Opening Notes
• The Washburn Ichabods will play host to the No. 8-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas on Saturday, Sept. 20 and will be featured as the MIAA Television Game of the Week.
•It will be the first meeting between Washburn and Pittsburg State since a 31-22 Gorilla win on Nov. 26, 2011 in Pittsburg in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. The Gorillas would go on to win the National Championship that season. Washburn handed the Gorillas their only loss in 2011 in a 43-25 win on Nov. 5 in Pittsburg.
•The Ichabods are coming off a 10-7 win over Nebraska-Kearney to improve their record to 1-1 this season while the Gorillas enter the game with a 2-0 mark after defeating Lindenwood 38-7.

 'Bods and Ends
• The Ichabods have won five of the last eight meetings against the Gorillas including the last three games played in Topeka. Washburn has not played Pitt State in Topeka since a 55-3 win in Topeka on Oct. 17, 2009 in a game which is the largest winning margin by any Washburn team over the Gorillas.
• The Ichabods improved to 24-0 under Craig Schurig when their opponents score 10 or fewer points with the 10-7 win over Nebraska-Kearney.
• The 10 points the Ichabods scored in their win over Nebraska-Kearney was the fewest points a Washburn team had scored in a win since scoring nine in a 9-6 win over Wisconsin-River Falls on Sept. 5, 1998.
• The win was the first when scoring 0 to 10 points under Craig Schurig who now stands at 1-5 when scoring 10 or fewer points.
• The Ichabods have outscored their opponents 24 to 7 in the first quarter of games this season but have been outscored 37-14 in the second and third quarters of games including a 24 to 7 mark in the second quarter.
• True freshmen Bob Marco, who started at right guard against Nebraska-Kearney, along with defensive end Kastin Spencer, linebacker Austin Tillman and tight end Semaj Johnson all saw action against the Lopers.
• The win over the Lopers snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to last season for the Ichabods.
• Thirty-nine of Washburn's opponents 51 points have come off turnovers.

 Coaching Staffs
Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. 
• is 88-52 (.602) in his 13th season as the Ichabod head coach. 
• is 70-42 (.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 87 wins.
• is 5-6 against Pittsburg State.

Pittsburg State head coach Tim Beck  . . . 
• is in his fifth season as head coach at his alma mater and in his 28th season overall on the PSU coaching staff.
• is 38-12 overall.
• Beck led his alma mater (PSU, '88) to the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship three seasons ago, earning national coach of the year honors from Liberty Mutual, the Don Hansen Football Committee and FieldTurf.
• Beck became the school's 14th all-time head football coach in December 2009, after serving for 23 seasons as an assistant coach for the Gorillas including 16 years as the team's offensive coordinator from 1994-2009.
• is 1-2 against Washburn.

 Ichabod Offensive Notes
•     Senior running back Vershon Moore needs 874 rushing yards to become the all-time leader …  has also rushed for 27 touchdowns and has two of the top three single-game totals in school history. He has rushed for 2,542 yard in his career and 27 touchdowns.
•     Senior quarterback Mitch Buhler has made 22 starts at Washburn passing for 4,337 career yards and 45 touchdowns … his 45 TD passes are fourth all-time at Washburn and his 330 career completions are sixth.
•     Junior running back Sean McPherson has rushed for 1,044 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 133 catches which is fifth all-time at Washburn … his 1,951 yards is seven all-time at well at Washburn … he caught three touchdown passes for the third time in his career and did it for the first time since the 2011 season against Lindenwood.
•     Senior Dylan Ready has played in 34 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 24 games adding 26 catches for 387 yards … Crimmins, who also plays baseball for the Ichabods, is switching from No. 14 to No. 19 to honor former Ichabod baseball coach Steve Anson … his seven receptions and 90 receiving yards were also career-highs.
•     Junior Cameron Brown is moving back into the starting line up this season at center after starting 11 games at right guard in 2012. 
•     Junior Sam Eickhoff has started nine career games at fullback appearing in 18 games.
•     Junior wide receiver Jordan Hart is back after playing in pats of five games last season … he has 36 catches for 662 yards and seven touchdowns in his career.
•     Sophomore running back Donnie Lockhart III received a medical redshirt after recording 26 carries for 120 yards and three touchdowns last season.
•     Junior Jordon McCallister is starting at left guard and made three starts in 2013 appearing in nine games overall.
•     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 two starts.
•    Senior Matt Buhler had a career-high four catches for a career-high 58 yards against Lindenwood.
•     Senior Brad Gourley had a career-long 87-yard reception for a touchdown against Nebraska-Kearney. He has 25 receptions for 339 yards and two scores playing in 22 games.

 Ichabod Defensive Notes
• Senior safety Calvin Kenney has played in 37 games making 31 starts tallying 175 tackles with 103 solo stops with four interceptions.
• Sophomore defensive end Akhmad Abdul-Razaq moves into a starting defensive end position after recording 23 tackles last season appearing in 11 games. This season he has recorded 16 tackles with a career-high 10 tackles coming against Nebraska-Kearney.
• Senior defensive tackle Bryan Dale has appeared in 36 games … he has recorded 45 career tackles.
• Senior defensive end Alex Dowty has appeared in 26 games with 43 tackles.
• Senior defensive tackle Tyler Ewy has made 15 starts including 11 in 2013. Overall he has appeared in 30 games with 50 tackles and 9.5 career tackles for loss.
• Sophomore defensive back Zach Franklin had made two starts appearing in 13 games at Washburn … the nine tackles against Lindenwood was a career-high.
• 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 15 games making four starts gaining 34 tackles with 21 solo stops.
• Senior defensive back Dwayne Joseph has made eight starts recording 52 tackles with 37 solo stops and one interception in his career.
• Junior linebacker Mark Kolmer is another Ichabod moving from offense to defense as he's played in 23 career games with seven starts adding 38 tackles … he made six starts at fullback in 2013 … his seven tackles against Lindenwood 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 12 starts playing in 24 games with 66 tackles and three interceptions … he has 1370 career all-purpose yards.
• Junior safety Shay Wooten moves into a starting safety role recording 76 career tackles appearing in 24 games.

 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 2 of 3 this season with a season-long of 34 …his 59 PATs rank 10th all-time at Washburn and his 16 career field goals ranks eighth.
• Senior Aaron Hummert has 141 punts for 5,724 yards averaging 40.6 yards per punt playing in 37 career games … his 40.6 career punting average is the best in school history.

 Know the Foe
• Pittsburg State is ranked No. 8 in the latest AFCA Top 25 coaches poll with a 2-0 record.
• The Gorillas topped Lindenwood 38-7 last time out after jumping to a 38-0 lead after three quarters.
• Dre Holman leads the team with 46.5 yards per game rushing while Anthony Abenoja became Pitt State's all-time leading passes against Lindenwood and is averaging 276.5 yards per game through the air.
• Marquise Cushon is averaging 118.0 yards per game receiving and 26.2 yards per catch.
• Tyler Disney leads the team with 21 tackles and four tackles for loss.
• The Gorillas have only allowed seven points this season while scoring 75. Overall the Gorillas are averaging 436 yards per game in total offense while allowing 199.5 per contest.

 Series Notes with Pittsburg State
Series Record: PSU leads 61-21-1
Streak: PSU won the last one
First Meeting: PSU 21-7 (10/08/1921) in Topeka
Last Meeting: PSU 31-22 (11/26/2011) in Pittsburg
Last WU win: 43-25 (11/05/2011) in Pittsburg
Last PSU win: 31-22 (11/26/2011) in Pittsburg
Largest WU win: 55-3 (10/17/2009) in Topeka
Largest PSU win: 61-0 (10/28/1989) in Pittsburg 

 Last Meeting with Pittsburg State
(11/26/2011) PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod football season came to an end with a 31-22 loss at No. 7 Pittsburg State in the second round of the playoffs. The Ichabods finished the season with a school-record 10 wins wrapping up the season 10-3.
The Ichabods held the Gorillas to no yards on their first drive and on the ensuing punt, the ball sailed through the punter's hands for an Ichabod safety. The Ichabods would then take the free kick and march 46 yards on eight plays scoring when Dane Simoneau hit Matt Kobbeman on a 17-yard touchdown pass putting the Ichabods up 9-0 with 10:32 to play in the first quarter. The Ichabods held the Gorillas to 36 yards in the first quarter
The Gorillas would score their first points on a Mandel Dixon 1-yard run to pull Pitt State within 9-7 with 10:41 to play in the opening half. After a three-and-out by the Ichabods the Gorillas took over at their own 39-yard line. On Pitt State's third down play, Bryce Atagi picked off Zac Dickey and returned the ball 50 yards for a Washburn touchdown putting the Ichabods up 16-7 with 7:58 to play in the half.
On the Gorillas' next drive, Dixon scored his second touchdown for the Gorillas with 4:27 to play in the half cutting Washburn's lead to two at 16-14 with 4:27 to go in the half. Pitt State would add another score when Dickey hit Andrew Castaneda for a 38-yard touchdown score putting the Gorillas infront of the Ichabods 21-16 entering the halftime break.
In third quarter after the teams traded punts, Pitt State would go on an 11:14 drive eating up the clock adding to the Gorillas' lead at 24-16 with 1:26 to go in the quarter.
Again the teams traded punts and the Ichabod drove down to the Gorillas 1-yardline midway through the quarter, but Washburn was denied on four plays and the Gorillas took over possession. The Gorillas then drove 97 yards in seven plays capped by a Jason Spradling rush with 2:59 to go in the game.
The ichabods added the final score of the game when Simoneau connected with Tore' Hurst on a 17-yard crossing route cutting the lead to 31-22 after the extra point  missed. The onside kick was recovered by the Gorillas and they ran out the clock improving to 10-1 on the season setting up a regional final contest with Northwest Missouri after the Bearcats defeated the top seeded Midwestern State 38-31.
Simoneau finished 14 of 40 with two touchdowns and 216 passing yards. Justin Cooper was limited to 22 yards on the ground on 17 carries while Hurst led the Ichabods with four catches for 69 yards and one score.
Jahmil Taylor and Casey Curran each had 17 tackles (11 assisted)..

 Last time out for Pittsburg State
(9/11/2014) ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Quarterback Anthony Abenoja passed for 328 yards and three touchdowns to lead eighth-ranked Pittsburg State University to a 38-7 victory over Lindenwood University Thursday (Sept. 11) at Hunter Stadium.
The Gorillas (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) claimed their 15th consecutive road victory dating back to the 2010 season, while handing the Lions (1-1, 1-1 MIAA) their first home-opening loss in 12 years.
Abenoja, who became Pitt State's all-time passing yardage leader on the Gorillas' opening drive of the game, tossed touchdown passes of 18 yards to Jeff Seybold, 14 yards to Gavin Lutman and 11 yards to Marquise Cushon.
Deron Washington added a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Gorillas, turning a potential Lions score into a pick six.
Ramsey Hamilton also scored on a four-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Frazell booted a 24-yard field goal – his school record 14th straight make – early in the first period. Frazell's streak ended with a 46-yard miss as time expired in the first half.
The Lions, who were limited to 189 yards of total offense in the game, ended the Gorillas' bid for a second straight shutout on Stephen Kaiser's 14-yard run with 3:01 to play against the Pitt State reserves.
Cushon caught five passes for a career high 140 yards, all in the first half. He also returned a pair of punts 73 yards to finish the game with 213 all-purpose yards.

 Last time out for Washburn
(9/11/2014) KEARNEY, Neb. -- Justin Linn's field goal with 8:14 to go in the game was the difference as the Ichabods improved to 1-1 on the season in a 10-7 win at Nebraska-Kearney. 
Linn's winning touchdown was set up by the Ichabod defense when Mark Kolmer picked off Bronson Marsh at the UNK 38 and returned it to the UNK 30.
Washburn then forced a Loper punt on their next possession after a 12-play, 46-yard drive, but their field goal attempt from 37 yards out was missed after a muffed snap returning the ball back to the Ichabods. 
Washburn then drove down to the UNK 27 before turning it over on downs.
UNK was not able to move past the UNK 38 as Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq sacked Marsh at the UNK 35 to end the game on fourth down.
After neither team was able to accomplish much offensively in the first half, the Ichabods broke through on a third and 17 conversion when Mitch Buhler hit Brad Gourley on an 87-yard touchdown pass with 7:33 to play in the first half.
After a missed field goal late in the second quarter, the Lopers knotted the score at 7-7 after a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback Bronson Marsh with 32 seconds to play.
The teams combined for 376 total yards in the first half with the Ichabods gaining 200 yards on 35 plays. Washburn had 20 rushes for 85 yards passing for 115 while the Lopers had 48 yards passing rushing for 128 of 24 attempts.
Sean McPherson led the Ichabods with 63 yards on 17 carries and Vershon Moore had 54 on 14 carries. Buhler finished 14 of 32 for 172 yards and one score and Jordan Hart finished with four catches to lead the receivers.
Defensively, Washburn was led by Calvin Kenney who had 10 tackles and Abdul-Razzaq had 10 as well adding 1.5 tackles for loss.
Washburn finished with 316 total yards on 73 plays and Nebraska-Kearney had 264 yards on 75 plays.. 

 Washburn Football History
Washburn is 526-558-44 (.480) in the 124th year of Ichabod football. 

 A win for Washburn over Pittsburg State would . . .
• lift the Ichabods to 527-558-44 in their football history.
• be the Ichabods fourth-straight win over the Gorillas in Topeka.
• make the Ichabods 23-61-1 all-time against the Gorillas.
• move the Ichabods to 2-1 in MIAA play and overall on the season.
• be the Ichabods' first win over a top 10-ranked team since a Nov. 5, 2011 win over Pittsburg State in Pittsburg when the Gorillas were ranked No. 2 in the nation.
• snap a seven-game losing streak to team who were ranked in the top 25 becoming the first win over a ranked team since a 52-49 win over Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA playoffs on Nov. 19, 2011 in Topeka.

 A loss for Washburn to Pittsburg State would . . .
• drop the Ichabods to 526-559-44 in their football history.
• be the Gorillas second-straight win over the Ichabods.
• drop the Ichabods to 22-62-1 all-time against the Gorillas.
• be the Gorillas' first win in Topeka since a 37-10 win in Topeka on Oct. 11, 2003.

 A look back at the win over Nebraska-Kearney . . .
• lifted the Ichabods to 526-558-44 in their football history.
• was the Ichabods' sixth-straight win over the Lopers and the second-straight in Kearney.
• made the Ichabods 9-14 all-time against the Lopers.
• moved the Ichabods to 1-1 in MIAA play.
• snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to last season.

 Ichabods in the National Polls
WACO, Texas -- The Ichabods fell did not receive any votes this week after the loss to Lindenwood 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 Ichabods will travel to Joplin, Mo., to face Missouri Southern for the first time since the 2011 season when the Ichabods and Lions will meet for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. Washburn will return home on Oct. 4 to face Fort Hays State with a 1 p.m. kickoff.