• The Washburn Ichabods will wrap up their mini two-game home stand playing host to Missouri Southern on Homecoming Saturday in Yager Stadium starting at 1 p.m.
• Washburn (3-3, 3-3 MIAA) is coming off a 58-14 win over Northeastern State last time out during the Athletics Hall of Fame Game as the Ichabods raced out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
• The Ichabods are 47-44-1 all-time on Washburn's Homecoming.
• The Ichabods have only faced Missouri Southern on Homecoming in Topeka winning 35-17 on Nov. 2, 1974.
• The Lions (0-6, 0-6 MIAA) were topped by Missouri Western last time out 33-10 as part of the Missouri Southern Homecoming festivities.
• Against Northeastern State last time out, Perry Schmiedeler hit a 49-yard field goal as Washburn went up 44-14 in the third quarter moving him past Chad Todd (1997-2000) for the most career field goals in school history with his 37th.
• Last year against Missouri Southern on Oct. 7, 2017 in Topeka, the Ichabods topped the Lions 49-21 racking up 570 yards of offense holding the Lions to 112 yards in the second half and 279 overall.
• The Ichabods rushed for a season-high 352 yards against Northeastern State last time, the fifth-best total in the Craig Schurig era and the 66 carries were two shy of the school record of 68 set in 1999.
  • The Ichabods lead the all-time series 24-21-1 and have won the last three in the series.
• Washburn is 16-2 in the last 18 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 12-9.
• 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.
• The first meeting between the two teams was a 21-21 tie on Oct. 17, 1970 in Joplin.
  Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
•  was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
•  is 113-77 (.599) in his 17th season as the Ichabod head coach.
•  is 95-65 (.603) against the MIAA.
•  has led the Ichabods to three NCAA Playoff appearances and four bowl appearances and three bowl 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 113 wins.
•  is 12-2 against Missouri Southern.
 
Missouri Southern interim head coach Joe Bettasso . . .
• was named the Interim Head Coach for the MSSU football team on September 18, 2018.
• came to Southern after three seasons at McKendree University where he served as the Bearcats' Defensive Coordinator.
• has also had coaching stops at Quincy and McPherson College.
• began his coaching career as a student assistant and later a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Missouri Southern State University.
• was also a four-year letterman as a defensive back with the Lions. He paced Missouri Southern with 8.5 tackles for loss as a junior in 2004 and followed that with a team-leading two fumble recoveries during his senior season of 2005.
• had six tackles against the Ichabods in 2003 in a 38-35 Washburn win on Nov. 15, 2003 in Topeka and five tackles with one for loss against Washburn in a  58-43 win by the Ichabods on Nov. 6, 2004 in Joplin and four tackles and a forced fumble in 2005 on Oct. 29 in a 49-35 Washburn win.
• has never coached against Washburn.
  • Hunter Browning leads the team with 46.2 yards per game coming off career highs of 17 carries and 116 yards against Northeastern State last time out … the Ichabods are averaging 144.3 yards per game after ripping of a season-high 352 yards on the ground last time out … as a team the Ichabods are allowing 144.3 per contest.
• Blake Peterson is averaging 202.7 yards per game passing in three starts with three touchdowns completing 48.9 percent of his passes … Mitch Schurig is 57 of 95 passing with seven touchdowns averaging 205.5 yards per game … overall the Ichabods are averaging 247.5 yards per game passing.
• James Brania-Hopp has 36 catches for 636 yards with three scores while averaging 106.0 yards per game receiving … he is also averaging 17.7 yards per catch … Brania-Hopp leads the MIAA in receiving yards per game (106.0), receptions per game (6.0) and total yards (636) and is ranked 11th in the NCAA in receiving yards and 12th in receiving yards per game.
• Austin Tillman is third in the MIAA and leads the Ichabods with 11.2 tackles per game and Derrick McGreevy is third in the league with 10.6 tackles per game … Tillman also leads the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss for 22 yards.
• Through six games, the Ichabods have a balanced offensive attack with 244 run plays and 203 pass plays … on third down and long (anything over seven yards) the Ichabods have ran the ball eight times and passed it 54 times this season.
• The Ichabods are ranked third in the MIAA in third down conversions moving the chains on 41 of 99 attempts and defensively the Ichabods are seventh in the MIAA in opponent third down conversions limiting foes to 33 of 85 attempts for a 39 percent average.
• Washburn is ranked eighth in the MIAA in penalties averaging 7.0 per game for 67.5 yards per game while opponents are averaging 5.4 penalties per game and 43.3 yards per contest which is 12th in the MIAA.
• Washburn is seventh in the MIAA in time of possession averaging 30:12 per game.
• Austin Tillman is ranked 10th in the nation in total tackles at 11.2 per game and Derrick McGreevy is ranked 37th in the nation at 10.0 tackles per game.
• Derrick McGreevy's 266 tackles is 11th on the all-time chart at Washburn.
• Austin Tillman's 256 career tackles sit 12th on the all-time chart at Washburn.
  • (37) Number of career field goals by placekicker Perry Schmiedeler has kicked in his career breaking the Washburn school record held by Chad Todd against Northeastern State last time out
• (245) Number of points senior placekicker Perry Schmiedeler has scored in his career to move into fifth on the all-time scoring chart at Washburn needing six more to pass Sam Sissom who had 250
• (10)Number of total tackles Derrick McGreevy needs to move into the top 10 all-time at Washburn entering this week's game with 266 career tackles
• (1639) Number of total receiving yards by James Brania-Hopp placing him in the top 15 all-time at Washburn at 14th
• (-4) Number of rushing yards Northeastern State had against the Ichabods in last week's game
  • Missouri Southern is coming off a 33-10 loss to Missouri Western at home for the Lion Homecoming game.
• The Lions have been outscored 308 to 50 this season (an average of 51.3 to 8.3 per game).
• Dalton James leads the team with 364 rushing yards on 88 carries averaging 4.1 per attempt.
• Sean Kelly has completed 63 of 126 passes for 525 yards with four interceptions … as a team the Lions have three touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
• Cole Dunbar has a team-high 16 catches for 123 yards averaging 20.5 yards per game.
• Paul Wolff is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts hitting all field extra points.
• Justin Legier has a team-high 49 tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss and Deshon Cowling has 43 tackles with a team-best 4.0 tackles for loss.
• The Lions have allowed 12 sacks this season for 85 yards.
  (Oct. 6, 2018) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods scored early and often putting up a season-high 58 points while the defense held Northeastern State to -4 rushing yards rolling to a 44-point win over the RiverHawks in a 58-14 victory on Hall of Fame Saturday in Yager Stadium.
Washburn (3-3, 3-3 MIAA) opened the scoring on its first possession of the game when Mitch Schurig hit James Brania-Hopp on a 36-yard touchdown strike putting the Ichabods up 7-0. After holding the RiverHawks (0-6, 0-6 MIAA) to a punt on their first drive, Washburn then marched 96 yards in nine plays capped by a Hunter Browning touchdown run of five yards with 6:14 to play in the first quarter going up 14-0.
Again the Ichabod defense held the RiverHawks to a punt and Washburn used 13 plays going 64 yards in 4:58 as Schurig hit Will Hamilton on an 8-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-0 finishing off the scoring in the first quarter.
The RiverHawks got on the board on the first play from scrimmage on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Jake Pruitt to Ryheem Brummitt and Washburn responded with a 13-play, 68-yard drive score pushing the lead to 28-7 on a 2-yard scamper by Kamani Addison from two yards out.
Northeastern took advantage of an Ichabod fumble and scored to cut the lead to 28-14 with 4:42 to play in the half on a touchdown pass from Pruitt to Thompson. Right before the half, the Ichabods stretched the lead to 20 when Schurig connected with Jace Williams from 16 yards out sending Washburn to a 34-14 lead at the break.
After trading punts to start the second half, Addison scored from 7-yards out as the Ichabods led 41-14. On the RiverHawks' ensuing drive, Heath Tucker picked off the pass setting up Washburn at the RiverHawk 45 yard line and the Ichabods' Perry Schmiedeler hit a 49-yard field goal as Washburn went up 44-14. With that field goal, Schmiedeler passed Chad Todd (1997-2000) for the most career field goals in school history with his 37th.
The RiverHawks punted on their next possession and Washburn then marched 68 yards in five plays as Curtis Whitten scored from 4-yards out with 4:56 to play in the third quarter, a period which the Ichabod defense held the RiverHawks to 14 yards of total offense on 20 plays.
Washburn wrapped up the scoring with a 1-yard dive from Will Evans with 10:46 to play sending the Ichabods into Homecoming Week with the 58-14 win.
Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabod defense with 10 tackles with four solo stops, 1.5 sacks for 13 yards. Washburn held an opponent to negative yards rushing for the first time since facing Northeastern State on Nov. 7, 2015 when they were held to -28 yards rushing. Overall the Ichabods recorded five sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Browning led the Ichabod rushing attack which pilled up 352 yards on the ground with 116 yards on 17 carries and one score and Addison had 77 yards with two touchdown runs. Schurig was 11 of 17 for 190 yards and three touchdown passes. Brania-Hopp led the receivers with four catches for 80 yards.
Overall the Ichabods outgained the RiverHawks 564 to 166 running 89 plays compared to 57 plays for Northeastern State. Washburn had 36:46 of possession time and finished 10 of 17 on third down conversions while holding the RiverHawks to 3 of 12.
  • lift the Ichabods to 553-582-44 in their football history.
• improve the Ichabods to 25-21-1 all-time against Missouri Southern.
• improve the Ichabods to 4-3 on the season.
• be the fourth in a row over the Lions.
• move the Ichabods to 48-44-1 all-time on Homecoming at Washburn.
  • drop the Ichabods to 552-583-44 in their football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 3-4 on the season.
• drop the Ichabods to 24-22-1 all-time against Missouri Southern.
• be the first win by the Lions over the Ichabods since a 42-21 win on Sept. 27, 2014 in Joplin.
  •  Washburn is 552-582-44 (.484) in the 128th 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 142 first team all-MIAA picks and 48 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.
•  Washburn has made 12 postseason appearances including bowl games and tournament games going 5-2 in seven bowl games.
•  Five Ichabods have been picked in the NFL Draft.
  WACO, Texas -- For the 12th time in the last 15 years, the Washburn Ichabod football team received votes in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Coaches presason poll released to start the 2018 season. The Ichabods, under head coach Craig Schurig, have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 66 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
  The Ichabods will travel to Edmond, Oklahoma on Oct. 20 before facing Emporia State on Oct. 27 in Topeka.