KEARNEY, Neb. – The Washburn Ichabod lost for the first time in 2021 season falling to 2-1 after a 28-24 loss to the No. 23-ranked Nebraska-Kearney Lopers as a costly turnover and penalties added up to a three-point loss at Cope Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Washburn will return to Topeka to face Missouri Western on Family Day on Sept. 25.
 
The Ichabods opened the scoring with a seven-play, 84-yard drive wrapped up by a Taylon Peters' 4-yard touchdown run with 11:09 to play in the first quarter. The Lopers came right back with a scoring drive of their own with a 14-play, 78-yard drive on their only possession of the first 15 minutes.
 
On Washburn's second drive of the game, the Ichabod drove all the way to the UNK 5-yard line, but an Ichabod fumble into the end zone ended the scoring threat and the 15-play drive. After the Ichabod defense forced the first UNK punt of the game, the Ichabods went three and out setting up a 73-yard punt by Lane Spiker flipping the field as the ball went out at the UNK 1-yard line. However the Lopers put together a 99-yard drive on six plays highlighted by a 30-yard and a 62-yard run by UNK quarterback TJ Davis. UNK would score to take the 14-7 lead leaving 3:30 on the first half clock.
 
Washburn then marched 55 yards on six plays capped by Mitch Schurig's 2-yard toss to Connor Searcy tying the score at 14.
 
After trading punts to start the second half, the Lopers drove to the Ichabod 33, but the drive stalled when the Ichabods held on fourth down and took back over at the Washburn 33 with 4:59 to go in the third quarter.
 
The score remained 14-all entering the fourth quarter, the Lopers scored on the second play of the frame on a 51-yard touchdown run by Davis with 14:20 to play in the game staking UNK to a 21-14.
 
After driving to the UNK 38, the Ichabods converted a fourth down with Schurig hitting Letcher on a 35-yard strike to the UNK three yard line setting up a 3-yard run by Zach Willis knotting up the score 21 with 11:54 to play in the game.
 
The Ichabod defense forced a fumble with Davis was sacked by Braden Rose and it was recovered by Malick Fall at the UNK 30. After a 28-yard run by Peters moving the ball to the UNK 11 and an Ichabod second timeout of the half, Washburn threw and incomplete pass and then took the lead at 24-21 on a 26-yard field goal by Kameron Lake with 8:34 to go in the game.
 
After the Ichabods stopped the Lopers on downs, Washburn went three and out returning the ball to the Lopers who capped a 12-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown run by Davis as UNK went up 28-24 with 57 seconds to play.
 
Washburn took over at its 25 with 57 seconds to play, but only moved the ball to the UNK 50 after three plays as the Ichabod drive ended with an interception as the Ichabods lost for the first time this season snapping its five-game winning streak dating back to 2019.
 
The Ichabods were outgained 483 to 372 in the game as the Lopers accounted for 317 yards on the ground with 258 on 30 carries by Davis who rushed for three scores in the game and was 16 of 26 passing for 166 yards.
 
Peters finished with 113 yards on the ground on 13 carries averaging 8.7 yards per carry and one score. James Letcher, Jr., had five catches for 64 yards in the game. Schurig was 17 of 31 passing for 214 yards. Jacob Anderson led the Ichabod defense with seven tackles and K.J. Turner had six tackles as did Landen Urban and Brooks Peavler.
 
UNK was 11 of 16 on third down conversions and held the ball for 35:22 of the game. Washburn was 1 of 6 on third down in the second half going 6 of 12 in the game.