SCENE SETTER
• The Washburn Ichabods will finish off the 2025 season and year one of the Zach Watkins era at Missouri Southern on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Joplin, Mo.
• The Ichabods enter the game with a 2-8 overall mark with a 1-7 record in MIAA play coming off a 45-17 loss to Emporia State in the Yager Stadium season finale.
• The Lions are 3-7 overall and have a matching 1-7 record in MIAA play after a 44-17 loss at Central Oklahoma on Nov. 8 in Edmond.

 BOD NOTES
• J.C. Heim leads the MIAA and he is second in the national rankings in tackles per game with 12.9 per contest and L.J. Minner, Jr.  is third in the MIAA with 9.9 tackles per game ranking 16th in the NCAA D2 national rankings.
• Heim's 6.6 solo tackles per game is also leads the MIAA and he is second in the national rankings … his 130 tackles this season is fifth on the Ichabod single season chart trailing Derrick McGreevy (131), Grant Bruner (137), Zach Watkins (143) and Bill Guidetti (152) on the single season record book.
• Jordan Finnesy's 253 career tackles is 15th on the NCAA D2 active chart and he is 15th on the D2 active solo tackles chart with 158 … his tackle total is also 15th on the Ichabod career tackle chart.
• Jake Zeller is fifth on the NCAA D2 active punting average chart at 42.2 and he is seventh in total punt yards (7,047) … Zeller is second in the MIAA and ninth in the national rankings in punting average at 43.5 ypg … Zeller is second on the Ichabod all-time punting average chart at 42.2 and ninth in total yards at 7,047.
• The Ichabod defense is ninth in turnovers gained in the national rankings and leading the MIAA with 24 overall and the Ichabods lead the MIAA in turnover margin and rank 20th in the nation overall … in the last four weeks the Ichabods have had 10 interceptions and have four fumble recoveries … Washburn's 15 interceptions this season leads the MIAA and ranks 13th in the latest NCAA D2 rankings.
• Last time out, the 45-17 loss by the Ichabods to the Hornets was an Ichabod football Scorigami as the score had never happened before … through 1,249 Ichabod games, there have been 299 games in which a score has happened only one time. In all, there have been 526 unique scoring games.
• The Ichabods are 1-4 in one score games this season with the lone win coming against Truman in the season opener in a 20-17 win.
 
 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 is on the practice squad roster in Dallas.
• James Letcher, Jr. is a standout return specialist and wide receiver  in the Canadian Football League playing for the Montreal Alouettes in his second season in the CFL.
 
 COACHES
Washburn head coach Zach Watkins . . .
• is 2-8 in his first season as the Ichabod head coach.
• named the 38th head coach in Washburn program history on Nov. 26, 2024.
• first Ichabod alumnus to lead the program in more than 30 years.
• spent 11 seasons as Washburn's co-defensive coordinator before becoming head coach
• four-year starter at linebacker for Washburn (2006–09).
• recorded 100+ tackles each season, finishing with a school-record 473 career tackles (third all-time in NCAA Division II at the time).
• the 2006 MIAA Freshman of the Year, 2006 Honorable Mention All-MIAA and Second Team All-Region, First Team All-MIAA (2007–09), 2009 MIAA & Daktronics Regional Defensive Player of the Year, 2009 AFCA First Team All-America and Daktronics Second Team All-America, Three-time Academic All-MIAA, Three-time MIAA Scholar Athlete, 2008 ESPN The Magazine / CoSIDA Academic All-American, 2010 Ken B. Jones MIAA Student-Athlete of the Year finalist, Three-time All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette.
• bachelor's degree in Finance and Business Management, Washburn University (2009).
• master's degree in Sports Administration, Fort Hays State (2013).
• married to Amanda; two children, Parker and Naomi.
• is 0-0 against Missouri Southern.
 
Missouri Southern head coach Atiba Bradley . . .            
»   named the 14th head football coach in the history of Missouri Southern on February 5, 2021.
»   the first graduate of Missouri Southern to lead the Southern football program
»   is 12-27 in his fourth season as the Lions head coach after going 1-0 in the only game of the spring 2021.
»   as a player at MSSU, Bradley was a two-time All-MIAA honorable mention pick as a linebacker.
»   he had four tackles against the Ichabods on Nov. 15, 2003 in a 38-35 Washburn win in Topeka and had nine tackles with six solo stops and a tackle for loss against the Ichabods on Nov. 6, 2004 in Washburn's 58-43 win in Joplin. On Oct. 29, 2005 in Topeka, he recorded 15 tackles with two for loss and a sack in Washburn's 49-35 win in Topeka.
»   is 1-3 against Washburn.

 NOTING THE LIONS
• The Lions are 3-7 overall and have a matching 1-7 record in MIAA play after a 44-17 loss at Central Oklahoma on Nov. 8 in Edmond.
• Nathan Glades leads the team in rushing at 43.7 yards per game with three scores averaging 3.4 yards per carry.
• Tillman Martin has 16 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions averaging 228.3 yards per game with 10 interceptions.
• Draper Parkers leads the team with 43 catches for 534 yards and five touchdowns.
• Defensively, Zach Bergmann had 93 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss with two interceptions.
• The Lions have the eighth-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA at 20.3 ppg and the eighth-ranked scoring defense allowing 30.1 ppg.
• MSSU has the seventh-ranked total offensive unit in the MIAA averaging 327.4 per game and the eighth-ranked total defensive squad allowing 409.5 per game.
 
 LAST MEETING WITH THE LIONS
(Oct. 19, 2024) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team scored on its first three possessions of the day, blocked two field goals and had a defensive lineman return an interception for a score rolling to a 42-21 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon in Yager Stadium. 
Opening the game, the Ichabods marched 58 yards on six plays capping the drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Keller Hurla to Tre Richardson. On the Lions' opening possession of the game, the Ichabods' J.C. Heim forced a Southern fumble that was recovered by Julius Jackson setting up the Ichabods at the Lion 33. Two plays later Lucas Oitker followed up a Richardson 41-yard reverse with a 4-yard run for the score and a 14-0 lead 5:51 into the game.
Washburn (2-5, 2-4 MIAA) then held the Lions to a punt with a 3-play, 2-yard drive and Sam Van Dyne in at quarterback moved the Ichabods 65 yards on eight plays finishing it off with a 7-yard run up the middle for the score as Washburn led 21-0 with 4:13 to play in the first quarter.
Missouri Southern (1-6, 1-5 MIAA) came back with an 8-play drive of its own moving to the Ichabod three-yard line, but the field goal was blocked by Jaquez White ending the first quarter.
The Ichabods had an interception on the ensuing drive starting the Lions' drive at the Washburn 5 and two plays later Missouri Southern scored.
The teams traded a fumble and a punt by the Lions and then the Ichabods stretched their lead to 28-7 after Tylan Crochett scored on a 2-yard run around the right side with 5:34 to go in the half.
After the Lions drove their next possession down to the Ichabod 2, Jaquez White blocked his second field goal of the day ending the first half sending Washburn to the locker room with a 28-7 lead. He's the first Ichabod to block to kicks in a single game since Josh Wright blocked two against Bemidji State in the 2016 Mineral Water Bowl on Dec. 3, 2016.
The Lions took the second half kickoff and cut the lead in half at 28-14, but Washburn needed only six plays moving 85 yards in 3:07 to go up 35-14 when Van Dyne connected with Maury Sullivan scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
On the Lions' first play after the kickoff, Washburn's Chase McCoy grabbed a tipped pass by Al-Mani Jimerson and returned it 20 yards for a score for a big man touchdown as the Ichabods went up 42-14.
The Lions wrapped up the scoring on a 94-yard, 17-play drive using 8:44 off the clock trimming the lead to three touchdowns.
Washburn racked up a season-high 263 rushing yards on 40 carries led by Richardson's 78 yards on four carries and Tyler Bowden's 57 yards on 13 carries. Van Dyne finished 9 of 10 passing for 133 yards and one score while the Ichabods were 12 of 16 overall for 178 yards and two scores. Sullivan and Trey Harmison each had four receptions for 60 and 30 yards respectively.
Defensively, the Ichabods were led by Jordan Finney's seven tackles and a breakup, while five other Ichabods had at least five stops. Washburn had two sacks for 15 yards and six tackles for loss for 21 yards, adding five pass breakups.
Washburn tallied 441 yards of total offense compared to 367 by the Lions.
 
 SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LIONS
• the Ichabods lead the all-time series with the Lions 29-22-1 and have won eight of the last nine in the series.
• the Ichabods are 15-11 in games played in Joplin and 14-11-1 in games played in Topeka.
• the first match up was a 21-21 tie on Oct. 17, 1970 played in Joplin.
• the Ichabods have won three straight games in Joplin.
   LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Nov. 8, 2025) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team traded blows early but couldn't keep pace in the second half, falling 45–17 to Emporia State on Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium in the MIAA home finale for the hosts.
Washburn (2–8, 1–7 MIAA) erased a 14–0 first-quarter deficit with a pair of second-quarter touchdown drives to tie the game 17–17 before halftime. Sophomore running backs Lucas Oitker and Cam Robinson each found the end zone in the first half, knotting the score heading into the break.
After Emporia State (5–5, 4–4 MIAA) took an early lead with a blocked punt return and a 35-yard touchdown pass, Aidan Battle put the Ichabods on the board with a 36-yard field goal to make it 14–3 late in the first quarter. Oitker capped an 81-yard drive early in the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown run, and Robinson powered in from three yards out just before halftime to tie the game.
The Hornets regained control in the second half, scoring 28 unanswered points—two offensive and two defensive touchdowns—to pull away.
Washburn finished with 336 yards of total offense, including 137 rushing and 199 passing yards. Robinson led the way with 101 all-purpose yards (70 rushing, 24 receiving, 7 punt return), while Oitker added 94 total yards (63 rushing, 31 receiving) and his third rushing touchdown of the season.
Quarterback Logan Madden completed 14 of 34 passes for 156 yards, with Nathan Lewis Jr. catching two passes for a team-best 51 yards, including a 37-yard grab. Aden Canty added two receptions for 39 yards.
Defensively, the Ichabods were led by J.C. Heim, who tallied 13 tackles, and Kamble Haverkamp, who added 10. L.J. Minner Jr. contributed 10 stops and an interception that set up Washburn's first touchdown drive.
Emporia State held a 447–336 edge in total yardage and scored twice on interception returns in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Washburn's special teams were highlighted by Battle's 36-yard field goal and punter Jake Zeller, who averaged 51.2 yards on five punts, including a 63-yarder.
 
 A WIN OVER THE LIONS WOULD
• move the Ichabods' record to 3-8 on the season.
• be the second-straight win over the Lions.
• be the fourth-straight win over the Lions in Joplin.
• move Washburn to 30-22-1 all-time against the Lions.
 
  A LOSS TO THE LIONS WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 2-9 on the season.
• snap a three-game winning streak over the Lions in Joplin.
• be the Ichabods' first loss in Jopiln since Sept. 27, 2014 in a 42-21 defeat.

 ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 583-622-44 (.484) in the 135th year of Ichabod football.
• The Ichabods are 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 177 all-MIAA picks and 62 first team all-MIAA selections.
• Washburn has had 97 overall All-American selections and 73 individual 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.

 UP NEXT
The Ichabods will end the season on the road at Missouri Southern on Nov. 15 in Joplin. Washburn will open the 2026 season on the road at Truman on Aug. 29 before opening the home schedule with Colorado School of Mines on Saturday, Sept. 5 in Yager Stadium.