FOR STARTERS
• The Washburn Ichabods are back on the road and will play their first Saturday game of the year as they travel to Kearney, Neb., to take on the Lopers in a battle of a pair of 2-0 teams starting at 1 p.m.
• The Ichabods and Lopers have not played each other since a 57-51 Washburn win on Nov. 16, 2019 in Kearney in the regular season finale.
• The Ichabods topped Central Missouri 29-10 last time out sending the Mules back to Warrensburg with a 0-2 record.
• The Lopers went into The Jungle on Saturday and knocked off No. 23-ranked Pittsburg State 28-17.
• The Ichabods are 6-3 in games played on Sept. 18 and have played the Mules once - during the 1965 season losing 40-14 in Kearney … the Ichabods are 3-1 in road games on Sept. 18.
• Both the Ichabods and the Lopers received votes in this week's AFCA Coaches Poll.
 
COACHING
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 123-85 (.599) in his 20th season as the Ichabod head coach.
• is 105-73 (.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 123 wins.
• is 7-1 against Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Nebraska-Kearney head coach Josh Lynn . . .
• is 19-19 in his fifth season on the Loper sidelines.
• is 46-44 in nine years as a head coach going 27-25 at Eastern New Mexico. 
• is 1-2 against Washburn.
 
ICHABODS ON THE CAREER CHARTS
• Ichabod running back Zach Willis sits 18th on the all-time rushing chart with 1,269 yards. He needs 179 yards to move into the top 10 at Washburn.
• Willis also has a career yards per attempt of 6.31 per carry as an Ichabod, which is third on the all-time chart behind Corey Crain who averaged 7.19 yards per carry.
• Ichabod quarterback Mitch Schurig has passed for 4,757 yards in his career which is seventh on the Ichabod career chart. To move into the top five all-time, he needs 724 yards.
• Schurig has also thrown for 43 touchdowns which is fifth all-time at Washburn and with 10 more he can move into the top three all-time.
• Schurig is Washburn's all-time leader in passing completion percentage at 62.5 percent ahead of current coach Dane Simoneau who completed 58 percent of his passes.
• Schurig is also ranked ninth in total offense for a career with 4,717 yards.
• With 11 pass receptions, James Letcher, Jr. can become the 17th Ichabod to record at least 100 catches in a career at Washburn.
• Letcher's 25.97 yards per kickoff return is third all-time at Washburn.
 
NOTING THE LOPERS
• The Lopers are 2-0 this season after a home win against Missouri Southern in a 38-0 win and at No. 23-ranked Pittsburg State 28-17.
• The Lopers were picked fourth in the MIAA preseason coaches poll and fifth in the media preseason poll.
• The Lopers are outscoring their opponents 66 to 17 this season and they are averaging 274.5 yards per game on the ground and 204.5 yards per game through the air for a 479 yards per game average - which is second in the MIAA behind the Ichabods' 510.5 yards per game of offense.
• The Lopers lead the MIAA in rushing offense and are ranked fourth in overall defense allowing 132.5 yards per game.
• The Lopers have also outscored their opponents 45-0 in the second half this season and have alllowed all 17 points in the second quarter.
• Quarterback TJ Davis leads the Loper ground attack with 122 yards per game averaging 6.1 yards per carry … passing he is 19 of 29 for 358 yards and one score.
• Cody Nelson is averaging 53 yards per game and as a team the Lopers averaging 19.5 yards per reception.
• Jacey Nutter leads the team with 16 tackles and Zach Schlager has 15.
 
LAST MEETING WITH NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
(Nov. 16, 2021) KEARNEY, Neb. – The Washburn Ichabods scored on their first seven possessions of the afternoon while racking up the second-highest total yards in program history in a 57-41 win over Nebraska-Kearney. The win was the third in a row for the Ichabods as they finished the regular season 6-5.
The Ichabods took the opening possession and scored in seven plays marching 75 yards capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Schurig to Collin Wilson staking the Ichabods to a 7-0 lead with 12:09 to play in the first quarter.
After forcing a punt on the UNK first possession, Washburn used a 22-yard pass competition from Schurig to James Letcher, Jr., and a 59-yard yard rush around the left side to the UNK 6-yard line and finished off by Jace Williams' first career rushing touchdown out of the wildcat as the Ichabods went up 14-0.
The Ichabods forced another UNK punt and then marched 80 yards in nine plays capped by a Taylon Peters' 33-yard scamper for his seventh touchdown of the season with one second to play in the first quarter as Washburn outgained UNK 245 to 71 in the first quarter collecting 10 first downs compared to five for the Lopers.
Nebraska-Kearney cut the lead to 21-7 with a 10-play, 75-yard drive with 11:38 to go in the first half on a 3-yard run by Dayton Sealey.
After the score by the Lopers, Washburn needed only four plays to score again as Willis raced 59 yards for a touchdown with 9:27 to play in the half finishing off the 70-yard drive.
The Lopers responded with a 75-yard drive of their own going seven plays cutting the Ichabod lead back to 28-14 with 6:32 to play in the first half.
Washburn returned serve with its fifth touchdown on its fifth possession of the first half when Williams rushed for his second touchdown of the day on a 31-yard run up the middle finishing off a seven-play, 55-yard drive.
The Ichabods held the Lopers on fourth down at the WU 24 and then marched 77 yards in four plays on a 54-yard pass reception by Peters, an 18-yard run by Peters and then a 5-yard touchdown pass from Schurig to Williams who scored his third touchdown of the afternoon as Washburn went up 41-14 right before the half. In the first half, the Ichabods have 274 rushing yards, 178 passing yards tallying 452 total yards while holding UNK to 248 overall.
Starting the second half, the Lopers were held on a fourth down attempt at the Ichabod 21 and then Washburn used 6:20 off the clock on a 13-play, 79-yard drive on a 3-yard run by Williams. It was his third rushing touchdown and his fourth overall as the Ichabods pushed the lead to 48-14.
On the ensuing drive, the Lopers used a quick four-play, 75-yard drive capped by a Dayton Sealey 33-yard touchdown run cutting the lead to 48-21 with 4:57 to play in the third quarter.
After the Ichabods were stopped on a fourth down conversion attempt with 1:36 to go ending the Ichabods seven-for-seven on scoring drives, Kevin Neal, Jr., picked off a UNK pass returning the ball back to the Ichabods.
The Ichabods then drove 76 yards in eight plays as senior offensive lineman Kyle Hinton scored on a tackle eligible 8-yard touchdown pass from Schurig to put Washburn up 55-21 with 12:33 to go in the game.
UNK scores on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Davis to trimming the Washburn lead to 55-28 with 9:15 to go in the game and the onside kick attempt by the Lopers sailed out of bounds and Washburn took over at the WU 45, however the Ichabods were forced to punt for the first time on the afternoon and UNK took over at its own 49-yard line with 6:49 to play.
The Lopers scored with 2:54 to go cutting the lead to 55-35 and after a WU turnover on a fumble, the Lopers scored to cut the lead to 55-41, but the PAT attempt by the Lopers was blocked and Alvin Houston scooped it up and returned it for a 2-point defensive PAT – the first in program history as the Ichabods ran out the clock with the 57-51 win.
Schurig finished 20 of 23 passing for 314 yards and three touchdowns completing 87 percent of his passes. Willis had nine carries for 154 yards averaging 17.1 ypc and Williams had five carries for 48 yards and the three touchdowns. Wilson had four catches for 15 yards and one score.
Defensively, the Ichabods were led by Kevin Neal, Jr. with seven tackles and an interception and Grant Bruner had seven tackles with two tackles for loss.
Washburn finished with 343 yards on the ground on 46 attempts while holding the Lopers to 272 yards on the ground, under their season average of 344 yards per game. Overall the Ichabods had 657 yards of total offense averaging 9.4 yards per play – the second highest total in school history.
Washburn was 11 of 14 on third down conversions while holding the Lopers to 5 of 11 on third down.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Sept. 9, 2021) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods started the home slate in style tossing a shutout in the second half for the second-straight game as they defeated Central Missouri to improve to 2-0 on the season winning their fifth MIAA game in a row dating back to 2019 in a 29-10 win over the Mules on Thursday night in Yager Stadium. Washburn took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards on six plays capped by a Mitch Schurig touchdown pass to Peter Afful for 24 yards taking a 6-0 lead after the point after attempt failed.
The Ichabod defense showed signs of things to come as the Mules were held to -7 yards on their first possession, but after the ensuing punt, the Ichabods had a turnover and the Mules needed six plays going 24 yards as the Ichabod defense held the Mules out of the end• one on three plays inside the 10 as a field goal cut the lead in half with 6:35 to play in the opening quarter.
The teams traded punts and a turnover by each team and Central Missouri took a 10-6 lead with 5:29 to play in the first half, but it was a short-lived lead as the Ichabods' James Letcher, Jr., pulled down a pass for 62 yards to the end• one from Schurig as Washburn jumped back in front 13-10.
After the Ichabods forced another punt and the Ichabods added a 48-yard, career-long field goal by Kameron Lake just before the half as Washburn took a 16-10 lead to the break.
In the third on the Mules' first drive, Christian Clark picked off Logan Twehous at the Washburn 27 ending the UCM drive and the Mules would not get into Washburn territory the rest of the game.
The Ichabods took a 23-10 lead with 6:37 to play in the third when Schurig found Matthew Simmons in the back of the end• one.
Lake added field goals of 39 yards with 12:25 and another from 32 yards out staking the Ichabods to a 29-10 lead wrapping up the scoring in the game.
The Ichabod defense held the Mules to 61 yards in the second half while the Ichabods including only 27 in the fourth quarter as the Ichabods had 11:51 of possession time in the final frame rushing 23 times for 104 yards converting 3 of 6 third down conversions.
Kevin Neal, Jr. had six tackles and Jacob Anderson had five. As a team the Ichabods had six tackles for loss for 15 yards and two interceptions with four pass break ups.
The Ichabods had three different players with at least 50 rushing yards as Zach Willis (11 carries, 54 yards), Taylon Peters (15 carries, 52 yards) and Peter Afful (1 carry, 50 yards) as the squad finished with 231 rushing yards on 43 carries averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.
Schurig was 19 of 34 for 249 yards and three touchdown passes. Letcher, Jr. had four catches for 78 yards and one score and Hunter Browning had four catches for 53 yards.
Washburn finished with 23 first downs holding the Mules to 10 while rushing for 231 yards with the Mules gaining 70. Overall the Ichabods racked up 480 yards of offense holding the Mules to 187 on the night.
 
 A WIN OVER NEBRASKA-KEARNEY WOULD
• move Washburn to 3-0 on the season.
• move the Ichabods to 14-15 all-time against the Lopers.
• move the Ichabods 3-0 to start the season for the first time since 2013 when the Ichabods started the year 8-0.
• be the second-straight win against the Lopers in Kearney.
• be the Ichabods' 11th win in the last 12 meetings and the sixth-straight overall.
• move the Ichabods to 8-7 all-time in games played in Kearney.
 
 A LOSS TO NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
• be the Ichabods' first loss of the season.
• drop the Ichabods to 16-13 all-time against the Lopers.
• snap an Ichabod five-game winning streak in games played in Kearney.
 
 CENTRAL MISSOURI LEFTOVERS
• Kameron Lake's career-long 48-yard field goal is sixth on the Ichabod chart for longest field goals.
• For the second-straight game the Ichabods did not allow any points in the second half.
• The win moved the Ichabods to 20-28-2 all-time against the Mules.
• The win moved the Ichabods 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2013 when the Ichabods started the year 8-0.
• The win moved the Ichabods to 13-13-2 all-time in games played in Topeka against the Mules.
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 558-585-44 (.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 67 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
UP NEXT
Washburn's next game in Yager Stadium will be on Family Day against Missouri Western with a 1 p.m. kickoff.