First and 10
• The Washburn Ichabods will wrap up the regular season with a trip down the Turnpike to face Emporia State with a 2 p.m. kickoff from Welch Stadium for the 114th meeting in the series.
• Washburn is coming off a 27-10 loss to Central Oklahoma last time out on Senior Day in Topeka dropping its record to 6-4 on the season.
• Emporia State enters the game with a 5-5 mark after topping Missouri Western on its Homecoming game last time out in a 30-27 win.
• The Washburn/Emporia State series is now the second-most played series in NCAA Division II history as South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State have reclassified to NCAA Division II. Those two schools have met 131 times dating back to 1895.
• The series is the second-most-played in NCAA Division II ahead of the 107 all-time meetings between Virginia State and Virginia Union and the 105 games between Tuskegee and Morehouse.  
• The Ichabods are in a three-way tie for fourth place in the MIAA standings at 6-4 with Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.
• The Hornets are all alone in seventh in the conference race at 5-5.
• The Hornets are ranked sixth in the MIAA in scoring offense at 29.6 ppg and ranked eighth in scoring defense allowing 29.1 ppg.
• The Ichabods have the four-best scoring defense in the MIAA allowing an average of 26.2 ppg and the fourth-best scoring offense at 32.1 ppg.
• Offensively, the Hornets are ranked fourth in the MIAA in total offense with 437.2 yards per game and the 10th-best total defense allowing 437.4 ypg. Washburn is ranked sixth in the MIAA in total offense at 389.6 yards per game and sixth in total defense allowing 404.1 ypg.
• Washburn is outscoring its opponents 88-25 in the first quarter this season and 96-77 in the third quarter but have been outscored 77-63 in the second quarter and 83-74 in the fourth quarter of games this season including 65-7 in the last five games.
• The Ichabods have been flagged 57 times for 424 yards which lead the MIAA in fewest penalty yards compared to 44 times for 386 yards for their opponents which also leads the league for the fewest yards against by opponents. 
• Of the 210 first downs gained by opponents this season, 16 have been aided by Ichabod penalties … Ichabod opponents have 210 first downs compared to 209 for Washburn.
• Washburn is 8-11-1 in games played on Nov. 11 and have not played on Nov. 11 since a 16-3 win over Missouri Western in Topeka.
• Washburn is 1-3 in games played against Emporia State on Nov. 11 winning 8-0 in 1911 before losing the last three in 1967 (34-7 at ESU), 1972 (41-7 at ESU) and 2000 (35-21 at WU).
• Washburn is looking to snap a two-game losing streak to the Hornets overall and a two-game losing streak in Emporia with its last win coming on Oct. 1, 2011 in a 31-17 win on the road.
 
Washburn / Emporia State series notes
• Series Record: ESU leads 55-52-6
• Streak: ESU won the last two meetings
• First Meeting: ESU 11-0 (11/4/1899) in Topeka
• Last Meeting: ESU 30-3 (11/12/2016) in Topeka
• Last WU win: 36-10 (11/01/2014) in Topeka
• Last ESU win: 30-3 (11/12/2016) in Topeka
• Largest WU win: 42-0 (11/6/2010) in Topeka
• Largest ESU win: 45-6 (11/2/1928) in Emporia
• Washburn has won nine of the last 13 games.
• The series is the second-played in NCAA Division II with 113 meetings.
• Washburn is 30-27-4 all-time in games played in Topeka and 22-28-2 in meetings played in Emporia.
 
Coaches
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 109-73 (.599) in his 16th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 91-62 (.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 109 wins.
• is 10-5 against Emporia State.
 
Emporia State  head coach Garin Higgins . . . 
•  Garin Higgins has a career record of 119-66 in his 16th season as a head coach. 
• is 68-57 in his 11th season at his alma mater.
• is 59-33 since the start of the 2010 season. He led the Hornets to the NCAA Playoffs in three of the last four years with a national semifinal appearance in 2015. 
• has a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. 
• was quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team.  
• is 4-6 against Washburn.
 
Washburn notes
• Derrick McGreevy is second in the MIAA and ninth in the NCAA in tackles at 11.1 per game and Heath Tucker is 16th in the MIAA with 7.1 tackles per game.
• D.J. Olmstead is leads the MIAA with six interceptions and is fifth in the nation overall. He recovered his fourth fumble, which is second in the NCAA rankings, of the season against Missouri Western, which tied an Ichabod single season record with Anthony Brooks (1987), Clay Phillips (1987), Leonard Jackson (1991) and Fred Caldwell (1989).
• Zach Willis is seventh in the MIAA in rushing with 64.2 yards per game which also leads the Ichabods.
• Mickeel Stewart ranks 13th in the MIAA with 53.4 which is second on the team while leading the Ichabods with seven rushing touchdowns.
• Corey Ballentine is ranked eighth in the nation and first in the MIAA in kickoff returns averaging 29.9 yards per return.
• Perry Schmiedeler is 20th in the nation in punting and fourth in the MIAA averaging 41.2 yards per punt.
• James Brania-Hopp leads the Ichabods with 531 receiving yards averaging 15.6 yards per catch and his 34 receptions is second on the team and his five touchdowns is tied for the team lead.
• Carey Woods leads the Ichabods with 36 receptions and his 403 yards in receiving is second.
• Derrick McGreevy leads the team with 111 tackles adding 7.0 tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles.
• Rashade Chester leads the team with 9.5 tackles for loss for 28 yards.
• Will Jones' 4.5 sacks for 26 yards leads the Ichabods.
• Perry Schmiedeler has moved into the top four all-time at Washburn in career kick scoring with 189 points passing Nick Kresic who had 186 from 1983-86. His overall point total of 191 (after adding in the two-point conversion he ran for earlier this season) ranks him 11th on the all-time scoring chart at Washburn needing five more total points to move into the top 10.
 
Career highs from the central oklahoma game
The following Ichabods had career highs in various categories against Central Oklahoma  last time out.
• Corey Ballentine - 139 all-purpose yards, five kickoff returns
• Derrick McGreevy - 19 tackles
• Blake Peterson - 52 yards long rush
• Carey Woods - eight receptions, 97 receiving yards
• Josh Wright - 35 yard punt return
 
Emporia State Notes
• The Hornets are 5-5 this season and won their last game in a 30-27 win over Missouri Western on Homecoming on Nov. 4.
• Quarterback Braxton Marstall leads the Hornets in total offense at 330.3 yards per game with 2703 coming through the air and 270 on the ground. He has completed 220 of 355 passing for 22 touchdowns with only three interceptions averaging 300.3 yards per game passing.
• Landon Nault is averaging 55.8 yards per game on the ground to lead ESU with eight rushing touchdowns and one receiving score.
• Justin Brown has 912 receiving yards which lead the team and his seven touchdowns is tied for the team lead with Louis Dailey who has 35 catches for 571 yards.
• Gabe Cleveland leads the team with 104 tackles adding 11.0 tackles for loss for 33 yards with three interceptions.
• Tre-Vaun Ammons has 43 tackles with 15 for loss for 66 yards and 6.5 sacks for 26 yards.
• Austin Morton is 6 of 12 on field goal attempts including a long of 41 yards.
• Justin Mrcha is averaging 45.2 ayrds per punt with 13 of more than 50 yards and 18 have been placed inside the 20.
 
Last time out for Washburn …
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods ended their home slate with a 27-10 loss in Yager Stadium to Central Oklahoma.
The Ichabods won the opening toss and deferred to the second half and the Bronchos fumbled on their fourth play of the game forced by Cedric Gonzalez and recovered by Rashade Chester at the UCO 33 yard line. Six plays later, the Ichabods would go up 3-0 when Perry Schmiedeler connected on a 31-yard field goal with 12:18 to play in the first quarter.
The Bronchos jumped on the board on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Chas Stallared to Josh Crockett with 48 seconds to play in the first quarter going up 7-3.
Central Oklahoma (6-4, 6-4 MIAA) scored the next 13 points over the course of the second and third quarters to go up 20-3 with 12:28 left in the third after a pair of field goals by Alex Quevedo of 39 and 31 yards and a Stallard to J.T. Luper 23-yard touchdown pass.
Washburn (6-4, 6-4 MIAA) finished off its scoring with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Blake Peterson to Carey Woods pulling Washburn within 20-10 with 6:27 to play in the game capping a 13-play, 87-yard drive.
However, UCO came back with a 12-play, 75-yard drive of its own taking 5:51 off the clock scoring a touchdown going up 27-10 wrapping up the scoring.
Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabods with 19 tackles, tying for the seventh-best single-game total in school history adding two tackles for loss with two pass break ups and one forced fumble. Gonzalez finished with 13 tackles and had a forced fumble.
Peterson led the Ichabods with 62 rushing yards on 11 carries including a 52-yard run and Zach Willis finished with 48. Peterson also passed for 218 yards completing 21 of 35 passes. Woods had eight receptions for 97 yards and one score.
UCO held a 471 to 382 offensive advantage in the game recording 27 first downs compared to 20 for the Ichabods. Washburn came up short on the turnover battle as well with five turnovers including two interceptions while the Bronchos committed only two and held a 38:02 to 21:58 advantage in time of possession.
 
Last Ichabod meeting with Emporia State …
Nov. 12, 2016 -- TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods wrapped up the regular season with a 30-3 loss to No. 9 Emporia State in the Turnpike Tussle on Saturday in Yager Stadium. 
After a scoreless first quarter, the Ichabods took a 3-0 lead on a 39-yard field goal by Perry Schmielder with 10:27 to play in the first half. It was his 16th of the season which is fourth on the Ichabod single season chart.
ESU would then score 17-straight points the second quarter to take a 17-3 lead to the break.
The Hornets (10-1, 10-1 MIAA) then added a touchdown in the third quarter and then two Austin Morton field goals in the fourth quarter leading to the 30-3 win.
Austin Tillman led the Ichabods with a career-high 17 tackles adding a tackle for loss. Cody Heiman finished with 12 tackles adding a sack and Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq recorded nine tackles. Peter Pfannenstiel and Zach Franklin each picked off a Hornet pass.
Mickeel Stewart had 45 yards passing and Bryce Chavis, James Brania-Hopp and Stewart each had three catches. Derrick McGinnis was 14 of 37 for 79 yards
 
A win over Emporia State would …
• lift the Ichabods to 549-578-44 in their football history.
• improve the Ichabods to 53-55-6 against the Hornets.
• snap a two-game losing streak to the Hornets and would be the first win over ESU in Emporia since a 31-17 win on Oct. 1, 2011. 
• improve the Ichabods to 7-4 on the season.
 
A loss to Emporia State would …
• drop the Ichabods to 548-578-44 in their football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 6-5 on the season.
• be the third straight loss to the Hornets.
• drop the Ichabods to 52-56-6 all-time to the Hornets.
 
Ichabod football history
• Washburn is 548-578-44 (.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 did not receive votes for the first week since week No. 1 in the latest AFCA Top 25 coaches poll of the season after receiving votes the previous eight.  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
With a win over Emporia State, there is a possibility for a postseason bowl game, otherwise the Ichabods will open the 2018 season at Lindenwood on August 30th and then will return for the home opener against Northwest Missouri on Sept. 6 in Yager Stadium.