First and 10
•The Washburn Ichabod football team returns home looking for its fourth-straight win when they will play host to the Missouri Southern State University Lions on Oct. 7 with a 1 p.m. kickoff from Yager Stadium.
•Washburn is coming off a 35-20 win over Pittsburg State winning its third regular season game in a row over the Gorillas in Pittsburg.
•The Lions are 0-5 this season after falling 16-6 to Nebraska-Kearney last time out.
•The Lions are ranked last in the MIAA in scoring offense at 9.8 per game and 11th in scoring defense allowing 41.6 points per game.
•The Ichabods have the third-best scoring defense in the MIAA allowing an average of 18.2 ppg.
•The Lions are 12th in the MIAA in total offense at 249.2 yards per game and 12th in total defense allowing 491.6 yards per game.
•Washburn is outscoring its opponents 37-2 in the first quarter and 60-25 in the fourth quarter, but are being outscored 33-22 in the second quarter while outscoring its opponents 47 to 31 in the third quarter.
•The Ichabods have been flagged 37 times for 250 yards compared to 22 times for 176 yards for their opponents. 
•Of the 91 first downs gained by opponents this season, 11 have been aided by Ichabod penalties … Ichabod opponents have 91 first downs compared to 90 for Washburn.
•The Ichabods are 12th in the nation in punt returns averaging 18.22 yards per return and rank 15th in the nation in kickoff return average at 25.00 yards per return.
•Saturday is also Hall of Fame Day at Washburn where former Lady Blues basketball players Brooke (Ubelaker) Terick, Carla Sintra-Freeman and former Ichabod All-American defensive tackle Trey Lewis will all be enshrined in a morning ceremony and will be recognized at halftime of the football game.
 
Washburn / Missouri SOuthern series notes
•Washburn is 15-2 in the last 17 games played against the Lions.
•Overall the Ichabods as 12-12-1 all-time in games played in Joplin and leads in games played in Topeka 11-9.
•In 2016, the 45-13 win over the Lions was the largest by the Ichabods in the series and was Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig's 100th win on the Ichabod sidelines.
•Series Record: Washburn leads 23-21-1
•Streaks: WU won the last two
•First Meeting: Tie 21-21 (10/17/1970) in Joplin
•Last Meeting: WU 45-13 (10/08/16) in Joplin
•Last WU win: 45-13 (10/08/16) in Joplin
•Last MSSU win: 42-21 (09/27/14) in Joplin
•Largest WU win: 45-13 (10/08/16) in Joplin
•Largest MSSU win: 44-14 (10/03/1992) in Joplin
 
Coaches
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
•was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
•is 107-70 (.599) in his 16th season as the Ichabod head coach.
•is 89-59 (.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 11-2 against Missouri Southern.
 
Missouri Southern head coach Denver Johnson . . . 
•was named the 13th head coach in Missouri Southern history on April 1, 2015.
•is 3-23 in his third season as the Lions' head coach.
•spent four seasons at the University of Tulsa as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator prior to landing at Missouri Southern.
•has been the head coach at two Division I institutions garnering a 72-90 overall record in 15 as a head coach.
•was an All-Missouri Valley Conference offensive lineman as a senior for Tulsa, Johnson was an eighth round draft choice by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1981
•spent two years (1981-82) with the Bucs and three seasons in the USFL, playing two years (1983-84) with the Los Angeles Express and the 1985 season with the Houston Gamblers.
•is 0-2 against Washburn.
 
Washburn notes
•Derrick McGreevy is second in the MIAA and seventh in the NCAA in tackles at 12.0 per game and Cedric Gonzalez is 15th with 7.0 tackles per game along with Peter Pfannenstiel who is also averaging 7.0 tackles per game.
•Brad Breckenridge is 19th in sacks in the MIAA with 1.5 this season.
•D.J. Olmstead is tied for the MIAA lead with three interceptions which ranks 14th in the nation.
•Mickeel Stewart ranks eighth in the MIAA and leads the team with 290 yards rushing and 58.0 yards per game.
•Coming off a career-high performance, Zach Willis is ranked 10th in the MIAA in rushing with 223 total yards and 55.8 yards per game.
•Corey Ballentine is ranked 18th in the nation in kickoff returns averaging 29.8 yards per return.
•Josh Wright is 11th in the nation and is second in the MIAA in punt return average at 17.8 yards per return.
•Perry Schmiedeler is 15th in the nation in punting and fourth in the MIAA averaging 41.8 yards per punt.
•Carey Woods leads the team with 19 catches for 181 yards and three scores.
•Derrick McGreevy leads the team with 60 tackles.
•Rashade Chester has 4.0 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with 1.5 sacks per game along with Will Jones, Peter Pfannenstiel and Brad Breckenridge.
•Perry Schmiedeler has moved into the top five all-time at Washburn in career kick scoring with 154 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.
•This season, four true freshman have played in games for the Ichabods. James Letcher, Jr., has played in four games with two rushes for 18 yards and two receptions for 10 yards. Landen Urban has played in five games making 10 tackles with one for loss and one sack. Brad Breckenridge has played in three games and has six tackles with 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss. Terrell Cooper has saw action in two games this season.
 
Career highs from Pitt State game
The following Ichabods had career highs in various categories against Pittsburg State last time out.
•Corey Ballentine - 81 all purpose yards
•James Brania-Hopp - 6 receptions/74 yards
•Rashade Chester - 5 tackles
•Jalen Durham - 6 tackles
•Nick Foster - 4 tackles
•Kyle Emerick - 3 tackles
•Nathan Mikoleit - 3 tackles
•Derrick McGreevy - 16 tackles
•D.J. Olmstead - 10 tackles
•Brooks Peavler - 4 tackles, 1 interception
•Blake Peterson - 234 total offensive yards
•Heath Tucker - 9 tackles
•Zach Willis - 8 rushes, 122 yards
•Josh Wright - 5 tackles
 
Missouri Southern Notes
•The Lions are 0-5 this season after falling 16-6 to Nebraska-Kearney last time out.
•The Lions also have a 63-0 loss to Northwest Missouri.
•The Lions scored a season-high 29 points against Emporia State in a 36-29 loss to the Hornets.
•Shemar Coleman leads the team with 211 yards on the ground averaging 42.2 yards per game.
•Dante Vandeven is 81 of 155 passing with six touchdowns and six interceptions averaging 153.6 yards per game.
•Josiah Bennett has a team-high 19 catches for 247 yards averaging 13 yards per catch.
•Alexander Wade leads the team with 43 tackles with 27 solo stops.
•The Lions are ranked last in the MIAA in scoring offense at 9.8 per game and 11th in scoring defense allowing 41.6 points per game.
•The Ichabods have the third-best scoring defense in the MIAA allowing an average of 18.2 ppg.
•The Lions are 12th in the MIAA in total offense at 249.2 yards per game and 12th in total defense allowing 491.6 yards per game.
 
Last time out for Washburn …
PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team improved to 4-1 outscoring Pittsburg State 28-10 in the second half as the Ichabods won their second-straight game in Pittsburg in a 35-20 win over the Gorillas. 
Washburn took the opening kickoff and marched 83 yards in nine plays when Mickeel Stewart scored on a 26-yard touchdown run going up 7-0 with 11:18 to play in the first quarter. It would be the first of two touchdown runs for Stewart in the game.
Stewart's touchdown was the only points in the first quarter for either team and it wasn't until 11:18 left in the first half Pitt State's John Roderique scored on a 2-yard run tying the score at 7-7. Pitt State went up 10-7 after a 27-yd field goal by Jared Vincent with 3:55 to play in the opening half.
To start the second half, Pitt State (2-3, 2-3 MIAA) blocked an Ichabod punt and returned it 48 yards for a score by Juante Baldwin pushing the Gorilla lead to 17-7 with 11:43 to play in the third quarter.
After the teams traded punts, Zach Willis scored the first of his two touchdowns in the game with a 53-yard touchdown run with 6:01 left in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, placekicker Perry Schmeideler recovered his own onside kick attempt and the Ichabods' Blake Peterson hit Carey Woods with a flea flicker touchdown pass putting Washburn In front of the Gorillas 21-17 as Washburn scored two touchdowns in 12 seconds.
Vincent hit his second field goal trimming the Washburn lead to 21-20 with 14:49 to play in the game.
Willis scored his second touchdown on a 40-yard run with 12:47 to play as the Ichabods went up 28-20 with 12:47 to play.
After a Gorilla punt, Stewart rushed 19 yards wrapping up the scoring for the Ichabods with 7:38 to play in the game as Washburn went up 35-20.
The Gorillas drove 71 yards down to the Ichabod two-yard line, but Pitt State quarterback John Roderique fumbled the ball into the end zone and D. J. Olmstead recovered returning the ball to the Ichabods with 3:49 to play.
The Ichabods ran 1:23 off the clock before punting it back to Pitt State, but a Roderique pass was picked off by Brooks Peavler for his first career interception returning in 33 yards as Washburn would then run two more plays running out the clock.
Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabods with 16 tackles and D.J. Olmstead finished with 10 stops and Heath Tucker had nine.
Offensively for the Ichabods, Willis rushed for a career-high 122 yards on eight carries averaging 15.2 yards per carry with two touchdowns and Stewart finished with 71 yards on 12 carries. Peterson had 52 yards on 12 carries at quarterback. Peterson passed for 182 yards completing 16 of 30 passes with one touchdown finishing with 236 total offensive yards. James Brania-Hopp had six catches for 74 yards and Stewart finished with three catches for 27 yards.
Washburn outgained the Gorillas 425 to 308 as the Ichabods rushed for 243 total yards and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. Pitt State, who did not have any passing yards in the first half, finished with 98 total passing yards in the game completing 8 of 17 passes overall. 
 
Last Ichabod meeting with Missouri Southern …
Oct. 8, 2016 -- JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabod defense picked off a school-record six Missouri Southern passes and head coach Craig Schurig picked up career win No. 100 as the Ichabods ruined the Lions' homecoming in a 45-13 win.
Washburn (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) scored on its first possession of the game capping a nine-play, 59-yard drive as Perry Schmiedeler connected on a 28-yard field goal 3:19 into the game.
Neither team would score until Heath Tucker picked off Brayden Scott for his first career interception and returned it 47 yards for a score with 49 seconds left in the first half staking Washburn to a 10-0 lead entering the halftime break.
After trading punts to open the second half, the Lions drove down to the Ichabod 10, but Trevin Wiens picked off the Lions for their sixth interception of the day. Washburn came back and converted it into a score when Wesley Collins finished off a 12-play, 94-yard drive putting Washburn up 17-0 with 3:39 left in the third quarter with his first touchdown rush of his collegiate career.
On the Ichabods' next drive, Washburn needed only 55 seconds and three plays to go 49 yards going up 24-0 when Collins scored again on a 4-yard touchdown run.
Back to back scores by the Lions cut the lead to 24-13 with 8:56 to play in the game.
Washburn ending the Lions' scoring run when Mickeel Stewart scored from 2-yards out converting a pair of long passes with 7:08 to play in the game as the Ichabods would go up 31-13.
After a Lions score was called back because of a penalty, Missouri Southern fumbled on the next play and Cody Heiman scooped it up and returned it 60 yards for the Ichabods' second defensive score of the day with 6:06 to play in the game expanding the Washburn lead to 38-13.
With 3:13 to play in the game after the Lions threw their sixth interception of the game, Kenyatte Harris, Jr., scored on a run up the middle finishing off a 40-yard drive as Washburn would go up 45-13.
Washburn's six interceptions tied a school record. Washburn picked off six passes against Missouri Western in games in 1983 and 1974 and a game against Fort Hays State in 1975.
Heiman and Wiens each had 10 tackles to lead the Ichabods while Wiens added two interceptions and two break ups while Heiman had the 60-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown adding a 1/2 sack in the process.
Corey Ballentine also recorded two interceptions adding eight tackles and Austin Tillman had eight tackles as well.
Collins and Stewart each finished over the 100-yard mark as Collins had 15 carries for 122 yards and two scores while Stewart had 21 carries for 108 yards and one score. 
Derek McGinnis had 213 yards passing completing 12 of 25 passes throwing to eight different receivers led by Bryce Chavis' three catches for 57 yards and Jake Horner had three grabs for 50 yards.
Washburn finished with 494 yards in total offense compared to 338 for the Lions and outgained them 281 to 100 on the ground. 
 
A win over Missouri Southern would …
•lift the Ichabods to 547-575-44 in their football history.
•be the third straight win over the Lions and the eighth straight win over the Lions in Topeka.
•improve the Ichabods to 12-9 all-time against the Lions in home games.
•improve the Ichabods to 24-21-1 all-time against the Lions overall.
•be Washburn's 18th win in the last 20 games played against the Lions.
 
A loss to Missouri Southern would …
•drop the Ichabods to 545-576-44 in their football history.
•drop the Ichabods to 4-2 on the season.
•be the first win by the Lions in Topeka since Oct. 23, 1997.
•snap a two-game winning streak by the Ichabods over the Lions.
 
Ichabod football history
•Washburn is 546-575-44 (.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 fourth-straight week in the second 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 61 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
Up Next
Washburn returns to the road when they travel west to take on Fort Hays State on Oct. 14 in Hays. Washburn  is back in action in Topeka on Oct. 21 when they will take on Central Missouri as part of Washburn's Homecoming.