For starters
> The Washburn Ichabods are in search of their 13th winning season in head coach Craig Schurig's 18th season on Saturday when the Ichabods will wrap up the regular season against Nebraska-Kearney with a noon kickoff.
> The Ichabods (5-5, 5-5 MIAA) won their senior day match up with Pittsburg State last time out with a 49-38 victory topping the Gorillas for the third-straight meeting in the series handing the Gorillas their fifth-straight loss overall.
> The Lopers are 6-4 this season and snapped a two-game losing streak with a 49-21 win at Missouri Western last time out.
> The Lopers are 6-4 this season and snapped a two-game losing streak with a 49-21 win at Missouri Western last time out.
>  The Lopers are 2-3 in home games this season and 4-1 in road games.
>  The Lopers lead the all-time series 15-12 and snapped an Ichabod nine-game winning streak with a 17-16 win last season in Topeka also snapping a five-game winning streak in Yager Stadium.
>  The Ichabods have won the last four games played in Kearney including a 47-44 triple overtime win on Sept. 24, 2016 in the last game played.
>  Overall the Ichabods are 5-7 in 12 all-time meetings in Kearney.
 
 Series notes
Series Record_________________ UNK leads 15-12
Streaks_______________________ UNK won the last meeting
First Meeting_________________ UNK 19-14 (09/14/1963) in Kearney
Last Meeting__________________ UNK 17-16 (11/10/2018) in Topeka
Last WU Win_________________ 60-28 (09/23/2017) in Kearney
Last UNK Win_________________ 21-16 (11/09/1985) in Kearney
Largest WU Win______________ 58-13 (09/05/2013) in Kearney
Largest UNK Win______________ 55-6 (09/16/1967) in Kearney
 
 Coaching
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
>  was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
>  is 120-85 (.599) in his 18th season as the Ichabod head coach.
>  is 102-73 (.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 120 wins.
>  is 6-1 against Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Nebraska-Kearney head coach Josh Lynn . . .
>  is 14-18 in his third season on the Loper sidelines.
>  is 52-45 in nine years as a head coach going 27-25 at Eastern New Mexico.  
>  is 1-1 against Washburn.
 
 Dee's World - Honoring #17 >  Game 1 vs Lincoln - Alvin Houston … Houston had one tackle in the game starting at safety.
>  Game 2 vs Northwest Missouri - James Letcher, Jr. … Letcher had 8 catches for 113 yards and one score and finished with 182 all-purpose yards.
>  Game 3 vs Fort Hays State - Josh Wright … Wright recorded eight tackles with five solo stops and added a pass break up.
>  Game 4 vs Central Missouri - Kevin Neal, Jr. ... Neal led the Ichabods with eight total tackles with a tackle for loss.
>  Game 5 vs Missouri Western - Channon Ross ... Ross had a career-high eight tackles adding a pass breakup.
>  Game 6 vs Northeastern State - James Letcher, Jr. … Letcher had five catches for a team-high 87 yards and one touchdown adding two carries for 21 yards and two punt returns for 35 yards tallying 143 all purpose yards.
>  Game 7 vs Missouri Southern - Channon Ross … Ross had five total tackles with two solo stops.
>  Game 8 vs Central Oklahoma - Kevin Neal, Jr. … Neal had five total tackles with two solo stops.
>  Game 9 vs Emporia State - Alvin Houston … Houston had a solo tackle against the Hornets.
>  Game 10 vs Pittsburg State - Senior Day - no one will wear #17
>  Game 11 vs Nebraska-Kearney - Josh Wright
 
 Ichabod team captains
>  The 2019 Ichabod team captains are seniors Kyle Emerick, Kyle Hinton, Alvin Houston, Austen Hubert, Will Jones, Josh Wright and junior Mitch Schurig.
 
 Ichabod notes
> Mitch Schurig has moved into the top 10 list at Washburn on the all-time touchdowns thrown chart … he enters the Nebraska-Kearney game with 35 in sixth on the Ichabod chart and he has 3,909 passing yards which is ninth on the career chart.
> Schurig's 64.2 completion percentage (167 of 260) is first on the Ichabod single season chart ahead of Dane Simoneau's 60.2 set in 2009 (186 of 309).
> James Letcher, Jr.'s 27.07 career kickoff return average is currently the best in school history.
> Josh Wright's 36 career passes defended (31 breakups, 5 INTs) is second on the Ichabod chart.
> James Letcher, Jr. leads the MIAA in all purpose yards per game at 169.3 ypg and he is ranked eighth in the nation in the same category and he is also ranked second in the MIAA in receptions per game at 5.8.
> James Letcher, Jr. has 1,693 all purpose yards this season which is second on the Ichabod single season cahrt behind Troy Slusser's 2,012 yards set in 1988.
> James Letcher, Jr. is 23rd in the nation in kickoff return average per game at 27.4 per return ranking second in the MIAA.
> James Letcher, Jr.'s 712 kickoff return yards is second on the Ichabod single season chart behind Mark Fancher's 786 yards set in 2012.
> Kameron Lake's 51 point after touchdowns this season is fifth on the single season chart which trails Connor Sabel's 59 in 2005, Jeremy Linn's 57 in 2011, Justin Linn's 53 in 2013 and Steve Ivanisevic's 52 in 2009.
> The Ichabods are fifth in the nation and first in the MIAA in fumbles recovered with 13.
> Washburn is sixth in the nation in net punting averaging 39.40 which also leads the league.
> The Ichabods are 13th in the nation in punt return defense allowing 2.71 yards per return.
> The Ichabods, who wore the gray jersey tops against Central Oklahoma on homecoming, are 6-8 while wearing those tops since the 2013 season going 0-2 on homecomings.
> Ichabod opponents have scored on seven of their ten second half-opening drives this season scoring six touchdowns with a field goal.
 
 Noting the Lopers
> The Lopers are 6-4 this season.
> The Lopers are averaging 340.1 yards per game on the ground this season with 36 rushing touchdowns averaging 6.1 yards per carry led by David Goodwin's 93.2 ypg and T.J. Davis' 81.3 ypg and 11 touchdowns.
> David Goodwin is third in the nation in yards per carry at 8.1.
> Davis has thrown six touchdowns completing 36 of 68 passes for 645 yards.
> Sedarius Young has 16 receptions to lead the Lopers averaging 30.5 yards per catch and 54.2 yards per game with two touchdowns.
> The Lopers are third in the nation in rushing offense and fifth in the nation in time of possession averaging 33:56 of time per game.
> Sal Silvia is fourth in the nation in fumbles recovered.
 
 Last meeting with Nebraska-Kearney
(Nov. 10, 2018) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team wrapped up the 2018 campaign with a 17-16 loss as Brain Covarrubias hit a 24-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining to send Nebraska-Kearney home with the win. Washburn finishes the season 5-6.
Washburn took a 16-14 lead on the final of Perry Schmiedeler's three field goals, this one on a 38-yard attempt with 4:34 to play staking the Ichabods to a 16-14 lead. Schmiedeler also made field goals of 34 and 20 yards in the game giving in 281 career points which is second all-time on the Ichabod scoring charts.
The Lopers (5-6) scored first on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Alex McGinnis to Trey Lansman with 5:23 to go in the first quarter and would go up 14-0 on the second play of the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Dayton Sealey capping a 98-yard, six-play drive.
Washburn got on the board with Schmiedler's first field goal of the day trimming the lead to 14-3 with 8:57 to go in the first half.
After the Lopers punted, Washburn took over and on a 4th and 15 from the Loper 47, Schmiedeler faked his second punt of the season running for 20 yards to convert a first down and the Ichabods would score a touchdown on a 30-yard strike from Mitch Schurig to James Brania-Hopp with 2:57 to go in the half as the teams entered the break with the Lopers up 14-10.
On the first UNK drive of the second half, McGinnis was picked off by Josh Wright at the Ichabod 12 and returned it to the Ichabod 26-yard line. Washburn took advantage of the Loper miscue as Schmiedler connected on a 34-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-13 with 8:26 left in the third quarter.
Neither team scored until Schmiedeler put the Ichabods up 16-14 with 4:34 to go. On the Lopers' drive which started at the UNK 32, the Lopers took advantage of a personal foul against the Ichabods turning a 4th and 2 into a first down moving the ball to the Ichabod 30 helping to set up the game-winning field goal.
Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabod defense with 18 tackles finishing with 316 for his career which is eighth all-time at Washburn. Austin Tillman had 16 tackles which put him over the 300-tackle mark and ninth all-time at Washburn.
Will Evans finished with a career-high 133 yards on 17 carries to lead the Ichabods and Schurig finished 16 of 30 for 126 yards.
Will Hamilton led the Ichabods with 39 yards on four catches and James Brania-Hopp had four catches for 36 and one touchdown. Brania-Hopp finished the season with 1,144 yards and nine touchdowns. His receiving yards total was third on the Ichabod single season chart and his 62 receptions ranks sixth. For his career, Brania-Hopp's 2,147 receiving yards rank sixth and his 123 receptions are ninth on the Ichabod career chart.
Overall the Ichabods were outgained 276 to 159 on the ground and 372 to 285 overall.
 
 Last time out for the ichabods
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team finished off its home slate in fine fashion with a 49-38 win over Pittsburg State on senior day in Yager Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the third-straight win over the Gorillas, who lost their fifth game in a row. The Ichabods will wrap up the regular season at Nebraska-Kearney next weekend.
The Gorillas (5-5, 5-5) jumped out to a 10-0 lead scoring on their first two drives before the Ichabods got on the board with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Schurig to James Letcher, Jr., cutting the lead to 10-7 with 13:49 to go in the first half.
Pitt State came back with a three-play drive of their own going back up 10 at 17-7 and the Ichabods took the ensuing drive and marched 69 yards in eight plays to trim the lead back to 17-14 with 9:54  to go on a Schurig to Jace Williams score.
On Pitt State's next drive the Gorillas Tucker Horack broke free on a 52-yard run, but was caught from behind by Josh Wright and he forced a fumble which was recovered by Kevin Neal, Jr., picked up and returned to the Washburn 11. Eight plays later Washburn went up 21-17 when Curtis Whitten scored the first of his three touchdowns on the afternoon.
Pitt State rallied to take the lead at 24-21 after a seven-play drive as the Gorillas took the three-point lead into the locker room.
The Gorillas went up 10 at 31-21 with 10:51 to go in the third quarter and then Washburn again came back on their next drive with a score of their own on a 15-yard scamper by Whitten cutting the lead back to three.
Washburn held the Gorillas to a punt on their next possession and the Ichabods scored to take the lead at 35-31 with a 3-yard run by Taylon Peters two plays into the fourth quarter. However it took only four plays for the Gorillas to go back on top of the Ichabods at 38-35 on a 33-yard rush by Tyler Atkins. The Ichabods were forced to punt on their next drive and on Pitt State's next possession, the Ichabod defense held on a fourth and sixth from the WU 34 when K.J. Turner knocked down a PSU pass attempt. On the next play, James Letcher, Jr., rushed for 66 yards for a touchdown putting Washburn up 42-38 with 7:34 to go putting Washburn up for good.
Washburn (5-5, 5-5) added another touchdown on a Whitten 6-yard run at 49-38 with 2:20 to go and Pitt State turned the ball over on downs on its next drive and Washburn took a knee to finish out the game.
Letcher, Jr., led the Ichabods with 166 yards receiving on eight catches and added 65 yards rushing scoring two touchdowns overall. Jace Williams had three catches for 59 yards and a score and also rushed for 44 yards on three carries. Peters had 13 rushes for 57 yards and one score and Whitten finished with seven attempts for 44 yards and the three scores.
Schurig was 22 of 32 for 306 yards and two scores.
Defensively, K.J. Turner led the Ichabods with eight tackles and three pass break ups and Kyle Emerick had seven tackles with one sack and Kevin Neal, Jr. had seven tackles.
The Ichabods finished with 511 yards with 205 coming on the ground. Pitt State finished with 277 yards on the ground.
 
 A win over Nebraska-Kearney would
> lift the Ichabods to 560-590-44 in their football history.
>  be the fifth-straight win over the Lopers in Kearney.
>  improve the Ichabods to 6-5 on the season.
>  move the series record to UNK leading 15-13.
 
 A Loss to Nebraska-Kearney would
> drop the Ichabods to 559-591-44 in their football history.
> drop the Ichabods to 5-6 on the season.
> drop the Ichabods 12-16 against the Lopers all-time.
 
 Ichabod football history
>  Washburn is 559-590-44 (.484) in the 129th 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.
>  Six Ichabods have been picked in the NFL Draft.
 
 Ichabods in the national polls
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.