FOR STARTERS
• The Washburn Ichabods will wrap up a two-game roadtrip on Saturday at No. 16/No. 20 ranked Northwest Missouri on Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. start from Bearcat Stadium in a battle of 4-2 teams fighting for their postseason lives.
• The Ichabods (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) are coming off a 45-14 win over Fort Hays State on Oct. 8.
• The Bearcats (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) fell at No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State 24-22 last time out as a two-point conversion with 12 seconds remaining was ruled incomplete as the Gorillas held on for the win.
• The game is Military Appreciation Day at Bearcat Field on Saturday.
• Saturday's match is a battle of the top scoring offense as the Ichabods lead the league at 36.0 ppg while the Northwest defense is tied for the best scoring defense allowing 16.0 ppg.
• Washburn leads the MIAA in total offense at 453.2 yards per game while the Bearcats lead the MIAA in total defense allowing 265.3 yards per game.
• Washburn is 3-0 in road games this season with victories at Central Missouri (40-32), at Missouri Western  (38-31 in OT) and 45-14 at Fort Hays State.
• Northwest has the nation's longest NCAA Division II winning streak at 15 games.
 
 BLUE NOTES
• Kellen Simoncic is second in the nation in passing touchdowns with 19 and 12th in the nation in total offense at 295.7 yards per game. He also is ranked second in the nation in points responsible for per game at 22.0 leading the MIAA as well.
• Family Ties: While Kellen Simoncic is a member of the Ichabods in his third year with the team, his younger brother Cody is a freshman linebacker for the Bearcats.
• Grant Bruner leads the nation in tackles at 13.3 per game and is second in solo tackles with 8.0 per game.
• James Letcher, Jr., is sixthin the nation receiving touchdowns (7), 13th in receiving yards (605) and 15th in receiving yards per game (100.8) and 13th in receptions per game (7.0). He is also 22nd in all-purpose yards (138.5) per game and 32nd in total touchdowns (7).
• James Letcher, Jr. is ranked third in active NCAA D2 players with 4,903 all-purpose yards and fourth with 2,521 receiving yards and third with 190 receptions.
• The Ichabods were picked fourth in the MIAA preseason media and coaches polls.
 
 COACHES
Washburn Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 134-90 (.599) in his 21st season as the Ichabod head coach and the sixth-longest tenured football coach in MIAA history.
• is 116-76 (.603) against the MIAA.
• has led the Ichabods to four 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 133 wins.
• is 2-18 against Northwest Missouri.
 
Northwest Missouri head coach Rich Wright . . . 
• is in his sixth season as head coach at Northwest Missouri.
• is 46-12 on the Northwest sidelines as the head coach.
• has been an assistant at NWMSU since 2004 and the defensive coordinator since 2011.
• has gone 207-33 since Wright has been on the Bearcat coaching staff.
• He is 3-1 against Washburn.
 
ICHABOD CAREER CHARTS
• James Letcher, Jr. has 1,571 career kickoff return yards on 43 attempts. Washburn's all-time leader is Clarence Taylor (1974-77) who had 1,771 yards on 72 returns - both Washburn records.
• James Letcher, Jr.'s 24.9 yards per kickoff return is second all-time at Washburn behind Fletcher Terrell's 27.32 yard per return average.
• James Letcher, Jr.'s became the ninth Ichabod to go over the 2,000-yard mark in career receiving yards now standing with 2,482 yards, which is fifth all-time at Washburn … his 189 career receptions is second on the all-time chart trailing Sam Sissom's (2002-06) 191 career catches at Washburn and his 25 touchdown receptions is fifth.
• James Letcher, Jr.'s has 4,840 career all-purpose yards, which is second all-time at Washburn. Troy Slusser has the school record with 5,210 yards from 1984-88.
• Kameron Lake is fifth with 100 extra points as an Ichabod. The school record is 157 set by Connor Sabel set from 2003-06.
 
NOTING THE BEARCATS
• The Bearcats are 4-2 on the season after falling 24-22 at Pittsburg State last time out.
• Northwest ranks No. 1 in the nation in rush defense by allowing only 38.5 yards per game
• The Bearcats have given up a league-low 90 first downs through six games. Northwest has allowed only 18 rushing first downs, which ranks tied with Augustana for No. 2 in the nation for fewest rushing first downs allowed. UIndy leads the nation by allowing only 17 rushing first downs.
• Northwest is ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring offense at 27.8 ppg and second in the league in scoring defense allowing 16.0 ppg.
• Elijah Green leads the Northwest defense and the MIAA with 15.0 tackles for loss for 68 yards and 7.5 sacks for 52 yards.
 
LAST MEETING WITH THE BEARCATS
TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 16, 2021) – 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.
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 endzone 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 capitalized 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 redzone 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.
 
SERIES HISTORY WITH NORTHWEST MISSOURI
• The Bearcats lead the all-time series 33-7.
• Washburn's last win over the Bearcats in Maryville was on Oct. 8, 2005 in a 31-28 victory as the Ichabods would go on to win the MIAA Championships that season.
• Overall the Ichabods have dropped the last seven meetings in Rickenbrode/Bearcat Stadium.
• Washburn is 2-17 in games played in Maryville, Mo.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Oct. 8, 2022) HAYS, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods scored 24 first half points and added 21 more in the third quarter rolling to a 45-14 win at Fort Hays State moving to 4-2 on the season as the Ichabod defense held the Tigers to a season-low 14 points.
The Ichabods took the opening kickoff and marched 81 yards on six plays capped by a Kellen Simoncic to Collin Wilson hook-up for 44 yards after the Tigers won the toss and deferred to the second half as Washburn jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
On the Tigers' ensuing drive, after six plays Fort Hays State was forced to punt and Micah Skebo blocked the punt and it was recovered by Tyler Bowden for a scoop and score as the Ichabods jumped out to a 14-0 lead after a Kameron Lake extra point.
Washburn wrapped up an 87-yard, 13-play drive scoring a 1-yard  plunge by Hunter Browning as the Ichabods went up 21-0.
After a Tiger punt, an Ichabod miscue on a snap on a field goal attempt, the Tigers jumped on the board with a 6-yard run by Jaqualen Brown as Fort Hays State trimmed the Ichabod lead to 21-7.
The Ichabods were forced to punt on their next drive, but the Ichabod defense forced a Tiger punt and Washburn wrapped up the half on a 47-yard field goal by Lake as time expired heading to the locker room with a 24-7 lead.
Starting the second half, the Ichabods forced the Tigers into a punt and then drove to the Tiger 39, but an Ichabod interception stalled the drive. Again the Ichabod defense forced another Tiger punt and three plays later Simoncic connected with James Letcher, Jr., on an 8-yard touchdown play with 9:09 to play in the third.
The Tigers drove deep into the Ichabod zone, but the drive ended with Christian Clark picking off a pass and returning it to the Washburn 33 and then it was moved to the 48 after a personal foul on the Tigers.
Washburn added to the scoring on a 56-yard touchdown screen to Taylon Peters as the Ichabods needed three plays moving 52 yards to go up 38-7. On the kickoff, the Tigers fumbled and the Ichabods recovered and then moved 40 yards in seven plays as Simoncic hit Matthew Simmons for a 4-yard touchdown pass with the Ichabods leading 45-7.
The Tigers scored on a four-play, 75-yard drive cutting the Ichabod lead to 45-14 with 2:09 to play in the third quarter.
Neither team would score in the fourth quarter as the Ichabods wrapped up the 31-point win moving to 17-17-2 all-time in games played in Hays snapping a three-game losing streak at Lewis Field picking up their first win since a 45-20 win on Sept. 8, 2012.
The Ichabod defense held the Tigers to 309 yards on 54 plays while the Ichabod offense put up 503 yards on 80 plays holding a 34:49 to 25:11 advantage in time of possession. Washburn was 9 of 17 on third down and the Tigers were held to 3 of 13 conversions.
Peters led the Ichabod ground attack of 158 total yards with 73 yards on 10 carries and he added a team-high 71 yards receiving adding the 56-yard touchdown reception. Simoncic was 18 of 26 passing with four touchdowns and 280 yards through the air. Letcher, Jr., recorded five catches moving his career total to 189, moving within two of Sam Sissom and Washburn's all-time receptions record.
Grant Bruner led the Ichabods with eight tackles and Derrick McClendon had seven tackles with both recording five solo stops.
Washburn had 23 first downs while the Tigers were limited to 14 falling to 1-5 on the season.

FORT HAYS STATE LEFTOVERS
• the win moved the Ichabods to 4-2 on the season and move Washburn to an all-time 46-27-3 series advantage over the Tigers.
• the win moved the Ichabods to 18-16-2 against the Tigers in Hays.
• the win snapped a three-game losing streak to the Tigers in Hays becoming the first Ichabod win since a 45-20 victory on Sept. 8, 2012.
 
A WIN OVER THE BEARCATS WOULD
• move the Ichabods to 5-2 and the second-straight win over the Bearcats.
• be the first back to back wins over the Bearcats since the 1985-86 seasons when the Ichabods won both games 38-24 in contests played in Topeka.
• snap a three-game losing streak to the Tigers in Hays becoming the first Ichabod win since a 45-20 victory on Sept. 8, 2012.
• be Washburn's first win in Maryville since Oct. 8, 2005 in a 31-28 victory  snapping a seven-game losing streak.
• be better than losing.
 
A LOSS TO THE BEARCATS WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 4-3 on the season and move the series record to 7-34 all-time against Northwest.
• be the eighth-straight loss to the Bearcats in Maryville.
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 572-597-44 (.484) in the 130th 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 61 first team all-MIAA selections.
• Washburn has had 96 All-American selections and 72 All-American picks since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 1989.
• Washburn has made 14 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 77 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.

UP NEXT
The Ichabods will return to Yager Stadium on Oct. 22 to face Central Oklahoma for Washburn's Homecoming game. After a roadtrip to Northeastern State on Oct. 29, the Ichabods will host Pittsburg State on senior day on Nov. 5 before wrapping up the regular season at Missouri Southern on Nov. 12.