TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn turned Hall of Fame Saturday into its best performance of the year, using six interceptions and forcing two more fumbles as the Ichabods scored 30 points off of Central Missouri turnovers adding a balanced offensive attack to take down the Mules 37–17 at Yager Stadium for their first MIAA win of the season. The Ichabods will return to action next week again at home facing Fort Hays State at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Making his first career start, Logan Madden sparked the Ichabods early, capping an 8-play, 45-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter to give Washburn a 6–0 lead. The Ichabods, after winning the opening coin toss, took advantage of UCM's a UCM fumble on the second play from scrimmage that was forced and recovered by Jordan Finnesy setting the Ichabods up and the UCM 45 less than a minute into the game.
 
On the ensuing drive by the Mules, after driving down to their own 41, the Mules fumbled again as J.C. Heim recovered a fumble that was forced by Bryson Alexander as the Ichabods took over, but later punted after coming up short on a third down conversion.
 
After the teams traded punts, Central Missouri cut the lead in half at 6-3 after a 36-yard field goal by Will Peacock cutting the margin to 6–3 with 1:24 to play in the opening frame.
 
The Mules briefly went ahead 10–6 in the second quarter on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Donovyn Omolo to Bo Reeves capping a 12-play, 81-yard drive with 8:24 to go in the first half, but the Ichabods quickly regained control. The Ichabods punted after the UCM score, but Josh Grant intercepted a pass at the UCM 15-yard line and three plays later Madden found Ky Thomas on a 9-yard touchdown strike just 90 seconds later, giving Washburn a 13–10 halftime edge.
 
The third quarter belonged entirely to the Ichabods as on UCM's first drive of the half, L.J. Minner Jr. jumped in front of a pass for a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown less than four minutes in, extending the lead to 20–10. UCM again ended its next drive with an interception by Kamble Haverkamp and after returning it 54 yards to the UCM 21, the Ichabods needed seven plays to score again as Madden connected with Chase Allen-Jackman on a 6-yard touchdown pass stretching the Ichabod advantage to 27-10 with 5:27 to play in the third quarter.
 
For the third straight UCM drive, UCM tossed another interception by Jordan Finnesy and returned it to the UCM 25 setting up an Aidan Battle 49-yard field goal moments later to push the lead to 30–10 heading into the final frame.
 
Again UCM was picked off on its third play of its next drive, again by Finnesy ending the UCM drive.
 
But after an Ichabod punt, Central Missouri found the end zone early in the fourth to make it 30–17, but Washburn answered once again with a Thomas 8-yard touchdown run, putting the Ichabods up 37–17 with 6:57 to play to wrap up the scoring as the Ichabods snapped a four-game losing streak.
 
Madden completed 20 of 31 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns while adding 14 rushing yards and a score. Thomas posted 87 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards with two total touchdowns, and Allen-Jackman caught seven passes for 73 yards and a TD.
 
Defensively, J.C. Heim led the charge with 15 tackles (12 solo) and a fumble recovery. Jordan Finnesy intercepted two passes and added nine tackles, while Minner Jr., Braiden Lagafuaina, Josh Grant, and Kamble Haverkamp each had interceptions — Haverkamp returning his 54 yards to set up a score. Washburn's defense finished with six interceptions, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Finnesy's two interceptions were the most by an Ichabod in a single game since Grant Bruner recorded two at Central Missouri on Sept. 8, 2022.
 
The Ichabods forced a school-record eight takeaways topping the previous highwater mark of seven set at Missouri Southern on Oct. 8, 2016.