FOR STARTERS
• The Washburn Ichabods will open their 134th season of football on Aug. 29 when they travel down the Kansas Turnpike to face Emporia State at 7 p.m.
• The Ichabods are coming off a 2-9 season going 1-9 in MIAA play.
• The Hornets were 9-3 last season including a Heritage Bowl Championship in 2023 and received votes in the AFCA preseason poll.
• The Ichabods are 80-47-6 all-time in season openers and have won six of their last seven lidlifters after Pittsburg State broke Washburn's six-game winning streak in last season's 34-7 loss in Pittsburg.
• The Ichabods have only faced Emporia State four times in the first game of the season going 1-2-1 overall.
• Washburn and Emporia State have not played each other in their season openers since Sept. 10, 1966 when the Hornets won 14-0 in Emporia. Other meetings include Sept. 24, 1937 (ESU 12-6), Oct. 3, 1903 (Tie 0-0), Sept. 21, 1901 (WU 6-0).
• The Ichabods have opened the season 10 times in August going 7-3 overall … in games played on Aug. 29 the Ichabods are 1-1.
 
 BLUE NOTES
• The Washburn Ichabods return two all-MIAA performers in sophomore return specialist D.J. Bell, who was a second-team all-MIAA as a return specialist and an honorable mention selection as a wide receiver along with senior defensive linemen Chase McCoy. Bell led the Ichabods in all-purpose yards averaging 120.3 yards per game and averaged 23.1 yards per kickoff return on 24 attempts including a 100-yard return against Missouri Southern. The true freshman led the Ichabods in receiving yards with 44 catches and 563 yards adding five touchdowns and while averaging 12.8 yards per catch and 51.2 yards per game. McCoy, had 21 tackles with six solo stops adding five tackles for loss for 29 yards and 3.5 sacks for 25 yards with a fumble recovery.
• The Washburn Ichabod football team was tabbed ninth in both the MIAA Coaches and MIAA Preseason Media polls that were released by the conference office at the 2024 MIAA Football Media Day at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City on July 23.
• The Ichabods were ranked 14th in the nation and second in the MIAA in redzone offense   scoring on 29 of 33 opportunities (87.9 percent) … Emporia State led the MIAA in the category scoring on 53 of 59 trips to the redzone with 45 touchdowns.
• The Ichabods have played back-to-back games 11 times in the 119-game series between the two schools … in those 11 games the Ichabods are 4-6-1.
 
PRO 'BODS
• The Washburn Ichabods have two former players on NFL rosters this season and one in the Canadian Football League.
• Kyle Hinton is on the 53-man roster of the Atlanta Falcons.
• Corey Ballentine was elevated to the 53-man roster in Green Bay for its game on Sept. 24.
• James Letcher, Jr. is a standout return specialist in the Canadian Football League playing for the Montreal Alouettes in his second season in the CFL. Earlier this season he had a 128-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown.

COACHES
Washburn head coach Craig Schurig . . .
• was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001.
• is 139-101 (.599) in his 21st season as the Ichabod head coach and the sixth-longest tenured football coach in MIAA history.
• is 122-88 (.603) against the MIAA in league games.
• 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 138 wins.
• is 11-10 against Emporia State.
 
Emporia State head coach Garin Higgins . . .   
• has a career record of 157-89 in his 22nd season as a head coach.
• is 106-80 in his 17th season at his alma mater.
• 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 8-8 against Washburn.
 
NOTING THE HORNETS
• The Hornets were 9-3 season winning the Heritage Bowl Championship and they are also receiving votes in the AFCA preseason coaches poll.
• The Hornets are 18-6 over the last two seasons, the second-best record in the MIAA over that time.
• Of the 22 position players that started the Heritage Bowl, Emporia State is set to return ten players on offense highlighted by All-American receiver Tyler Kahmann and seven on defense including All-MIAA defensive back Jaaron Joseph.  Last year was the eighth time in the last 11 seasons that Emporia State advanced to the postseason.
• The Hornets were picked fourth by the MIAA coaches and sixth by the MIAA media ahead of the 2024 season.
 
LAST MEETING WITH THE HORNETS
(Oct. 14, 2023) EMPORIA, Kan. – The 119th version of the Turnpike Tussle went the way of Emporia State in a 38-23 loss. 
ESU jumped out to a 21-0 lead after scoring drives of 70, 72 and 80 yards with the final score coming at 9:08 left in the second quarter. Washburn got on the board with 6:47 left to go in the first half when Connor Searcy scored on a 3-yard run up the middle capping a 48-yard drive by Washburn trimming the ESU lead to 21-7.
The Hornets (5-2, 4-2 MIAA) quickly scored on the ensuing drive going 75-yards in four plays in 60 seconds pushing their lead back to 28-7.
Washburn (1-6, 0-6 MIAA) wrapped up the scoring just before the half with a 34-yard field goal by Trenton Brehm.
To open the scoring in the third quarter, Brehm connected on a 40-yard field goal finishing off an 11-play drive after the Ichabod defense forced an ESU punt on its first drive of the half. The field goal for Brehm tied his career long set last season, also against the Hornets.
On Washburn's next possession after the Ichabod defense forced another Hornet punt, Washburn needed just one play as Sam Van Dyne hit D.J. Bell on a 69-yard touchdown strike cutting the ESU lead to 28-20.
The Hornets came back to stretch their lead to 31-20 with 14:47 to play in the game after a 30-yard field goal and after an Ichabod punt, ESU pushed the lead to 38-20 capping a 8-play, 47-yard drive with 10:36 to play.
Brehm then finished off a 14-play, 69-yard drive with his third field goal of the day with a 26-yard field goal with 5:27. On the ensuing kickoff, WU recovered the onside attempt, but was whistled for touching the ball prior to its going 10 yards as ESU started its drive as ESU took over leading 38-23 and would run out the clock picking up its third-straight win over the Ichabods.
Washburn was limited to 42 yards rushing as Percy Mitchell and Taylon Peters each had 15 yards. Eight different Ichabods caught a pass with Bell leading with 79 yards on two catches. Tyce Brown had a team-high five receptions. Van Dyne finished 18 for 41 throwing with 256 yards passing.
Julius Jackson had a career-high 12 tackles for lead the Ichabod defense and Caeden Spencer and Patrick Altenor each had eight.
Brehm tied career highs with his three field goals in the game and his 40-yard make
ESU outgained the Ichabods 519 to 298 running 83 plays compared to 74.

SERIES HISTORY WITH EMPORIA STATE
• The Hornets lead the all-time series 60-53-6 winning the last three in the series and 9 of the last 11 overall.
• Washburn is 24-31-2 in games played in Emporia and they are 29-29-4 all-time against the Hornets in Topeka.
• The Ichabods are looking to snap a two-game losing streak in Emporia to the Hornets.
• The Ichabods fell in their last meeting in Emporia in a 35-30 loss on Oct. 2, 2021 … Washburn's last win in Emporia came on Nov. 2, 2019 in a 37-17 victory - the last win in the series.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Nov. 11, 2023) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team ended the season in a 45-14 win over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon inside Yager Stadium. Washburn wraps up the season 2-9 overall and 1-9 in the MIAA as the Washburn topped Northeastern State for the 11th-straight meeting.
Washburn won the coin toss receiving and marching 44 yards in 11 plays, but the drive stalled at the Northeastern State 16 leading to a 34-yard field goal by Trenton Brehm. On the ensuing kickoff, Brehm's kickoff was returned 99 yards by Lakedrick Holmes for a score as the RiverHawks (1-10, 0-10 MIAA) took a 7-3 lead with 10 minutes to play in the first quarter.
Neither team would score the remainder of the first quarter and the Ichabods scored on their first drive of the second quarter as Sam Van Dyne connected with Ty Weber on a 4-yard catch and run for a score finishing off a 62-yard drive as Washburn went up 10-7.
After forcing a RiverHawk punt, Washburn scored on its next drive when Van Dyne hit Tyce Brown on a 9-yard strike as the Ichabods drove 90 yards for the score going up 17-7. After another punt by Northeastern State, the combo of Van Dyne and Brown hooked up again on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 1:34 to play in the first half as the Ichabods went into halftime with a 24-7 lead into the break.
The RiverHawks opened the scoring in the second half with a 75-yard drive on 10 plays trimming the Ichabod lead back to 10 at 24-14 with 9:26 to go in the third quarter, but Washburn came back with a score of its own with Triston Johnson scoring on a 9-yard run midway through the third quarter.
The Washburn defense came up with three negative plays on the RiverHawks' next drive setting up the Ichabod offense and on a third and one from the NSU 26, Lucas Oitker rushed 26 yards around the left side for a score and his first collegiate touchdown as the Ichabods went up 38-14.
The teams would trade possessions and then on the Ichabods' next drive, Keller Hurla hit Connor Searcy for a 39-yard touchdown pass out of the backfield for a 45-14 Washburn lead with 8:05 to play wrapping up the scoring for the game.
Washburn's running back by committee saw nine different runners carry the ball putting up 240 yards of rushing on the ground with two touchdowns. Van Dyne was 18 of 27 passing with 188 yards and three scores while Grayson Sprouse was 4 of 9 passing and Hurla finished 2 for 2 for 45 yards.
D.J. Bell had 52 yards receiving on five catches and Brown finished with five catches and two scores. Overall 11 different Ichabods had a reception in the game.
Mason Capper had six tackles to lead the Ichabod defense and Chase McCoy had five tackles with two sacks for 18 yards. Patrick Altenor had four tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Washburn outgained the RiverHawks 511 to 172 overall as Washburn ran 78 plays averaging 6.6 yards per play compared to 51 plays and 3.4 yards per play for Northeastern State.

A WIN OVER EMPORIA STATE WOULD
• move the Ichabods to 1-0 on the season.
• snap a three-game losing streak to the Hornets.
• move the Ichabods to 81-47-6 all-time in season openers.
• be the Ichabods first win over ESU in Emporia since a 37-17 win in Emporia on Nov. 2, 2019 snapping a two-game losing streak on the road.
 
A LOSS TO EMPORIA STATE WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 0-1 on the season.
• be the Ichabods' fourth in a row to the Hornets and the third in a row in Emporia.
• move the Ichabods to 80-48-6 all-time in season openers and their second-straight season-opening loss.
 
ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 577-609-44 (.484) in the 134th 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 176 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 a 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 79 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 15 times.
 
UP NEXT
The Ichabods will begin their home slate at Yager Stadium facing Colorado Mines in a non-conference game on Sept. 14 before returning to MIAA play hosting Pittsburg State on Sept. 21. Overall the Ichabods will have six home games this season.