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FOR STARTERS
• The Washburn Ichabods return home to celebrate Washburn's "Roaring '20's Homecoming" this week by facing Northeastern State at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
• The RiverHawks fell to 2-6 after falling to Northwest Missouri 59-7 last time out dropping their fourth-straight game.
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series 9-1 and have won the last eight in the series.
• The Ichabods are 5-0 in home games against the RiverHawks and averaged 39.9 points per game including a series-high 70 points in last season's 70-13 win in Tahlequah.
• The only Ichabod loss to the RiverHawks was in the second meeting in the series on Sept. 27, 1988 in Tahlequah when the Ichabods fell 35-30.
• Dating back to the 2019 season, the Ichabods have won five games in a row in Yager Stadium, the 12th-longest streak in the nation. Harding has won the last 11 games played in its home stadium.
• The Ichabods are 48-45-1 all-time on Washburn's Homecoming and Saturday's meeting will be the first between Washburn and the RiverHawks on Homecoming in Topeka.
• The Ichabods scored in all three phases of the game against Central Oklahoma last time out … the last time the Ichabods scored on offense, defense and special teams was at Missouri Southern on Oct. 19, 2019.
• James Letcher, Jr., has scored a touchdown (4 receiving, 1 return) in each of the last five games … that streak is the longest touchdown scoring streak since Vershon Moore had five games in a row in touchdowns in 2010.
• The Ichabods are ranked 17th in the nation in third down conversions moving the chains on 54 of 110 attempts.
• The Ichabods are ranked 24th in the nation in completion percentage at 63 percent.
• The Ichabods are 20th in the nation in kickoff return defense allowing an average of 15.73.
• The Ichabods are 13th in the nation in red• one defense.
• Malick Fall is ninth in the nation in sacks at 1.12 per game which also leads the MIAA.
• James Letcher, Jr. is 12th in the nation in all-purpose yards at 152.0 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), 23rd 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 127-87 (.599) in his 20th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 109-75 (.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 127 wins.
• is 8-0 against Northeastern State.
 
Northeastern State head coach J.J. Eckert . . . 
• is in his second season as the RiverHawks' head coach going 2-17.
• was a four-year letter winner at Northeastern State (1994-97).
• through the 2018 season, Eckert has served as head coach at Kilgore College since the spring of 2007 and came off a 10-2 season and a national ranking at number-4 (No. 4) in the final NJCAA poll. Eckert guided the Rangers to a Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) Championship, and a win in the Heart of Texas Bowl.
• is 0-1 against Washburn.
 
ICHABODS ON THE CAREER CHARTS
• Ichabod running back Zach Willis sits 12th on the all-time rushing chart with 1,563 yards. He became the 16th Ichabod to reach at least 1,500 yards on the ground in a career. Willis also is tied for 14th with 15 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 125 career receptions is ninth on the all-time chart at Washburn and his 16 touchdown receptions is eighth.
• Letcher, Jr.'s two career kickoffs returned for touchdown is tied for first all-time at Washburn with Fletcher Terrell and Cary Williams and his 27.27 yards per return is second behind Terrell's 27.32 yards per return.
• Jace Williams' 14 touchdown receptions is tied for 11th all-time at Washburn.
• Lane Spiker's 39.78 yards per punt average is fifth in school history … all-time leader Aaron Hummert (2011-14) had an average of 40.33.
 
NOTING THE RIVERHAWKS
• Northeastern State will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak after falling to No. 10-ranked Northwest Missouri last time out 59-7.
• The RiverHawks have been outscored 357 to 140 this season including 102 to 43 in the second quarter and 129 to 38 in the third quarter.
• Keon Moore leads the team with 74 rushing attempts gaining 270 yards and Isaiah Davis has 71 carries for 305 yards and four touchdowns.
• Grant Elerick is 98 of 169 passing with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions averaging 137.1 per game through the air.
• Mark Wheeland has a team-high 41 catches for 573 yards and seven touchdowns averaging 71.6 yards per game.
• Marques Williams leads the team with 64 tackles adding an interception and Triumphant Olatunji has 51 tackles.
 
LAST MEETING WITH NORTHEASTERN STATE
(Oct. 12, 2019) TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Washburn Ichabods scored on their first five possessions of the game including a stretch of 28-straight rolling to a 70-13 win over Northeastern State Saturday afternoon as nine different Ichabods scored.
The Ichabods took the opening drive of the game going seven plays in 75 yards as Zach Willis capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 12:40 on the clock. After the RiverHawks (0-6) scored on their opening drive tying the score at 7-7, Washburn's Percy Mitchell scored on a 2-yard plunge capping a 9-play, 88-yard drive with 4:13 to go in the first half.
Washburn went up 21-7 on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Schurig to James Letcher, Jr. and after a 35-yard run up the middle by Taylon Peters pushed the lead to 28-7.
Washburn's Jamison Phelps picked off a NSU pass, Schurig found Collin Wilson in the back of the end • one on for a one-handed catch wrapping up the scoring in the first half.
Washburn had 336 yards on 36 plays in the first half averaging 9.3 yards per play while holding the RiverHawks to 4.89 ypp on 176 yards of offense.
The second half was much the same as the Ichabods again put up 35 points holding the RiverHawks to a single touchdown with a missed extra point. Peters opened the scoring for the Ichabods in the second half with a 13-yard touchdown run putting Washburn up 42-7.
NSU scored on the its next drive cutting the lead to 42-13 with eight minutes to go, but then the Ichabods scored on rushing plays of 25 yards by Curtis Whitten, six yards by Ryan Peroo, 49 yards by Will Evans and 11 yards by Matthew Harris wrapping up the scoring and the 70-13 win over NSU for the largest win in the series history as the Ichabods won their eighth-straight over the RiverHawks.
Mitch Schurig completed 88 percent of his passes hitting 21 of 24 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Peters had 82 yards rushing on five carries. James Letcher, Jr. had five catches for 87 yards and one score. Defensively, the Ichabods were led by Grant Bruner with 10 tackles adding a tackle for loss. Garret Barnett-Kruger, Channon Ross and Braden Rose each had six tackles and Phelps had an interception.
Overall, the Ichabods scored 10 of 16 times they had the ball on the afternoon. The Ichabods had 344 rushing yards while holding the RiverHawks to 61 in the game averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Washburn finished with 595 total offensive yards on 66 plays. The 695 yards of offense is the eighth-best in school history.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Oct. 23, 2021) EDMOND, Okla. – The Washburn Ichabods moved to 6-2 on the season with a wild finish at Central Oklahoma as the squad scored on a 90-yard kickoff return by James Letcher, Jr., and a 75-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Braden Rose rallying and wrapping up a 29-17 win over the Bronchos.
After the Bronchos (4-4) blocked an Ichabod punt setting up shop at the Washburn 41, UCO needed only two plays to take a 17-16 lead with 51 seconds to play in the game. However on the ensuing kickoff, Letcher, Jr., returned the ball 90 yards to paydirt as the Ichabods went back in front 22-17 after the two point conversion pass failed.
With the Ichabods holding a five-point lead, UCO drove down to the Washburn 20, but UCO's Keats Calhoon was sacked at the 25 by Laden Urban and Rose picked up the ball and ran 75 yards for the score staking the Ichabods to a 29-17 lead with nine seconds left.
After the kickoff, UCO's one play end the game on an incomplete pass as the Ichabods snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bronchos.
UCO took a 7-0 lead on its first drive of the game needing only three plays to move 78 yards scoring with 9:35 left in the opening quarter.
Washburn tied the score in the second quarter when Zach Willis scored from 1-yard out tying the scoring with 9:55 to play before the half.
The Ichabods after forcing a UCO punt, was stopped short at the goal line turning the ball back to the Bronchos at the UCO 1 yardline, but on UCO's first play from scrimmage, the running play was cut short in the backfield giving the Ichabod a safety and a 9-7 lead entering the break.
Washburn on its first drive of the second half went up 16-7 when Kellen Simoncic hit Peter Afful on a 65-yard touchdown strike as the Ichabods took the nine-point lead into the break.
Letcher, Jr., led the Ichabods with five catches and Afful finished with 78 yards receiving while Simoncic was 17 of 31 passing for 204 yards and one score. Taylon Peters had 39 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Grant Bruner led the Ichabods with six tackles and Kevin Neal, Jr., and Jordan Finnesy each had five tackles.
Letcher finished with 186 all-purpose yards.
Washburn finished with 328 yards of offense and 204 through the air.
 
 A WIN OVER NORTHEASTERN STATE WOULD ...
• move Washburn to 7-2 on the season.
• be the Ichabods' ninth-straight win over the RiverHawks.
• improve the Ichabods to 6-0 against NSU in games played in Topeka.
• improve the Ichabods to 49-45-1 all-time on homecoming.
 
A LOSS TO NORTHEASTERN STATE WOULD ...
• snap an eight-game winning streak over the RiverHawks.
• be the first NSU win over the Ichabods since Sept. 27, 1988 in a 35-30 RiverHawk win in Tahlequah.
• be the first loss to the RiverHawks in Topeka.
 
 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA STATE LEFTOVERS ...
• moved Washburn to 6-2 on the season.
• clinched the second-straight winning season and the 14th winning season in Craig Schurig's 20th year on the Ichabod sidelines.
• snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bronchos.
• was the first win over the Bronchos since Nov. 5, 2016 in Edmond in a 31-28 win.
• moved the Ichabods to 4-6 all-time against the Bronchos.
• James Letcher's 90-yard kickoff return was the eighth-longest in school history.
• Braden Rose's 75 yard fumble return for a touchdown was the longest in school history.
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 561-587-44 (.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 take to the road for the final time during the 2021 regular season when they travel to Pittsburg State to face the Gorillas on Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. Washburn will wrap up the regular season on Nov. 13 against Missouri Southern at 1 p.m. where 15 Ichabods will be honored in pregame festivities. The group of seniors include K.J. Turner, Garret Barnett-Kruger, Mitch Schurig, James Letcher, Jr., Chase Williams, Lane Spiker, Marquise Manning, Jacob Anderson, Matthew Harris, Malick Fall, Brooks Peavler, Zach Willis, Jeremy Luck, Colton Dunkle and Jace Williams .