FOR STARTERS
• The Washburn Ichabods will hit the road for the first time in two weeks as they will travel to Edmond, Okla. to face Central Oklahoma Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. for the Bronchos' Homecoming game.
• The Ichabods, who moved closer to the AFCA Top 25 rankings coming in at No. 26, topped then-No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri 17-16 last time out in Yager Stadium. The Bearcats fell to No. 10 after the loss.
• The Bronchos moved to 4-3 winning their third game in a row with a 24-14 road win at Fort Hays State.
• The Ichabods will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Bronchos.
• UCO leads the all-time series 6-3 and they are 3-1 against the Ichabods in Edmond winning the last meeting in Wantland Stadium on Oct. 20, 2018 in a 34-0 win.
• Washburn's last win over the Bronchos was in a 31-28 win on Nov. 5, 2016 in Edmond.
• The Ichabods are ranked 20th in the nation in third down conversions moving the chains on 47 of 96 attempts.
• The Ichabods are ranked 21st in the nation in completion percentage at 64.0 percent.
• The Ichabods are 20th in the nation in kickoff return defense allowing an average of 15.73.
• The Ichabods are 15th in nation in net punting at 37.76 per game.
• The Washburn offense is ranked 20th in total first downs and ranked 18th in passing offense and 28th in scoring offense.
• Malick Fall is fifth in the nation in sacks at 1.29 per game which also leads the MIAA.
• James Letcher, Jr. is 16th in the nation in all-purpose yards at 147.2 yards per game.
• Mitch Schurig is 10th in the nation in completion percentage (67.2) 10th in the nation in passing touchdowns (18), 19th in passing yards (1,845), 23th in passing yards per game (302.0) and 26th in points responsible for (108).
 
COACHING
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 126-87 (.599) in his 20th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 108-75 (.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 126 wins.
• is 3-6 against Central Oklahoma.
 
Central Oklahoma head coach Nick Bobeck. . .
• is 46-50 in his 10th year at the helm.
• was a four-year standout at fullback for UCO from 1999-02, serving as a graduate assistant for the Bronchos for three years (2003-05).
• was an assistant coach one year each at Texas A&M and Navarro (Texas) before taking over at Navarro in 2008, going 42-5 in four years there and leading the Bulldogs to the 2010 junior college national title.
• returned to his alma mater in January 2012 and UCO went 2-8 each of his first two seasons before improving to 8-4 in 2014.
• is 6-2 against Washburn.
 
 ICHABODS ON THE CAREER CHARTS
• Ichabod running back Zach Willis sits 12th on the all-time rushing chart with 1,533 yards. He became the 16th Ichabod to reach at least 1,500 yards on the ground in a career. Willis also is tied for 15th with 14 career rushing touchdowns.
• Willis also has a career yards per attempt of 6.3 per carry as an Ichabod, which is sixth on the all-time chart behind Corey Crain who averaged 6.11 yards per carry.
• Ichabod quarterback Mitch Schurig has passed for 6,051 yards in his career which is fourth on the Ichabod career chart. Only Dane Simoneau (11,291), Jordan Brill (7,041), Tyler Schurman (6,525) have thrown for more in a Washburn uniform.
• Schurig's 465 career pass completions is second all-time at Washburn trailing Dane Simoneau who had 751 from 2007-11.
• Schurig has also thrown for 56 touchdowns which is second all-time at Washburn. He needs one more to tie Jordan Brill who had 57 (2003-07). The school record holder is Simoneau with 102.
• Schurig is Washburn's all-time leader in passing completion percentage at 63.9 percent ahead of current coach Dane Simoneau who completed 58 percent of his passes.
• Schurig is also ranked fourth in total offense for a career with 6,084 yards.
• James Letcher, Jr.'s 26.10 yards per kickoff return is third all-time at Washburn.
• Letcher, Jr.'s 120 career receptions is 10th on the all-time chart at Washburn and his 16 touchdown receptions is 10th.
• Lane Spiker's 40.21 yards per punt average is third in school history behind Aaron Hummert (2011-14) who had an average of 40.33.
 
NOTING THE BRONCHOS
• After winning back-to-back games on the road, the Bronchos return home for their Homecoming game against the Ichabods.
• UCO has won its last three games after dropping three of its first four to start the season.
• The Bronchos are averaging 431 yards per game in offense while allowing 361 … in the last three games the Bronchos have allowed 417 to Lincoln, 225 at Northeastern State and 347 at Fort Hays State … offensively, the Bronchos have tallied 590 yards against Lincoln, 425 against the RiverHawks and 422 at Fort Hays State.
• Jayce Gardner is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 59 yards per game on the ground and Keats Calhoon is 60 of 93 passing for 614 yards and four touchdowns and Stephon Brown is 55 of 96 with three interceptions and one touchdown averaging 88 yards per game passing.
• Josh Moore has a team-high 22 reeptions for 244 yards and Markiese has 20 catches for 393 yards and a team-best three touchdown receptions.
• Dylan Buchheit leads the team with 54 tackles and two interceptions.
• Michael Slater has 8.5 tackles for loss for 28 yards.
 
LAST MEETING WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
(Oct. 26, 2019) TOPEKA, Kan. – A field goal with three seconds remaining in the game spelled disaster for the Ichabods as Central Oklahoma spoiled the Washburn Homecoming game in a 22-20 loss on Saturday in Yager Stadium. 
The Ichabods took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 10 plays as Taylon Peters scored on a 15-yard run staking the Ichabods to a 7-0 lead. The Bronchos (3-5, 3-5 MIAA) came back with a field goal on their next possession cutting the lead to 7-3 for the only points in the first quarter as the teams struggled combining for 138 total yards.
In the second quarter, the only points scored were by Central Oklahoma when they sacked the Ichabods for a safety with 5:46 left as Washburn took a 7-5 lead into the halftime break.
Central Oklahoma scored on its first possession of the second half as Chandler Garrett hit Dustin Basks for a 26-yard touchdown putting the Bronchos up 12-7 with 12:29 to play in the third quarter, but the Ichabods came back and cut the UCO lead to 12-10 after a 20-yard field goal by Kameron Lake. After the Ichabod (3-5, 3-5 MIAA) defense held the Bronchos to a punt on the ensuing drive, Washburn took the lead at 13-12 after Lake's second field goal of the day on a 36-yard field goal with 5:24 to go in the third quarter.
UCO went up 19-13 with 1:23 to play in the frame when Garrett scored from 2-yards out wrapping a 10-play drive.
Starting the fourth quarter, Washburn used a nine-play, 65-yard drive of their own to go up 20-19 when Mitch Schurig hit Jace Williams for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 13:19 left in the game.
After the teams traded punts, UCO took what would be the game-winning drive covering 10 plays and 71 yards converting two third down plays and a fourth down play for a first down setting up the 20-yard field goal by Alex Quevedo for the winner.
Grant Bruner led the Ichabods with a career-high-tying 10 tackles and K.J. Turner added eight with seven solo stops. Jacob Anderson, Braden Rose and Malick Fall each had sacks for the Ichabods and Josh Wright had an interception.
Peters finished with 54 yards on the ground on 13 carries and one score while Schurig was 18 of 31 for 157 yards and one touchdown and was sacked three times. James Letcher, Jr., had five catches for 47 yards finishing with 144 all-purpose yards in the game with 98 coming on kickoff returns.
Washburn was outgained 343 to 289 in the game while the Ichabods had 24 first downs compared to 20 for UCO. Washburn was flagged for a season-high 13 penalties for 106 yards with four leading to a UCO first downs.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Oct. 16, 2021) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn football team knocked off the No. 2 team in the nation as the Ichabods ended a 15-game losing streak to Northwest Missouri in a 17-16 win in Yager Stadium handing the Bearcats their first loss of the season. With the win, the Ichabods move to 5-2 on the season.
Neither team would score in the first 15 minutes of the game after the teams after the Bearcats missed a 27-yard field goal after an 18-play, 84-yard drive which took 9:12 off the clock. It wasn't until the second quarter when the Ichabods took a 3-0 lead on a career-long, 36-yard field goal from Trenton Brehm with 4:39 left in the first half.
On their ensuing drive, Northwest Missouri drove down to the Ichabod 14-yard line, but Peyton Lane picked off Mike Hohensee in the end• one ending the threat the Ichabods took the three-point lead into the break.
The Bearcats would get on the board with their second drive of the second half when Hohensee hit Kaden Davis on a 4-yard touchdown pass putting Northwest up 7-3 with 5:08 to play in the third quarter.
The Ichabods came right back on their next drive capping a 10-play, 70-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Simoncic to James Letcher, Jr. and after Brehm's extra point, the Ichabods led 10-7 with 1:16 to go in the third.
Northwest drove down to the Washburn 7-yard line, but missed a field goal from 24 yards out with 11:10 to go in the game returning possession to the Ichabods.
After an Ichabod interception at the Ichabod 40, the Bearcats capitali• ed and took a 14-10 play with 4:15 to go in the game on an Al McKeller touchdown plunge from 1-yard out. The Ichabods then took possession at their own 4-yard line and drove 96-yards in 11 plays when Simoncic hit Taylon Peters on a swing pass scoring from 15-yards out as the Ichabods when up 17-14 with 48 seconds to play.
Northwest took possession back and drove to the Ichabod 42-yard line before Kevin Neal, Jr., picked off a Hohensee pass at the Ichabod 1-yard line with five seconds to play.
The Ichabods took the safety trimming the Washburn margin to one at 17-16 and after the kickoff by Brehm back to the Northwest 17, Northwest had one play to go and after several laterals, the play ended at the Northwest 9-yard line as the Ichabods snapped the 15-game overall, and 14-game losing streak in Topeka in the one-point win.
Simoncic, in his first extended action of the season, was 15 of 29 for 157 yards and two touchdowns while Letcher, Jr., had a team-high six catches for 59 yards and one score. Zach Willis led the Ichabods on the ground with 23 yards.
Defensively, the Ichabods were led by Garrett Barnet-Kruger who had a career-high nine tackles with one for loss and Malick Fall who finished with a career-high eight tackles including three sacks for 14 yards and a quarterback hurry. Neal, Jr., had seven tackles with the interception.
Northwest outgained the Ichabods 392 yards to 218 and Northwest rushed for 140 yards and held Washburn to 28 yards. Northwest also topped the Ichabods through the air 252 to 190. Washburn took advantage of two Northwest interceptions to secure the win
The Ichabods were efficient in the red• one going 3 for 3 while the Bearcats were 2 of 5.
The win by the Ichabods was the first win over the Bearcats since Oct. 8, 2005 and the first in Yager Stadium since Oct. 8, 1994 snapping a 14-game losing streak.
 
A WIN OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WOULD ...
• move Washburn to 6-2 on the season.
• clinch the second-straight winning season and the 14th winning season in Craig Schurig's 20th year on the Ichabod sidelines.
• snap a three-game losing streak to the Bronchos.
• be the first win over the Bronchos since Nov. 5, 2016 in Edmond in a 31-28 win.
• move the Ichabods to 4-6 all-time against the Bronchos.
 
A LOSS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WOULD ...
• be the Ichabods' fourth-loss in a row to the Bronchos.
• drop the Ichabods 3-7 all-time against the Bronchos.
• be the second-straight loss to UCO in Edmond.
 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI LEFTOVERS … THE WIN
• moved Washburn to 5-2 on the season.
• snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Bearcats.
• was the first win over the Bearcats since Oct. 8, 2005.
• was the first win in Topeka over the Bearcats since Oct. 8, 1994 snapping a 14-game losing streak.
• moved the Ichabods to 7-33 all-time against the Bearcats.
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 560-587-44 (.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 171 first team all-MIAA picks and 53 first team all-MIAA selections.
• Washburn has had 83 All-American selections and 56 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.
• Seven 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 70 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
UP NEXT
The Ichabods will return to Yager Stadium to take on Northeastern State for Washburn's Homecoming game at 1 p.m. on Oct. 30.