looking to snap a nine-game losing streak to the Bearcats.
•    The Ichabods' last win over Northwest Missouri was on Oct. 8, 2005 in a 31-28 win in Maryville en route to the MIAA regular season championship.
•    The game will be the first for the Ichabods on natural turf since a 51-18 win over Lincoln on Oct. 6, 2012 in Jefferson City, Mo.

 'Bods and Ends
•    Calvin Kenney leads the Ichabods with 94 tackles and is nearly double the next Washburn defensive player.
•     Seventy-two of Washburn's opponents' 295 points have come off turnovers. Washburn has scored 32 points of its 214 off opponents miscues including 29 against Northeastern State last time out.
•    The Ichabods are 24 of 41 in the redzone this season scoring 17 touchdowns with seven field goals totaling 139 points scoring 59 percent of the time inside their opponent's 20 yard line. The Ichabods have turned the ball over five times on downs and have had two interceptions and three fumbles with five missed field goals.
•    Opponents have scored 31 of 39 times inside the redzone against Washburn for an 80 percent scoring rate recording 192 points with 25 touchdowns and six field goals with three missed field goals and turning the ball over on downs three times.
•    The Ichabods are -10 in turnover margin this season which is 10th in the MIAA rankings … eight of Washburn's opponent turnovers have been on interceptions.
•    Washburn has not been shutout twice in a season since 1991 in shutout losses to Pittsburg State and Central Missouri. The last time the Ichabods have been shutout in three games during a season was in 1984.
•    Tyler Ewy had a career-high 1.5 sacks against Northeastern State and recovered his second fumble of his career.
•    Terek Hawkins scored his first touchdown of his career after the blocked punt against the RiverHawks last time out.
•    The 79 yard punt by Aaron Hummert was the longest of his career against NSU.
•    Trey Parker had a career-high seven tackles adding two sacks and a forced fumble against the RiverHawks.
•    The kickoff return for 86 yards by Kameron Stewart was his first return for a touchdown at Washburn.
•    Austin Tillman had his first interception of his career and returned in 63 yards against the RiverHawks while also adding a career-high five tackles.

 Coaching Staffs
Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
•    was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. 
•    is 91-57 (.602) in his 13th season as the Ichabod head coach. 
•    is 73-47 (.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 ten-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 91 wins.
•    is 1-12 against Northwest Missouri.

Northwest Missouri head coach Adam Dorrel . . . 
•    is 44-7 in his fourth year at Northwest Missouri. 
•    is 3-0 against Washburn as head coach at Northwest Missouri.
•    spent the 2007-10 seasons as the Bearcats' offensive coordinator after spending the 2005-06 seasons as the offensive line coach.

 Ichabods in neutral site games . . .
• Washburn is 4-4-1 in neutral site games and have not played one since the 2010 Kanza Bowl.
• Under Schurig the Ichabods have gone 2-0 in neutral site games winning the 2004 Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs 36-33 over Northern State while picking up a 51-18 win over Midwestern State in the 2010 Kanza Bowl played at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.
11/29/1906  vs Oklahoma              T 0-0         Oklahoma City, Okla.
11/05/1909  vs Oklahoma              L 8-42        Oklahoma City, Okla.
10/25/1913  vs Oklahoma State        L 0-3         Sterling, Kan.
09/22/1951  vs Colorado State        L 26-28       Greeley, Colo.
11/23/1974  vs Millikin              W 21-7    Dodge City, Kan. (Boot Hill Bowl)
11/27/1976  vs Benedictine           L 14-29    Dodge City, Kan. (Boot Hill Bowl)
12/20/1986  vs Mexico All-Stars      W 27-8     Mexico City, Mexico (Aztec Bowl)
12/04/2004  vs Northern State        W 36-33    Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Mineral Water Bowl)
12/04/2010  vs Midwestern State      W 45-14    Topeka, Kan. (Kanza Bowl/Hummer Sports Park)

 Ichabod Offensive Notes
•     Senior running back Vershon Moore needs 128 rushing yards to become the all-time leader at Washburn to pass Ra'Shawn Mosley (2004-07)  who had 3,416 career yards …  Moore has also rushed for 35 touchdowns which is second all-time at Washburn  and has two of the top three single-game totals in school history … he has rushed for 3,289 yards in his career … he has 12 100-yard rushing games and became the third Ichabod to go over the 3,000-yard rushing mark in a career at Washburn with his season-high 171 yards against the Hornets earlier this season … he also moved into second place all-time on the Washburn all-purpose yard chart for an Ichabod career with 4,614 trailing Troy Slusser's 5,210 chart-leading total.
•     Junior running back Sean McPherson has rushed for 1,166 yards in his career going over the 1,000-yard mark against Nebraska-Kearney.
•     Senior DaJuan Beard became the 12th Ichabod to catch at least 100 passes and he now has 156 catches which is fourth all-time at Washburn … his 2,240 yards is fifth all-time at well at Washburn … he needs 14 catches to move into second on the all-time receiving chart to pass Michael Dritlein (1992-95) after passing Mike Odupitan (2002-05) for third against Missouri Western.
•     Senior Dylan Ready has played in 42 games on the offensive line and has started at left tackle, left guard and right tackle on the offensive line.
•    Junior Connor Crimmins has appeared in 32 games adding 46 catches for 654 yards …he had a career high 98 yards receiving against Missouri Western … Crimmins, who also plays baseball for the Ichabods, is switching from No. 14 to No. 19 to honor former Ichabod baseball coach Steve Anson.
•     Junior Cameron Brown is moving back into the starting line up this season at center after starting 12 games at right guard in 2012. 
•     Junior Sam Eickhoff has started 17 career games at fullback appearing in 27 games.
•     Junior wide receiver Jordan Hart is back after playing in parts of five games last season … he has 59 catches for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns in his career and has averaged 17.9 yards per reception.
•     Sophomore running back Donnie Lockhart III received a medical redshirt after recording 26 carries for 120 yards and three touchdowns last season … this season he has played in eight games recording three catches for 17 yards.
•     Sophomore Michael Miller was an honorable mention all-MIAA pick after starting 11 games at left guard … this season he is moving to right tackle making ten starts.
•    Senior Matt Buhler had a career-high four catches for a career-high 58 yards against Lindenwood … this season he has 15 catches for 153 yards.
•     Senior Brad Gourley had a career-long 87-yard reception for a touchdown against Nebraska-Kearney. He has 38 receptions for 523 yards and three scores playing in 30 career games.
•     Senior quarterback Mitch Buhler has made 23 starts at Washburn passing for 4,486 career yards and 45 touchdowns … his 45 TD passes are fourth all-time at Washburn and his 343 career completions are sixth.

 Ichabod Defensive Notes
•     Senior safety Calvin Kenney has played in 45 games making 39 starts tallying 252 career tackles with 150 solo stops with six interceptions … he had a career-high 17 tackles against Central Missouri … he is ninth on the Ichabod all-time solo tackle chart and 12th on the total tackle chart … he is one of only 12 Ichabods to record at least 250 tackles in a career at Washburn.
•     Sophomore defensive end Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq moves into a starting defensive end position after recording 23 tackles last season appearing in 11 games last season … this season he has recorded 42 tackles with a career-high 10 tackles coming against Nebraska-Kearney.
•     Senior defensive tackle Bryan Dale has appeared in 44 games … he has recorded 55 career tackles.
•     Senior defensive end Alex Dowty has appeared in 29 games with 46 tackles including 14 tackles for loss.
•     Senior defensive tackle Tyler Ewy has made 23 career starts including 11 in 2013 … overall he has appeared in 38 games with 81 tackles and 11.0 career tackles for loss … he had a career-high eight tackles against Missouri Western on Oct. 4.
•     Sophomore defensive back Zach Franklin had made 12 starts appearing in 21 games at Washburn … the nine tackles against Lindenwood was a career-high and his 98 all-purpose yards against Missouri Southern was a career high … he has 25 tackles this season with 20 solo stops.
•     Sophomore linebacker Cody Heiman is back to the defensive side of the ball after rushing for 426 yards and 91 carries with six touchdowns in 2013 … his nine tackles against Lindenwood was a career-high … overall he has played in 23 games making 11 starts gaining 66 tackles with 42 solo stops … he rushed for a 2-point conversion against Northeastern State last time out.
•     Senior defensive back Dwayne Joseph has made 16 starts recording 71 career tackles with 51 solo stops and two interceptions in his career appearing in 41 games overall.
•     Junior linebacker Mark Kolmer is another Ichabod moving from offense to defense as he's played in 32 career games with 12 starts adding 58 tackles … he made six starts at fullback in 2013 … his nine tackles against Fort Hays State was a career high and he recorded his first career interception against Nebraska-Kearney returning it seven yards setting up the game-winning field goal.
•     Junior safety Jaime Myers has made 14 starts playing in 29 games with 91 tackles and three interceptions … he has 1,660 career all-purpose yards averaging 57.2 per game … he had a career-high 11 tackles against Central Missouri.
•     Junior safety Shay Wooten moves into a starting safety role and has recorded 118 career tackles appearing in 32 games … he had a career-high 12 tackles against Missouri Western last season …he scored a touchdown off a blocked punt against Northeastern State for his second career touchdown.
•    Redshirt freshman Peter Pfannenstiel has started eight games at safety and has recorded 45 tackles with 27 solo stops with a fumble recovery and a pass break up.

 Ichabod Special Team Notes
•     Sophomore Justin Linn returns after being honored as a first team all-MIAA kicker in 2013 … he was a preseason all-American selection for this season by D2Football.com … Linn is 7 of 15 this season with a season-long of 34 … his 76 PATs rank seventh all-time at Washburn and his 21 career field goals are tied for fourth … his four field goals against Central Oklahoma tied a school record and his six attempts were a school record.
•     Senior Aaron Hummert has 179 punts for 7,233 yards averaging 40.4 yards per punt playing in 45 career games … his 40.41 career punting average is second in school history and his 7,233 yards is sixth all-time … had a career-long run of 17 yards on a fourth down against Pittsburg State for a first down and rushed for another first down against Emporia State but was called back because of a holding penalty on the Ichabods.

 Know the Foe
•     Northwest Missouri is 9-1 on the season and can clinch at least a share of the MIAA title with a win on Saturday. 
•    The Bearcats, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, have won eight straight road games dating back to the 2013 season. 
•    The Bearcats are scoring 37.2 points per game and averaging 450.4 total yards (226.3 rushing, 224.1 passing). Northwest leads the MIAA in scoring and total offense.
•    Junior quarterback Brady Bolles has completed 172 of 292 passes for 2,115 yards (211.5 ypg) and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions on the season. He's also carried the ball 91 times for 302 yards and seven more scores.
•    Senior running back Robert Burton III has carried the ball a 134 times for 563 yards (4.2 ypc) and nine touchdowns.
•    Wide Receiver Korey Jackson has 36 catches for 416 yards (11.6 ypc) and three scores.
•    Defensively, the Bearcats are allowing just 13.8 points and 206.6 total yards per game (60.6 rushing, 146.0 passing). Northwest leads the MIAA in rushing and total defense and ranks second in points allowed.
•    Senior linebacker Eric Reimer has made a team-leading 58 tackles (27 solo) with 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks.
•    Senior defensive end Matt Longacre has 31 stops (2 solo) with an MIAA-leading 5.5 quarterback sacks, while senior linebacker D.J. Gnader has made 55 tackles with 8.5 TFLs, 2.5 QB sacks, an interception and three pass break-ups.
•    Sophomore kicker Simon Mathiesen has converted seven of 11 field goals and 33 of 36 PATs on the season. Senior Kyle Goodburn has averaged an MIAA-leading 42.7 yards on 33 punts with 14 kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line.

 Series Notes with Northwest Missouri
Series Record: NWMSU leads 28-6
Streak: NWMSU has won the last nine
First Meeting: NWMSU 27-0 (09/01/1944) in Maryville
Last Meeting: NWMSU 52-21 (11/02/2013) in Maryville
Last WU win: 31-28 (10/8/05) in Maryville
Last NWMSU win: 52-21 (11/02/2013) in Maryville
Largest WU win: 48-14 (10/8/1994) in Topeka
Largest NWMSU win: 56-6 (10/27/2012) in Topeka

 Last Meeting with Northwest Missouri
(11/2/2013) MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The No. 8 Washburn Ichabods lost for the first time in 2013 in a 52-21 loss at No. 2 Northwest Missouri.
The Ichabods fell behind 28-0 before getting on the board with 2:14 left in the second quarter when the Ichabods converted a 4th and 11 for a 24-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Buhler to Tore' Hurst. However the Bearcats needed only two plays to push the lead back to 28 after Northwest scored in 23 second pushing the score to 35-7.
Washburn again converted a 4th and long for a touchdown when Buhler hit Connor Crimmins on a 30-yard touchdown reception trimming the lead to 35-14 going into the half.
After forcing a three and out on the Bearcats' first drive of the second half, Washburn drove down to the Northwest 8, but Buhler's pass to DaJuan Beard was broken up ending the drive.
Northwest then used a 9-play, 64-yard drive to go up 42-14 and added a field goal a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
Jaime Myers then returned the ensuing kickoff 98-yards for a score ending the scoring for the Ichabods. The Bearcats ended the scoring with a touchdown pass wrapping it up en route to the 52-21 win.
Washburn was limited to 69 yards rushing on 30 carries while passing for 244 yards. The Bearcats forced six turnovers by the Ichabods with five coming on interceptions. THe Bearcats finished with 481 total yards on 72 plays while the Ichabods had 313 yards on 73 plays.
Buhler was 16 of 35 for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Beard finished with seven catches for 89 yards to lead the Ichabods. Bryce Atagi had nine tackles and one for loss to pace the defense.

 Last time out for Northwest Missouri
(11/8/2014) No. 7 Northwest Missouri held Emporia State to just 204 yards of total offense as they picked up a victory on the road. NWMSU finished with 479 yards of their own as they moved to 9-1 on the year.
For the Bearcats Brady Bolles was 15 of 25 for 256 yards and four touchdowns George Sehl for 62 yards and a touchdown. On the ground Cameron Wilcox had 77 yards and a touchdown and Robert Burton III added 68 yards and a score. On defense DJ Gnader led the way with nine tackles and Marcus Jones made five stops.
For the Hornets Ty Reasnor was 14 of 31 for 84 yards through the air picking up a touchdown on the ground. Antonio Brown carried the ball nine times for 34 yards and a touchdown. On defense Deshawn Dinwiddie led the way with 11 tackles and Deveon Dinwiddie picked off a pass. 

 Last time out for Washburn
(11/8/2014) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod football team scored twice on special teams, once on defense and three times on offense scoring 34 unanswered points in a 42-7 win over Northeastern State on senior day in Yager Stadium. 
The RiverHawks had the opening possession and on the first play of the game Washburn's Calvin Kenney picked off a pass of a deflection by Shay Wooten as the Ichabods set up shop at the NSU 20 yard line. Three plays later Vershon Moore scored from 14 yards out puttnig Washburn up 6-0 and on the extra point the RiverHawks did not cover the swinging gate and Cody Heiman scored the two-point conversion staking Washburn to an 8-0 lead with 14:04 to play in the first quarter.
The teams would trade the next 10 drives before anyone would score when the RiverHawks scored on a touchdown play cutting Washburn's lead to 8-7 with 8:52 to play in the first half. However on the ensuing kickoff, the Ichabods used a reverse for a 100-yd touchdown return after Zach Franklin started the return at the goal line, Kameron Stewart took the ball on the handoff from Franklin at the 14 and returned it the remaining 86 yards for the touchdown.
Nether team would score until the Ichabods took advantage of a RiverHawk turnover when Terrance Dixon fumbled at the NSU 23 and Wooten scooped it and scored from 23 yards out putting Washburn up 21-7 with 4:33 to play in the half as the Ichabods took the two touchdown lead into the break.
The Ichabods added a 51-yard touchdown run by Vershon Moore midway through the third quarter putting the Ichabods up 28-7 and then on the RiverHawks' next drive, Brad Gourley blocked the NSU punt in the endzone and Terek Hawkins recovered it for the score stretching the Ichabod lead to 35-7.
Joel Piper hit Connor Crimmins from 18 yards out for a score with 4:13 to play in the game wrapping up the scoring and the 42-7 win over the RiverHawks.
Moore led the Ichabods with 122 yards and two scores on 20 carries finishing with 160 all-purpose yards adding 17 receiving yards on four catches and one punt return for 21.
Zeke Palmer was 11 of 24 for 79 yards in the game. Aaron Hummert recorded seven punts for 300 yards including a 79-yard punt in the first half.
Defensively the Ichabods were led by Trey Park and Alec Steuber who each had seven tackles with six solo stops. Parker added two sacks for 12 yards and a fumble recovery and Steuber had a sack with two tackles for loss. Austin Tillman had five solo stops and an interception for 63 yards.
Washburn had 13 first downs compared to 10 for the RiverHawks as the teams combined for 455 yards with Washburn recording 245 in the game. The teams had 22 penalties in the game for 212 yards. The Ichabods finished with 148 yards rushing while holding the RiverHawks to 72. Washburn finished with 97 yards passing while NSU gained 138 

 Washburn Football History
Washburn is 529-563-44 (.480) in the 124th year of Ichabod football. 

 A win for Washburn over Northwest Missouri would . . .
• lift the Ichabods to 530-563-44 in their football history.
• snap a nine-game winning streak by the Bearcats over the Ichabods.
• give head coach Craig Schurig his 92nd win on the Washburn bench.
• make the Ichabods 7-28 all-time against the Bearcats.
• be the first win over the Bearcats for Washburn since Oct. 8, 2005 in a 31-28 victory.

 A loss for Washburn to Northwest Missouri would . . .
• drop the Ichabods to 529-564-44 in their football history.
• be the 10th-straight win over the Ichabods by the Bearcats.
• drop the Ichabods to 29-6 all-time against the Bearcats.

 Ichabods in the National Polls
WACO, Texas -- The Ichabods fell did not receive any votes this week after the loss to Central Oklahoma after receiving votes in the preseason poll released on Aug. 18.
Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 52 times and have been ranked in the top 10 15 times. Washburn has received votes in or been ranked in 10-consecutive AFCA preseason polls.

 Up Next
The Washburn Ichabods will open the 2015 season on Thursday, Sept. 3 in St. Charles, Mo., when they will face Lindewood to open the season as the schedule from 2014 will flip from home games to away games and away games to home games for the season. The 2015 Fall Classic is scheduled for Nov. 14.