Opening Notes
•    The Washburn Ichabods will face Emporia State in the 112th meeting between the two schools.
•    The series is the most-played in NCAA Division II ahead of the 106 all-time meetings between Virginia State and Virginia Union and the 103 games between Tuskegee and Morehouse.
•    The Ichabods are coming off a 38-27 homecoming loss to Central Oklahoma last time out while the Hornets topped Missouri Western 17-3 on its homecoming game.
•    The Ichabods have won four of the last five meetings in Emporia with the Hornets snapping the winning streak in the last meeting in Emporia 34-23 on Nov. 16, 2013.

 'Bods and Ends
•     The Ichabods are 10-6 all-time in games played on Halloween.
•    The Ichabods are 1-1 against the Hornets on Halloween.
•    Washburn has not played the Hornets in 85 years in a 13-6 win on Oct. 31, 1930 in Emporia.
•     The Ichabods won the last meeting in Topeka 28-19 on Sept. 28, 2013. 
•    The other meeting on Halloween was on Oct. 31, 1914 in a 19-0 win by the Hornets in Emporia.
•    Washburn is seventh in the MIAA in interceptions with 10 returning two of them for touchdowns. 
•    Washburn is 11th in the MIAA in penalties averaging 78.0 yards per game after being called for 69 penalties. Emporia State is seventh in penalties recording 56.0 yards per game. Washburn opponents are averaging 52.0 yards per game in penalties which is 10th in the MIAA this season while Hornets opponents are averaging 46.6 yards per game in penalties which ranks 11th.
•    Washburn is fourth in the MIAA in third down conversions with a 42.1 percentage rate recording 61 first downs in 145 attempts while allowing opponents to move the chains 39.8 percent of the time converting 53 of 133 attempts. Emporia State leads the league with a 54.8 third down conversion rate.
•     The Ichabods have wore seven different uniform combinations in their eight games this season.

 Coaching Staffs
Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
•    was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. 
•    is 95-62 (.611) in his 14th season as the Ichabod head coach. 
•    is 77-52 (.603) 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. 
•    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 95 wins.
•    is 10-3 against Emporia State.

Emporia State head coach Garin Higgins . . . 
•    has compiled a career record of 100-57 in 14 seasons as a head coach. 
•    is 49-48 in his ninth season at his alma mater and is 39-24 since the start of the 2010 season.
•    led the Hornets to the NCAA playoffs in 2013. 
•    had a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. 
•    was a quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team.
•     is 2-6 against Washburn. 

 Defensive Notes
•    Linebacker Cody Heiman leads the team with 61 tackles (28 solo). He had a career-high 12 tackles against Central Missouri earlier this season and leads the team with three interceptions.
•    Linebacker Alec Steuber is second on the team with 54 tackles and his two interceptions (both against Fort Hays State) are second on the team. Against Central Missouri he had two sacks and two forced fumbles against Central Missouri and recovered one while recording a career-high nine tackles. He returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown against the Tigers earlier this year. His three fumbles forced this season is tied for the MIAA lead.
•    Safety Peter Pfannenstiel is third on the team with 53 tackles and has 29 solo stops. 
•     Defensive end Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq has 49 tackles overall (19 solo) which is fourth on the team while his 8.0 tackles for loss for 22 yards leads the team. His 12 tackles against Missouri Southern was a career high.
•    Safety Shay Wooten is fifth on the Ichabods with 48 tackles (18 solo). He has recorded 34 tackles on rushing plays and 13 on passing plays.
•    Defensive end Spencer Matthews is second on the team with 7.0 tackles for loss for a team-high 48 yards and his 5.0 sacks for 37 yards leads the team. He is fourth in the MIAA in sacks.
•    The Ichabods have 10 interceptions as Heiman, Steuber and Dwane Simmons all have two and Zach Franklin, Jamie Myers and Jordan Nelson all have one. 
•    Washburn has 40 pass breakups this season and they are led by Franklin's 10.
•    As a team the Ichabods are ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring defense at 24.3 points per game and fifth in total defense allowing 380.6 yards per game.
•    On pass defense the Ichabods are ranked fifth in the MIAA allowing 214.0 yards per game while ranking fifth in rush defense at 166.6 yards per game.

 Offensive Notes
•    Derek McGinnis has completed 51 percent of his passing attempts connecting on 150 of 293 passing attempts with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is averaging 242.9 yards per game passing … his 19 passing touchdowns are second in the league and was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week after the Pitt State game. He is third in the MIAA in passing per game and sixth in the league in total offense at 243.6 yards per game. His 293 attempts are eighth on the Ichabod single season list. He also is in the top 10 in the following categories: Completions (150 - 9th); passing yards (1,943 - 13th); touchdown passes (19 - 9th); yards per game (242.9 - 5th). 
•    Brandon Bourbon has 158 carries for the Ichabods for 683 yards and three score averaging 85.4 yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry. He is sixth in the MIAA in rushing yards per game. His 26 carries against UCO was a career high.
•    Hayden Groves has 104 carries for 501 yards and ranks 12th in the MIAA with 62.6 yards per game rushing averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
•    Bryce Chavis leads the team with 36 catches for 572 yards averaging 15.9 yards per catch with a team-high six touchdowns. He is second in the MIAA in receiving yards and fifth in receptions per game with 5.1.  Bryce Chavis has exactly 101 yards receiving in each of the last two games. The last time an Ichabod receiver had at least 100 yards in three straight games was DeJuan Beard who had five 100-yard receiving games in a row in weeks seven through 11 during the 2011 season. His seven touchdown receptions is tied for 15th on the Ichabod single season chart and his 5.25 receptions per game ranks eighth.
•    Connor Crimmins has 16 catches for 177 yards and two scores.
•    Anthony Daniels has 18 catches for 305 yards with three touchdowns averaging 38.1 yards per game.
•    Michael Lickteig had his first touchdown reception with an 8-yard catch against Central Oklahoma.
•    Mickeel Stewart rushed 16 times for a season-high against Missouri Western for 61 yards.
•    Senior fullback Sam Eickhoff had his first touchdown reception of his career against Lindenwood and his two catches against Pitt State was a career-high.
•    Junior offensive lineman Michael Miller has made 30 straight starts on the offensive line.
•    Washburn is seventh in the MIAA in scoring offense at 26.1 points per game.
•    The Ichabods are fifth in the MIAA in total offense with 413.0 yards per game.
•    Washburn is averaging 170.1 yards per game rushing which ranks fifth in the MIAA and the 242.9 yards per game passing is fifth in the MIAA.    

 Ichabod Special Team Notes
•    Freshman Perry Schmiedeler connected on his first collegiate field goal attempt of 35 yards against Fort Hays State. He has 41 punts for 1,506 yards averaging 36.7 per punt. He is averaging 56.9 yards per kickoff attempt with three touchbacks. His 48-yard punt against Missouri Western was a season-long.
•    Jaime Myers is averaging 11.0 yards per punt return on three attempts and Bryce Chavis is averaging 9.0 yards per punt return on nine attempts.
•    Hayden Groves has 12 returns for 260 yards averaging 21.7 per return. Zach Franklin is averaging 22.2 yards per attempt on 10 returns. 
•    Freshman linebacker Derrick McGreevy leads team with seven special teams tackles with all of them coming on kickoff coverage. Trevin Wiens and Zack Weekley each have six stops all of kickoff coverage.
•    Jarvis Harrod has three of Washburn's 10 tackles on punt coverage.

 Know the Foe
•    Emporia State is ranked No. 19 in the AFCA Coaches poll entering the game with a 7-1 record with the lone loss coming to Fort Hays State on Oct. 17.
•    The Hornets are ranked No. 3 in the MIAA in scoring offense at 35.4 ppg while allowing 22.6 ppg which also ranks third in the MIAA.
•    They are ranked no. 2 in total offense at 499.4 yards per game averaging a league-best 333.8 yards per game through the air with 165.5 yards on the ground.
•    Brent Wilson leads the league in passing and total offense with 327.5 yards per game through the air. He has thrown for 25 touchdowns completing 221 of 323 attempts with nine interceptions and 2,620 yards.
•    Antonio Brown is averaging 60.6 yards per game with four touchdowns.
•    Mitchell Foote has 57 catches for 600 yards and 10 touchdown receptions and Kavaski Ervin has 51 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns.
•    Josh Monteagudo leads the team with 68 tackles (33 solo) with six tackles for loss.
•    Jason Tetuan leads the team with 11 tackles for loss and has 51 tackles (21 solo).

 Series Facts with Emporia State
Series Record: ESU leads 53-52-6
Streak: WU won the last meeting
First Meeting: ESU 11-0 (11/4/1899) in Topeka
Last Meeting: WU 36-10 (11/01/2014) in Topeka
Last WU win: 36-10 (11/01/2014) in Topeka
Last ESU win: 34-23 (11/16/2013) in Emporia
Largest WU win: 42-0 (11/6/2010) in Topeka
Largest ESU win: 45-6 (11/2/1928) in Emporia  

 Series Notes with Emporia State
• The Hornets lead the all-time series 53-52-6.
• Washburn won the last meeting in Topeka in a 36-10 win on Nov. 1, 2014.
• Washburn is 22-27-2 all-time in Emporia and has won four of the last five games on the road.
• Washburn is 30-26-4 all-time against the Hornets in Topeka.
• The Ichabods have won 10 of the last 13 all under head coach Craig Schurig.

 Last Meeting with Emporia State
(11/1/2014) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods led from start to finish in a 36-10 win over Emporia State in the Turnpike Tussle on Saturday at Yager Stadium. 
After forcing a punt on the Hornets' first drive of the game, the Ichabods marched 49 yards in eight plays scoring on a 2-yard run by Vershon Moore with 10:41 to play after the extra point missed. It was the first of four touchdowns scored by Moore on the day en route to a school-record 306 all-purpose breaking Troy Slusser's mark of 292 set against Emporia State on Nov. 12, 1988.
Washburn forced another three and out for the Hornets and again Moore scored from 14 yards out stretching the lead to 13-0.
The Ichabods scored again on a 22-yard field goal by Justin Linn with 5:33 to play in the first half. On the ensuing drive by Emporia State, Washburn forced a punt Moore recovered his own fumble and rushed down the right sideline for 85 yards pushing the Ichabods to a 23-0 lead with 3:35 to play in the half as neither team would score the remaining time left in the frame.
Emporia State started the scoring in the second half with a 43-yard field goal by Austin Morton and cut the Ichabod lead to 23-10 with 16 seconds to play in the quarter on a Kavaski Ervin touchdown reception from Ty Reasnor.
Washburn scored on its first drive of the fourth quarter when Moore scored from 11-yards out with 10:32 remaining in the game as the Ichabods led 29-10.
Washburn wrapped up the scoring with a 1-yd touchdown plunge by Palmer with 6:10 to play as the Ichabods finished with the 36-10 win.
The Ichabods finished with 191 yards rushing as Moore led the Ichabods with a game-high 171 yards on the ground adding three touchdowns.
Palmer finished with 233 yards passing completing 19 of 30 passing attempts with no interceptions. 
Moore tied for the team high with five receptions for 65 yards. Jordan Hart had five catches for 51 yards and Brad Gourley had four catches for 86 yards.
Shay Wooten led Washburn's defense with eight tackles. Dwayne Joseph had four stops and an interception and Calvin Kenney added an interception too.
Washburn finished with 28 first downs while holding Emporia State to 14 in the game. The Ichabods also had 191 yards rushing holding ESU to 88. Overall the recorded 432 yards of offense limiting the Hornets to a season-low 213 yards.

 Last time out for Emporia State
(10/24/2015) The #19 Emporia State Hornets overcame four turnovers and ten penalties to post a 17-3 win over Missouri Western on Saturday afternoon at Jones Field at Welch Stadium.  It was the first time in 35 games the Hornets had held an opponent without a touchdown.
DEFENSE COMES THROUGH
The Hornets held the Griffons to just 255 yards of total offense, only the second time this season Emporia State had held an opponent to under 350 yards of total offense.  The Hornets were especially effective on third down, holding the Griffons to four of 16 on third down.  The only score of the game for Missouri Western came on a 19 yard field goal with 28 seconds left in the game.
OFFENSE STILL SCORES
The Hornets took the lead on a four yard touchdown pass from Brent Wilson to Mitchell Foote with 6:20 left in the first half.  Emporia State extended the lead to 14-0 at the start of the fourth quarter when Wilson hit Foote over the middle and he took it 29 yards for a touchdown with 14:52 left.  The Hornets made it a three score game on their next possession with a 27 yard field goal from Austin Morton with 12:51 left.
DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
Kole Schankie led the Hornets with 14 tackles, a forced fumble and recovery to go with half a sack.  Josh Monteagudo also had 14 tackles while J.P. Lohrentz added seven tackles and an interception for Emporia State.
OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
Brent Wilson was 22 of 38 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.  Kavaski Ervin was his favorite target with eight catches for 99 yards while Mitchell Foote had six receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns.  Denzel Strong led all rushers with 88 yards on 15 carries.

 Last time out for Washburn
(10/24/2015) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods fell 38-27 to Central Oklahoma as the Bronchos spoiled the Homecoming encounter in Yager Stadium. 
The Bronchos took the lead with 6:12 to play in the first quarter when Darrack Harger scored for the only points in the first half. In the second quarter, the Ichabods tied the score on a 62-yard pass play from Derek McGinnis to Bryce Chavis knotting the score at 7-7 with 13:53 to play in the first half. 
After a punt by the Bronchos, Washburn turned it over on a fumble on its punt on its next possession and the Bronchos' Seth Hiddink hit a 31-yard field goal with 7:57 to play in the half taking a 10-7 lead after the short field for UCO.
Neither team would score until 40 seconds before the half when McGinnis found Michael Lickteig in the back of the end zone putting Washburn up 14-10 heading into the locker room.
Coming out after halftime, Central Oklahoma scored in three plays going up 17-14 and after a Washburn punt, UCO needed only five more plays going 29 yards after a big punt return to increase its lead to 24-14 with 10:41 to play in the third quarter.
Washburn responded with a 7-play, 75-yard drive when Hayden Groves scored on a 44-yard touchdown run up the middle pulling Washburn within 24-20.
The Ichabod defense forced another Broncho punt on their next possession and Brandon Bourbon scored on a 29-yard touchdown run putting the Ichabods in front 27-24 with 6:46 to play in the third quarter.
Washburn and Central Oklahoma traded punts and UCO took the lead for good on an 82-yard touchdown pass from TJ Eckert to Myles Tease with 2:47 to play in the third quarter. 
UCO increased its lead to 38-27 on a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:43 to play in the game for the only points in the fourth quarter.
Peter Pfannenstiel had 12 tackles to lead the Ichabod defense and Jaime Myers and Alec Steuber each had eight tackles. Jordan Nelson had an interception while Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq had seven tackles and a sack.
Bourbon rushed for a Washburn-high 136 yards on 26 carries and one score and Groves finished with 93 yards on 15 carries. Chavis finished with 101 yards receiving on six catches to lead the Ichabod receivers. McGinnis was 9 of 22 for 120 yards and two scores. 
Washburn had 15 first downs in the game while UCO had 21, with two aided by Ichabod penalties. Washburn had 237 yards rushing and UCO finished with 175 on the ground. Through the air, UCO had 304 yards and Washburn was limited to 120. Overall UCO outgained Washburn 479 to 357.
The loss dropped the Ichabods to 4-4 on the season while Central Oklahoma improved to 3-5.

 A win for Washburn over Emporia State would . . .
• lift the Ichabods to 534-569-44 in their football history.
• move the Ichabods to 5-4 on the season and in the MIAA.
• move the Ichabods to 53-53-6 all-time against the Hornets tying the all-time series.
• be the second-straight win over the Hornets.

 A loss for Washburn to Emporia State would . . .
• drop the Ichabods to 533-569-44 in their football history.
• be the second-straight loss to the Hornets in Emporia.
• move the Ichabods to 52-54-6 all-time against Emporia State.

 Washburn Football History
•    Washburn is 533-568-44 (.484) in the 125th year of Ichabod football.
•    The Ichabods are ranked 15th in NCAA Division II history in wins.
•    The Ichabods have 12 conference titles with the last coming in 2005 in the MIAA.
•    Washburn has had 126 first team all-conference picks and 44 first team all-MIAA selections.
•    Washburn has had 78 all-American selections and 54 all-American picks since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 1989.
•    Five Ichabods have been picked in the NFL Draft.

 Ichabods in the National Polls
WACO, Texas -- The Ichabods did not receive votes in this week's poll. Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 55 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times. 

 Up Next
Washburn will travel to Tahlequah, Okla., to face Northeastern State on Nov. 7 for its second-straight road game before returning home on Nov. 14 to take on Northwest Missouri in Yager Stadium for senior day festivities in the regular season finale.