• For the second-straight season and third in the last four seasons, the Washburn Ichabods will take on Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo., as the teams will face off at 7 p.m. in Spratt Stadium with matching 2-2 records.
• The Ichabods are coming off a 28-21 win over a then No. 19-ranked Central Missouri team snapping a six-game losing slide to the Mules.
• The Griffons are coming off a 66-16 win over Northeastern State at home on Sept. 22 as they are playing their second game in a row at home.
• The Ichabods have won the last three in the series over the Griffons including a 34-24 win over Missouri Western last season in St. Joseph on Oct. 28.
• The Ichabods are third in the MIAA in passing yards per game at 263 while the Griffons are 12th in pass defense, allowing 286 per game.
  • The Ichabods have won the last three games in the series, but trail overall all-time 24-20-2.
• In the last three meetings, Washburn has won two of those on the road at Spratt Stadium.
• Washburn won 34-24 in 2017 and then had a 16-13 win in Topeka on Oct. 29, 2016 and then won 21-7 on Oct. 17, 2015 in St. Joseph.
• The Ichabods are 7-14-2 all-time in games played in St. Joseph while going 13-10-0 in games played in Topeka.
• Washburn is looking for its longest winning streak against the Griffons since winning five in a row from 1986 to 1990.
• Former Ichabod linebacker Josh Looney is in his second year as the athletic director at Missouri Western … 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 … as a player at Washburn, Looney was 1-3 against the Griffons with two overtime losses … he helped the Ichabods to their only MIAA Championship in 2005 as senior.
  Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 112-76 (.599) in his 17th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 93-65 (.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 112 wins.
• is 8-8 against Missouri Western.
 
Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson . . .
• is in his second 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 6-9 career coaching record.
• is 0-1 against Washburn.
  • Hunter Browning leads the team with 32.5 yards per game as five different Ichabods are averaging a double-digit yards per game average … as a team the Ichabods are averaging 101.2 yards per game on the ground while allowing 152.0 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 28 of 45 passing with four touchdowns averaging 204.5 yards per game … overall the Ichabods are averaging 262.5 yards per game passing.
• James Brania-Hopp has 25 catches for 417 yards with two scores while averaging 104.2 yards per game receiving … he is also averaging 16.7 yards per catch … Brania-Hopp leads the MIAA in receiving yards per game (104.2), receptions per game (6.3) and total yards (417).
• Austin Tillman leads the MIAA and the Ichabods with 11.8 tackles per game and Derrick McGreevy is fifth in the league with 10 tackles per game … Tillman is also tied for the team lead with 3.5 tackles for loss.
• Through four games, the Ichabods have had a pretty balanced offensive attack with 146 run plays and 144 pass plays … on third down and long (anything over seven yards) the Ichabods have ran the ball six times and passed it 40 times this season.
• The Ichabods are ranked sixth in the MIAA in third down conversions moving the chairs on 27 of 69 attempts and defensively the Ichabods are third in the MIAA in opponent third down conversions limiting foes to 18 of 58 attempts for a 31 percent average … against UCM last time out the Ichabods held the high-powered Mules offense to 4 of 14 on third down.
• Washburn is ranked sixth in the MIAA in penalties averaging 7.0 per game for 67.3 yards while opponents are averaging 4.5 penalties per game and 32.0 yards per contest.
• Washburn is sixth in the MIAA in time of possession averaging 29:48 per game.
• Corey Ballentine is one of 15 players in the NCAA Division II ranks this season to have blocked two kicks, which is tied for the division's lead.
• Heath Tucker is 11th in the nation in forced fumbles averaging 0.5 per game.
• Austin Tillman is ranked 13th in the nation in total tackles at 11.8 per game and Derrick McGreevy is ranked 42nd in the nation at 10.0 tackles per game.
• Derrick McGreevy's 246 tackles is 15th on the all-time chart at Washburn.
• Austin Tillman's 240 career tackles sit 17th on the all-time chart at Washburn.
  •  99-6  Washburn's record when entering the fourth quarter with the lead over its opponents under head coach Craig Schurig after the win over UCM
•  234  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 17 more to pass Sam Sissom who had 250
•  10  Number of receptions by James Brania-Hopp for a career high against Central Missouri ranking tied for ninth on the Ichabod single-game chart
•  188  Number of total offensive yards the Ichabod defense held Central Missouri to under its season average of 571 per game on Saturday
•  4    Number of third down conversions the Mules had against the Ichabods (4 of 14) compared to 10 of 20 for Washburn's offense • Missouri Western got back to .500 and moved to 2-0 at home this season with a 66-16 win over Northeastern State last week.
• After rushing for 326 yards on Northeastern State, the Griffons rank fifth in the MIAA, averaging 192 rushing yards per game.
• MWSU shares the load on the ground, with four different Griffons over 100 rushing yards this season. Those four have also found the end zone at least once each.
• Quarterback Dom Marino leads the team with 262 rushing yards. Shamar Griffith isn't far behind with 237. James Bailey Jr. went for 151 last week and is now up to 208 for the season. Each of those three has two TDs on the ground.
• Derek Gray Jr. has 113 rushing yards with a rushing and a receiving touchdown.
• The rushing totals in most of the Griffons' games have been lopsided with the Griffon defense holding opponents to the second lowest average in the MIAA (100.3).
• MWSU's 12 sacks on the season are tied for the second most in the MIAA while the three sacks allowed are the fewest in the conference.
• Marino's second quarter interception last week was the first of the season by a Griffon quarterback. The defense ranks fifth in the MIAA with four interceptions this season.
  (Sept. 22, 2018) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod football team held the No. 2-ranked offense in the country to 174 yards in the second half and snapped a six-game losing streak to Central Missouri as the Ichabods topped the No. 19-ranked Mules 28-21 on Family Day in Yager Stadium.
After the Mules scored on their first possession taking advantage of a short field after a big punt return, they needed three plays to move 21 yards after a Jeremy Hunt to Shae Wyatt touchdown pass. But the Ichabods came right back on the ensuing drive scoring in only 1:40. Will Hamilton pulled down a 48-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Schurig who was making his first career start to put the Ichabods up 7-6 with 10:35 left in the first quarter.
The Ichabods added to their lead after an interception by Heath Tucker put Washburn back in business and Washburn would go up 14-6 with 9:59 to play in the first as Schurig hit Michael Lickteig on a 22-yard strike.
Central Missouri scored the next 10 points of the game after an 18-yard run by Koby Wilkerson and a 37-yard field goal by Alex Langer as the Mules built a 15-14 lead.
Washburn returned to the scoring summary with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Schurig to James Brania-Hopp capping an 8-play, 74-yard drive as Ichabods went up 21-15 and added to the lead on a 74-yard touchdown pass from Schurig to Austen Hubert with 5:24 to play in the first half stretching the lead to 28-15.
The Mules wrapped up the scoring in the first half which the teams combined for 49 points and 554 yards of total of offense with a 20-yard score as Kyrion Paker and Hunt hooked up on a touchdown pass as the Mules trimmed the Ichabod lead to 28-21.
In the second half, Washburn held the Mules to 174 yards as UCM finished with 383 yards after averaging 571 yards per game entering the contest with the Ichabods while picking off four Central Missouri passes.
Neither team scored in the remaining 30 minutes of action.
The Ichabod defensive charge was led by Austin Tillman who had 10 tackles and Corey Ballentine had seven with a blocked field goal in the third quarter. Heath Tucker had six stops and an interception and Channon Ross had four tackles and his first career interception returning it 31 yards. Washburn's fourth interception was by Kevin Neal, Jr.
Schurig finished with 361 passing yards and four touchdowns completing 24 of 37 passes. James Brania-Hopp had career highs with 10 catches and 138 yards receiving and a score as eight different receivers pulled down passes for the Ichabods. Hunter Browning led the Ichabods on the ground with 14 carries for 56 yards.
The win was the first by an Ichabod team over a ranked opponent since a 28-21 win over a No. 4-ranked Pittsburg State on the road on Sept. 19, 2015.
  • lift the Ichabods to 552-581-44 in their football history.
• improve the Ichabods to 21-24-2 all-time against the Griffons.
• improve the Ichabods to 3-2 on the season.
• be the fourth in a row over the Griffons and the third straight win over the Griffons in St. Joseph.
  • drop the Ichabods to 551-582-44 in their football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 2-3 on the season.
• drop the Ichabods to 20-25-2 all-time against the Griffons.
• be the first win by the Griffons over the Ichabods since a 40-14 win in Topeka on Oct. 18, 2014.
  • Washburn is 551-581-44 (.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.
  Washburn returns to Yager Stadium for two-straight games starting with Northeastern State on Oct. 6 for Hall of Fame Saturday and then face Missouri Southern on Oct. 13 for Washburn's Homecoming.