FOR STARTES
•The Ichabods hit the road for the 117th meeting of I-335 rivals as Washburn will face Emporia State at 1 p.m. at Welch Stadium.
•The Ichabods rebounded of their first loss of the season at Nebraska-Kearney to top Missouri Western 47-41 on Family Day in Yager Stadium on Sept. 25.
•The Hornets have lost their last two games falling at Missouri Western and at Pittsburg State after opening the season with back-to-back wins at Northeastern State and at home against Central Oklahoma.
•The Ichabods won the last meeting in 2019 wth a 37-17 win on Nov. 2 in Emporia.
•The Ichabods trail the all-time series to the Hornets 57-53-6.
•The Washburn/Emporia State series is the second-most played series in NCAA Division II history as South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State have reclassified to NCAA Division II. Those two schools have met 134 times dating back to 1895.
•The Ichabods received votes in this week's AFCA Coaches Poll.
•The reigning MIAA Offensive Player of the Week Mitch Schurig needs one touchdown pass to reach 50 for his career. Currently his 49 touchdown passes rank fourth on the all-time chart trailing Dane Simoneau (102), Jordan Brill (57) and Tyler Schuerman (53) on the Ichabod chart.
•With his next catch, James Letcher, Jr., will record his 100th career grab as an Ichabod. Only 15 players have gone over the 100-reception mark in their Ichabod career.
•The Ichabods are fifth in the nation in third down conversion rate at 56 percent converting 30 of 55 attempts.
•The Ichabods are second in the nation in punt return defense at -5.0 per return.
•Washburn is the seventh-highest scoring offense in the nation averaging 43.8 points per game.
 
COACHING
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
•was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
•is 124-86 (.599) in his 20th season as the Ichabod head coach.
•is 106-74 (.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 11-7 against Emporia State
 
Emporia State head coach Garin Higgins . . .
•has a career record of 135-79 in his 19th season as a head coach.
•is 84-70 in his 14th season at his alma mater.
•is 75-44 since the start of the 2010 season.
•had a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game.
•was quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team.
•is 6-7 against Washburn.
 
ICHABODS ON THE CAREER CHARTS
•Ichabod running back Zach Willis sits 15th on the all-time rushing chart with 1,370 yards. He needs 78 yards to move into the top 10 at Washburn.
•Willis also has a career yards per attempt of 6.2 per carry as an Ichabod, which is fifth on the all-time chart behind Corey Crain who averaged 7.19 yards per carry.
•Ichabod quarterback Mitch Schurig has passed for 4,971 yards in his career which is sixth on the Ichabod career chart. To move into the top five all-time, he needs 525 yards.
•Schurig has also thrown for 49 touchdowns which is fourth all-time at Washburn and with four more he can move into the top three all-time.
•Schurig is Washburn's all-time leader in passing completion percentage at 62.9 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 5,306 yards.
•With one pass reception, James Letcher, Jr. can become the 16th Ichabod to record at least 100 catches in a career at Washburn.
•Letcher's 25.50 yards per kickoff return is fourth all-time at Washburn.
 
NOTING THE HORNETS
•The Hornets are 2-2 with their combined points lost by is three this season after faling in their last two games with losses at Pittsburg State last time out (30-28), and at Missouri Western (38-37). The Hornets opened the season with a 38-7 win at Northeastern State and a 31-21 win over Central Oklahoma.
•The Hornets have outscored their opponents 42-7 in the second quarter this season.
•Offensively the Horents are averaging 331 yards passing per game and 124.5 on the ground.
•Defensively ESU is allowing 230 yards per game in the air and 330 overall.
•Billy Ross, Jr., leads the Hornets' ground attack with 47.3 yards per game.
•Braden Gleason is averaging 315.5 yards per gmame in the air adding 20.5 yards per game on the ground.
•Dexton Swinehart has 19 catches for 145 yards and Dalton Cowan also have 19 catches to 228 yards.
•Cade Harelson leads the team with 24 solo and 11 asststed tackles.
 
LAST MEETING WITH EMPORIA STATE
(Nov. 2, 2019) EMPORIA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods held Emporia State to 91 yards passing and 249 total yards overall while racking up 445 yards rolling to a 37-17 win over the Hornets snapping a four-game slide to ESU on Saturday afternoon in Welch Stadium. 
Washburn opened the game winning the coin toss and after electing to receive marched 83 yards in 12 plays for the first score of the game when Mitch Schurig hit Collin Wilson for a 6-yard touchdown. However the Hornets needed only two plays to tie the score at 7-7 when Carlos Grace ran 70-yards right up the middle for the tying score.
The Ichabods then took the ensuing kickoff needing only three plays going 71 yards aided by a 64-yard burst by Zach Willis and was capped by Willis' 4-yard run staking the Ichabods to a 14-7 advantage.
In the second quarter the Ichabods pushed the lead to two touchdowns when Schurig hit Taylon Peters down the sidelines for a 14-yard pass. The Hornets came back with a field goal of their own cutting the margin to 11 at 21-10 with 6:29 to play in the first half.
Washburn wrapped up the scoring with a Schurig to James Letcher, Jr. touchdown pass for 5-yards sending the Ichabods to the locker room with a 28-10 lead.
The Ichabods scored on their second half opening drive after the Hornets were held to one yard on their first possession of the frame and Willis scored his second touchdown of the day on a 1-yard dive as Washburn went up 35-10 with 9:49 to go in the third quarter.
ESU scored its final points of the game on a 1-yard run by Dalton Cowan with 58 second to play in the third quarter trimming the lead to 35-17 and Washburn scored the only points of the fourth quarter when Nigel Burgess was held in the end •one leading to a safety. The safety was set up by a Lane Spiker 54-yard punt which was downed at the one yard line by Marquise Manning.
Schurig was 21 of 32 passing for 276 yards and three scores. Letcher Jr., had nine catches for 101 yards and one score and Willis finished with 12 carries for 75 yards and two scores.
Defensively the Ichabods were led by Grant Bruner who had seven solo tackles and one sack and K.J. Turner had five solo stops. Washburn was credited with 41 solo tackles and two assisted tackles in the game.
The Ichabod defense held ESU to 91 passing yards and 13 completions and outgained ESU 445 to 249 overall.
The win was the first in Emporia since Oct. 1, 2011 snapping a three-game slide at ESU and a four-game streak overall.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Sept. 25, 2021) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods celebrate Family Day by ringing up a 47-41 win over Missouri Western on Saturday afternoon in Yager Stadium. The Ichabods move to 3-1 on the season with the win.
Washburn opened the scoring on its first drive of the game as James Letcher, Jr., pulled down a 30-yard catch and run from Mitch Schurig as the Ichabods took the early lead. However the Griffons came back with a 13-play, 90-yard of the their own tying the score with 7:37 to go in the first quarter.
Connor Searcy put the Ichabods up 14-7 after hauling in a 3-yard reception just before the end of the quarter. But as before the Griffons came back with a score of their own tying the score at 14.
Missouri Western took a 20-14 lead midway through the second quarter, but the extra point was missed. Five plays later, Peter Afful scored on a 30-yard reception, but the Ichabod extra point was missed and the score remained tied at 20-20 going into the break.
The Griffons regained the lead on a 36-yard touchdown reception by He•ekia Trotter, but the Ichabods needed only two plays to tie the score for the fourth time in the game as Afful collected his second touchdown reception on a 44-yard completion from Schurig.
Missouri Western (1-3) scored on its next drive when Cooper Burton caught a six-yard pass going up 34-27 with 9:16 to play in the third quarter. Zach Willis responded with runs of 9-yards and 13-yards to tie the score again at 34 with 5:31 to play in the third.
After the Ichabod defense held the Griffons to a three-and-out, Schurig hit Jace Williams for a 33-yard strike pushing the Ichabods to a 41-34. On the ensuing Griffon drive, Marquise Manning picked off Anthony Vespo at the Ichabod 17-yard line ending the Griffon drive.
On their first drive of the fourth quarter, Will Evans scored on a 5-yard run pushing the Washburn lead to 47-34 after the extra point attempt was blocked.
Brooks Peavler picked off a Vespo pass at the Ichabod 1-yard line ending another drive. After holding the Ichabods on the next drive, Missouri Western's Traveon scored on a 32-yard touchdown reception cutting the Ichabods lead to 47-41, but the onside kick attempt was unsuccessful and the Ichabods took over at their own 49.
Washburn ran the clock down to eight seconds and punted with three left setting up a multiple lateral play for the Griffons but they fumbled and it was recovered by Peyton Lane ending the game.
Schurig finished with 388 yards passing for five touchdowns completing 24 of 30 passes for 388 yards. Letcher, Jr. had five catches for 113 yards. On the ground, the Ichabods were led by Zach Willis who had 63 yards on 10 carries and one score.
Defensively, Brooks Peavler, Peyton Lane and Marquise Manning all had 10 tackles as Peavler and Manning each had interceptions.
Washburn finished with 584 yards of total offense with 147 on the ground.
 
A WIN OVER EMPORIA STATE WOULD
•move Washburn to 4-1 on the season.
•move the Ichabods to 54-57-6 all-time against the Hornets.
•be the second win in a row over the Hornets and the second-straight in Emporia.
•move the Ichabods to 25-29-2 in games played in Emporia.
 
A LOSS TO EMPORIA STATE WOULD
•be the Ichabods' second loss of the season dropping them to 3-2.
•drop the Ichabods to 53-58-6 all-time against the Hornets.
 
 MISSOURI WESTERN LEFTOVERS ... THE WIN
•moved Washburn to 3-1 on the season.
•moved the Ichabods to 21-26-2 all-time against the Griffons.
•snapped a two-game losing streak to the Griffons.
•move the Ichabods to 14-11 all-time against the Griffons in Topeka.
•was the first time since Oct. 26, 2013 the Ichabods have thrown five touchdowns in a game (Mitch Buhler vs Lindenwood).
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
•Washburn is 559-586-44 (.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 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 68 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
UP NEXT
The Ichabods will return home for back-to-back home games against Fort Hays State on Oct. 9 for the Hall of Fame game and on Oct. 16 against Northwest Missouri with both games starting at 1 p.m.