First and 10
• The Washburn Ichabod football team will take on Missouri Western for the fourth season in a row in a Homecoming battle as Washburn travels to St. Joseph, Mo., to face the Griffons.
• The Ichabods defeated the Griffons 16-13 last season on Oct. 29 in Washburn's Homecoming game and beat the Griffons 21-7 on Oct. 17, 2015 on Missouri Western's Homecoming Saturday. Missouri Western defeated the Ichabods 40-14 on Oct. 18, 2014 in Washburn's Homecoming game.
• Washburn dropped its second game in a row in a 62-42 loss to Central Missouri in the Ichabods' Homecoming game last time out dropping Washburn to 47-44-1 all-time in its homecoming games.
• Missouri Western is 4-4 having lost its last two games after falling to No. 8-ranked Fort Hays State last time out at home.
• The Griffons are averaging 32.2 points per game while allowing 26.6 ppg. Missouri Western is ranked sixth in scoring offense and fifth in scoring defense.
• The Ichabods have the four-best scoring defense in the MIAA allowing an average of 26.4 ppg.
• Offensively, the Griffons are ranked ninth in the MIAA and fourth in the MIAA in total defense allowing 369.8 yards per game ahead of the Ichabods who are sixth allowing 394.5 yards per game.
• Washburn is outscoring its opponents 68-18 in the first quarter this season and 89-55 in the third quarter but have been outscored 68-53 in the second quarter and 70-67 in the fourth quarter of games this season including 52-0 in the last three games.
• The Ichabods have been flagged 50 times for 379 yards compared to 32 times for 278 yards for their opponents. 
• Of the 167 first downs gained by opponents this season, 15 have been aided by Ichabod penalties … Ichabod opponents have 167 first downs compared to 161 for Washburn.
• The Ichabods are 27th in the nation in punt returns averaging 13.67 yards per return and rank 15th in the nation in kickoff return average at 24.55 yards per return.
• Former Ichabod linebacker Josh Looney is the new athletic director at Missouri Western starting earlier this year. While at Washburn, Looney appeared in 46 games recording 227 tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss and was a four-time all-MIAA Academic Honor Roll member earning honorable mention all-MIAA honors as a sophomore.
 
Washburn / Missouri Western series notes
• Series Record: MWSU leads 24-19-2
• Streak: WU won the last two
• First Meeting: WU 58-3 (09/16/1972) in Topeka
• Last Meeting: WU 16-13 (10/29/2016) in Topeka
• Last WU win: 16-13 (10/29/2016) in Topeka
• Last MWSU win: 40-14 (10/18/2014) in Topeka
• Largest WU win: 58-3 (09/16/1972) in Topeka
• Largest MWSU win: 52-0 (11/7/1981) in St. Joseph
 
Coaches
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 108-72 (.599) in his 16th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 90-61 (.603) against the MIAA.
• has led the Ichabods to three NCAA Playoff appearances and three 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 football coach with 106 wins.
• is 7-8 against Missouri Western.
 
Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson . . . 
• is in his first season directing his alma mater after being hired as MWSU's head coach in December 2016. 
• previously served as an assistant coach at Western from 2000-07. 
• spent 10 years at the Division I level, most recently serving as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin University. 
• is a 1996 graduate from Missouri Western.
• has a 4-2-0 (.667) career coaching record. 
• is 0-0 against Washburn.
 
Washburn notes
• Derrick McGreevy is third in the MIAA and ninth in the NCAA in tackles at 10.3 per game and Heath Tucker is 15th with 7.5 tackles per game … Peter Pfannenstiel is averaging 6.5 tackles per game which is 24th in the MIAA.
• D.J. Olmstead is leads the MIAA with six interceptions and is third in the nation overall. 
• Zach Willis is seventh in the MIAA in rushing with 69.0 yards per game which also leads the Ichabods.
• Mickeel Stewart ranks 10th in the MIAA with 50.9 which is second on the team while leading the Ichabods with six rushing touchdowns.
• Corey Ballentine is ranked 19th in the nation and first in the MIAA in kickoff returns averaging 29.5 yards per return.
• Josh Wright is 11th in the nation and is first in the MIAA in punt return average at 14.2 yards per return.
• Perry Schmiedeler is 18th in the nation in punting and fifth in the MIAA averaging 41.4 yards per punt.
• James Brania-Hopp leads the Ichabods with 482 receiving yards averaging 16.6 yards per catch and 22 receptions for five touchdowns.
• Derrick McGreevy leads the team with 83 tackles adding 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
• Rashade Chester leads the team with 9.0 tackles for loss for 28 yards.
• Will Jones' 4.5 sacks for 26 yards leads the Ichabods.
• Perry Schmiedeler has moved into the top five all-time at Washburn in career kick scoring with 175 points passing Mike Cassin who recorded 150 points from 1975-78. Next up on the kick scoring chart is Nick Kresic who had 186 from 1983-86.
 
Career highs from the Central Missouri game
The following Ichabods had career highs in various categories against Central Missouri last time out.
• Garret Barnett-Kruger - 4 tackles
• James Brania-Hopp - 139 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 163 all-purpose yards
• Rashade Chester - 3.0 tackles for loss
• Jalen Durham - 8 tackles
• Will Hamilton - six receptions
• Blake Peterson - 6 total offensive touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, 14 rushing attempts, 25 pass completions, 312 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 50 total offensive attempts
• Heath Tucker - 16 tackles
• Zach Willis - 144 rushing yards
 
Missouri Western Notes
• Junior quarterback Dom Marino directs the MWSU offense. Marino has completed 44 of 79 passes (.557) for 595 yards (99.2 ypg) and eight touchdowns with two interceptions. He also has rushed the ball 46 times for 299 yards (6.5 ypc) and three scores. Making his first appearance since week one is quarterback Skyler Windmiller who has thrown for 263 yards on 27 of 62 passing with three interceptions and one touchdown.
• Junior running back Josh Caldwell has rushed the ball 138 times for an MIAA-leading 856 yards (6.2 ypc) and eight touchdowns, averaging 107.0 yards per game.
• Junior wide receiver Keylan Mack has caught 21 passes for 248 yards (11.8 ypc).
• Jonathan Owens leads the team in tackles with 62 while Cody Lindsey has 61.
• Senior Tyler Basch has converted 14 of 17 field goals on the season and 28 of his 30 PAT tries. Sophomore Luke Theis has punted 51 times for a 39.3 yard average.
 
Last time out for Washburn …
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team came up on the wrong end of a shootout on Homecoming Saturday in Yager Stadium in a 62-42 loss to Central Missouri. 
In a battle of 5-2 teams on a windy Kansas afternoon, the Mules took an early 7-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Brook Bolles, but the Ichabods needed only 90 seconds to tie the game up when Blake Peterson scored on a 1-yard plunge tying the score at 7-7 with 5:14 to play in the opening quarter.
Central Missouri came back to go up 13-7 with 1:59 to play on a 3-yard run by Devante Turner, but Corey Ballentine blocked the extra point try.
Peterson recorded his second 1-yard touchdown run with 10:56 to play in the half as Washburn took the lead 14-13. Back to back scores by the Mules pushed Central Missouri's lead to 27-14.
On the final drive of the half, Peterson hit Carey Woods in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard score sending the Ichabods into the break down 27-21.
Washburn (5-3, 5-3 MIAA) went in front in the third quarter with a 23-yard pass from Peterson with 12:14 to play in the quarter staking the Ichabods to a 28-27 lead. But again the Mules (6-2, 6-2 MIAA) answered with a 13-yard pass from Bolles to Seth Hebert as the Mules regained the lead 34-28.
Peterson scored again on a 1-yard reach across the goal line putting the Ichabods up 35-34 with 6:02 to go in the third quarter.
Washburn ended the scoring in the third quarter with a Peterson to Brania-Hopp on a 28-yard touchdown pass as the Ichabods took a 42-34 lead into the final 15 minutes.
However the Mules scored 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter going on to the 62-42 win.
Peterson tied a Washburn record accounting for six touchdowns on the day with three through the air. He tied the record shared by Barry Griffiths (vs Emporia State in 1988) and Dane Simoneau (vs Pittsburg State in 2009). He finished 25 for 36 passing for 312 yards and rushed for three scores.
Brania-Hopp had 139 receiving yards setting a career high for the second straight-week with seven catches and two scores.
Zach Willis rushed for a career high 144 yards on 14 carries with 10.3 yards per carry.
Heath Tucker led the Ichabods on defense with 16 tackles with eight solo stops and a forced fumble. Peter Pfannenstiel had nine tackles and Jalen Durham and Derrick McGreevy had eight.
Washburn was outgained 662 to 556 in the game by the Mules.
 
Last Ichabod meeting with Missouri Western …
Oct. 29, 2016 -- TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods picked off three Missouri Western passes including one in the end zone on the final play of the game while kicking three field goals leading to a 16-13 win over the Griffons on homecoming Saturday in Yager Stadium. With the win the Ichabods recorded their second-straight win over the Griffons and improved to 6-2 on the season.
With the Ichabods holding the 16-13 lead, Washburn was stopped on a fourth-and-two from the Griffon 19 turning the ball over to Western with 1:24 left in the game. The Griffons took advantage of two Ichabod penalties and moved the ball to the Ichabod nine yard line with 28 seconds left. The Griffons' spiked the ball to stop the clock and on second down, Keaton Cofield picked off Corey Bertini in the back of the endzone wrapping up the Homecoming victory for the Ichabods.
The Griffons took a 3-0 lead on their first drive of the game and then the Ichabods tied the score on the first of Perry Schmiedeler's three field goals on the afternoon with a 27-yard conversion with 5:00 left in the first quarter.
Missouri Western went up 6-3 after a 24-yard field goal of its own on the ensuing possession with 2:20 left in the opening quarter. The Griffons, who dropped to 4-6 on the season, stretched their lead to 13-3 when Bertini hit Dijuan Ussery on a 45-yard touchdown pass with 7:47 left in the first half.
The Ichabods came back with a score of its own when Wesley Collins scored on a 1-yard plunge with 44 seconds left in the half to trim the Griffon lead to 13-10 entering the break.
After trading punts to start the second half, Schmiedeler hit a 43-yard field goal tying the score at 13 with 9:31 to go in the third quarter as the defense set the Ichabod offense up at the Griffon 23 after Peter Pfannenstiel stripped Ussery of the ball which was recovered by Austin Tillman.
On the Griffons' next possession, Trevin Wiens picked off Bertini and returned it to the Western 36-yard line. Washburn's drive stalled, but Schmiedeler hit a career-long 50-yard field goal with 6:46 to play putting Washburn up 16-13 wrapping up the scoring for both teams as the teams combined for 82 rushing yards and 51 passing yards in the fourth quarter.
Washburn's defense was led by Corey Ballentine and Cody Heiman who each had nine tackles. Tillman had seven with a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
Offensively Mickeel Steart had 68 yards on 13 carries and Collins finished with 50 yards on 14 carries and a score. Derek McGinnis was 10 of 20 for 145 and was sacked three times. James Brania-Hopp had four catches for 42 yards.
Washburn finished with 296 total yards while the Griffons had 361 overall with 109 coming on the ground. 
 
A win over Missouri WesterN would …
• lift the Ichabods to 548-577-44 in their football history.
• improve the Ichabods to 20-24-2 all-time against the Griffons.
• be the third straight win over the Griffons.
• be the second straight win in St. Joseph over the Griffons.
• clinch the 12th winning season under head coach Craig Schurig in his 16th year on the Ichabod sidelines.
 
A loss to Missouri WesterN would …
• drop the Ichabods to 547-578-44 in their football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 5-4 on the season.
• drop the Ichabods to 19-25-2 against the Griffons all-time.
• snap an Ichabod two-game winning streak over the Griffons.
 
Ichabod football history
• Washburn is 547-577-44 (.484) in the 127th 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 127 first team all-conference picks and 45 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 received votes for the seventh-straight week in the latest AFCA Top 25 coaches poll of the season.  Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 63 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
Up Next
Washburn will return home for its final regular season game on Nov. 4 hosting Central Oklahoma on Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day.