For starters
> The Washburn Ichabods return home for Family Day Weekend as they will take on Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
> The Ichabods are coming off a 38-17 loss to then-ranked No. 7 Northwest Missouri last time out.
> The Tigers are 0-2 this season after a 34-30 loss at Central Missouri in their season opener and a 28-17 loss to Missouri Western last time out on Sept. 12.
> The Washburn Ichabods are 7-4-1 in school history on Sept. 21 and they have never faced Fort Hays State on the date.
>  The tie game with Haskell on Sept. 21, 1934 is one of 44 ties in program history.
>  The Ichabods have never played FHSU on Sept. 21.
>  Ten of the 12 games on Sept. 21 have been played in Topeka.
>  Washburn has won the last seven of the last 10 and 10 of the last 14 meetings.
>  The Ichabods will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Tigers.
>  Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown was an assistant at Washburn as the defensive coordinator for nine years.
>  Other former Ichabod coaches on the Tiger staff include defensive coordinator Cooper Harris who was at Washburn from 2002-11 and FHSU Special Teams Coordinator and defensive backs coach Steven Dudley was a five-year member of the Ichabod football team … former Ichabod marketing/ticket director Summer Harris is the special events coordinator at FHSU and spent seven years in the Washburn athletic office.
 
 Series notes
>  Series Record: WU leads 44-26-3
>  Streak: FHSU won the last two
>  First Meeting: WU 7-6 (11/27/1919) in Hays
>  Last Meeting: FHSU 30-24 (09/15/2018) in Hays
>  Last WU win: 30-24 (10/15/2016) in Topeka
>  Last FHSU win: 30-24 (09/15/2018) in Hays
>  Largest WU win: 46-0 (11/9/1963) in Topeka
>  Largest FHSU win: 35-0 (10/14/1967) in Topeka
>  Most WU Points: 54 (09/14/2013) in Topeka
>  Most FHSU Points: 37, two times
 
 Coaching
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
>  was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
>  is 116-81 (.599) in his 18th season as the Ichabod head coach.
>  is 97-70 (.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 115 wins.
>  is 10-5 against Fort Hays State.
 
Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown. . .
>  is in his ninth season as head coach at Fort Hays State leading the Tigers to an MIAA Championship in 2017 and a co-championship in 2018 as well as their first NCAA Postseason games since 1995.
>  has compiled a 58-36 record leading the Tigers.
>  was a three-time All-America free safety for the Pittsburg State from 1993-95, came to FHSU after serving as defensive coordinator at for the Ichabods from 2002-10.
>  is 3-5 against Washburn.
 
 Dee's World - Honoring #17
This season, a different Ichabod will be wearing No. 17 to honor Dwane Simmons, a senior cornerback who passed away on April 28, 2019. The mass media major was set to graduate this December.
>  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
 
 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
> The Ichabods have scored touchdowns on both of their game-opening drives this season.
> Mitch Schurig needs two touchdown passes to move into the top 10 list at Washburn … he enters the Fort Hays State game with 22 ranked 11th on the Ichabod chart.
> Grant Bruner had a career-high six tackles against the Bearcats.
> Will Jones had a career-high seven tackles against the Bearcats.
> James Letcher, Jr. had career-highs of eight catches and 113 yards against the Bearcats.
> Kevin Neal, Jr. had a career-high 10 tackles to lead the Ichabods against Northwest.
> The eight receptions by Collin Wilson against Northwest was a career high and the 68 receiving yards tied his high for the second-straight week.
 
 BODS and Ends
> Entering Saturday's game, Mitch Schurig has averaged 7.56 yards per total offensive play which is second on only Dane Simoneau (7.97 ypp) in program history.
> Josh Wright has three career blocked kicks in his senior season, the school record is six by Zuri Stokes set between 1993 and 1996.
 
 Noting the Tigers
> The Tigers enter the game with a 0-2 record after falling to Missouri Western 28-17 last time out on Sept. 12.
> The Tigers are averaging 75.5 yards per game on the ground while allowing 204.5 per game.
> Through the air the Tigers are averaging 333.0 per game and allowing 238.0.
> Charles Tigner leads the Tigers with 54.5 ypg while Chance Fuller has completed 55 percent of his passes (50 of 91) with four touchdowns and one interception throwing for 666 yards.
> Harley Hazlett is averaging 80.0 yards per game receiving with 14.5 ypc and one score on 11 catches.
> Defensively, Tanner Hoekman leads the team with 15 tackles (10 solo).
 
 Last meeting with Fort Hays State
(Sept. 15, 2018) HAYS, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods were not able to overcome two special team miscues and four turnovers in a 30-24 loss to Fort Hays State.
With 1:09 to play in the game, Austin Tillman gave the Ichabods (1-2, 1-2 MIAA) life as he returned a FHSU (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) pass 63 yards for a touchdown cutting the Tiger lead to 30-23, but the Ichabods were called for an illegal block on the onside kick and the Tigers ran out the final 67 seconds to hang on for the win.
Washburn took the early lead as Perry Schmiedeler connected on a 43-yard field goal with 4:30 into the game staking the Ichabods to a 3-0 lead. The points pushed his career total to 230 moving him into fifth all-time at Washburn.
On the ensuing drive, the Tigers marched 75 yards in nine plays going up 7-3 with 5:47 to play in the first quarter and would stretch the lead to 14-3 with 1:19 to play in the first quarter. The first score was set up as the Ichabods fumbled a punt return setting up the Tigers at the WU 33 yard line.
Washburn cut the lead to 14-10 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Blake Peterson to Jake Horner capping a 65-yard drive with 12:27 left in the first half.
The Tigers took advantage of another miscue on special teams as a roughing the kicker call on the Ichabods kept a Fort Hays State drive alive and the Tigers would go up 20-10 with 5:44 to play in the half after the extra point was blocked by Corey Ballentine.
Washburn was outgained 178 to 145 in the first half while the Ichabods were 1 of 8 on third down conversions.
To open the second half, the Tigers used a nine-play, 50-yard drive capped by a 42-yard field goal by Dane Brown as FHSU pushed its lead to 23-10 with 10:46 to play in the third quarter.
Neither team scored in the third quarter as they combined for 95 yards (32 for the Ichabods) and only five first downs.
The Tigers pushed the lead to 20 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Mezera to Jacoby Williams with 9:45 to play taking advantage of an Ichabod turnover on the previous Ichabod series.
Washburn scored in the third quarter on a 1-yard dive by Hunter Browning taking advantage of a Tiger roughing the passer call with 6:30 to play in the game cutting the Tiger lead to 30-17.
Derrick McGreevy led the Ichabods with 16 tackles. Tillman finished with a sack and the 63 yard interception return for a score adding six tackles as did Heath Tucker.
Blake Peterson finished 12 of 26 for 124 yards and one score while rushing for a team-high 55 yards averaging 6.9 yards a carry.
James Brania-Hopp had eight catches for 96 yards to lead the Ichabods.
Overall, Washburn held the Tigers to 295 yards outgaining FHSU 299 to 295 overall. The Tigers had 19 first downs compared to 15 for the Ichabods. Both teams struggled on third down as they combined 7 of 33 conversions as Washburn was 4 of 17 overall. Washburn was called for eight penalties for 82 yards while the Tigers were whistled five times for 23 yards.
 
 Last time out for the Ichabods
(Sept. 14, 2019) MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods and the No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats were knotted at the half at 14, but the Bearcats pulled away outscoring the Ichabods 24-3 in the final 30 minutes leading to the 38-17 win. 
Washburn opened the scoring taking a 7-0 when Mitch Schurig hit Colin Wilson for a 11-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the game finishing off a 5-play, 75-yard drive in 1:18 set up by a 61-yard reception by Curtis Whitten. After Josh Wright ended the Bearcats' drive with an interception, but the Ichabods came up short as the ensuing field goal attempt was wide left.
The Bearcats tied the score at 7-7 with 9:03 to play in the first half on a 27-yard pass from Braden Wright to Alec Tatum but the Ichabods returned with a touchdown of their own when Schurig hit James Letcher, Jr. on a 43-yard pitch and catch capping a 11-play, 87-yard drive. Before the half the Bearcats tied the score at 14 with 2:02 to play.
Washburn took a 17-14 lead with 6:43 to go in the third quarter when Kameron Lake connected on his first collegiate field goal, but from that point on, Northwest's drives went touchdown, field goal, touchdown, touchdown leading to the 38-17 win.
Letcher, Jr., finished with eight catches for 113 yards and the one score while Wilson had eight catches as well for 68 yards. Schurig finished 18 of 31 passing with two touchdown passes. Taylor Peters led the Ichabods for the second straight game with 45 rushing yards on 14 carries.
Defensively, Kevin Neal, Jr., led the Ichabods with a career-high 10 tackles and Will Jones added seven with a sack and two tackles for loss.
The Bearcats outgained the Ichabods 458 to 350 and 259 to 112 in the second half. Washburn finished 11 of 18 on third down conversions while the Bearcats were 7 of 11. The Ichabods also had 31:43 of possession compared to 28:17 for the Bearcats. Northwest led 14-0 in points off turnovers.
 
 A win over Fort Hays State would
> lift the Ichabods to 556-586-44 in their football history.
> improve the Ichabods to 46-26-3 all-time against the Tigers.
> improve the Ichabods to 2-1 on the season.
>  snap a two-game winning streak by the Tigers in the all-time series.
 
 A Loss to Fort Hays State would
> drop the Ichabods to 555-587-44 in their football history.
> drop the Ichabods to 1-2 on the season.
> drop the Ichabods to 45-27-3 all-time with the Tigers.
> be the third-straight loss to the Tigers.
 
 Ichabod football history
>  Washburn is 555-586-44 (.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.
 
 Up next
Washburn will head back out on the road when they will face Central Missouri on Sept. 28 in Warrrensburg with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. The Ichabods are back in action in Yager Stadium at 1 p.m. when they will face Missouri Western as part of Hall of Fame weekend.