TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team battled down to the wire with Nebraska–Kearney at Yager Stadium on Saturday, but fell 31-24 in front of more than 4,000 fans on Family Day in Topeka. The Ichabods will enter their bye week and return to action at Pittsburg State on Oct. 11.
The opening quarter saw each team score two touchdowns each in the first 15 minutes. UNK (4-1, 2-1 MIAA) quarterback Daron Bryden scored on a 19-yard run, but Washburn quickly answered as Justin Lewis found Chase Allen-Jackman for an 8-yard touchdown strike in a four-play drive covering 45 yards and 70 seconds. After Bryden scored again on a 3-yard keeper, Lewis and Allen-Jackman connected once more, this time from 32 yards, to knot the score at 14-14 with 4:06 to play in the quarter. Allen-Jackman finished with three receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns, sparking Washburn's passing attack.
Neither team scored in the second quarter, but the Ichabods' defense held strong behind J.C. Heim's team-high nine tackles for the game and Caden Rhamy's two tackles for loss. Jordan Finnesy added six stops and forced a fumble that Josh Grant recovered in the third quarter, swinging momentum back in Washburn's favor.
After a 47-yard UNK field goal broke the halftime deadlock, Washburn (1-4, 0-3 MIAA) answered with one of its best drives of the afternoon as Aidan Battle drilled a 50-yard field goal tying the game at 17, and later in the quarter, Keller Hurla found Aden Canty for a 5-yard touchdown, giving the Ichabods a 24-17 lead. Canty caught four passes for 18 yards..
Nebraska–Kearney responded with big plays in the fourth quarter. Bryden connected with Jaden Jude on a 62-yard touchdown pass to even the score, and after a Washburn punt, the Lopers marched 81 yards capped by a Jett Turner 3-yard touchdown run for the go-ahead score at 31-24 breaking the tie.
The Ichabods posted 22 first downs to the Lopers' 18 and held a 29:08 to 30:52 split in time of possession. Washburn's offense finished with 317 total yards on 68 plays compared to UNK's 456 yards on 65 plays. The Ichabods were especially effective on third down, converting 6 of 13 chances (46%), while UNK managed just 4 of 14 (29%).
On the ground, Cam Robinson rushed 11 times for 71 yards, while Ky Thomas added 56 yards on 13 carries. Quarterback Keller Hurla chipped in 26 yards rushing to go with 45 passing yards and a touchdown. Lewis completed 8 of 15 passes for 99 yards and two scores. Overall, Washburn quarterbacks combined to go 15 of 27 for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
D.J. Bell provided a spark in the return game, racking up 152 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 67-yarder. He finished with a team-high 179 all-purpose yards, adding 22 receiving yards and five rushing yards.
Nebraska–Kearney's rushing attack was the difference, piling up 253 net yards on 47 carries (5.4 avg.) and three touchdowns. Washburn rushed 41 times for a season-high 173 yards (4.2 avg.), but failed to reach the end zone on the ground. Through the air, Washburn found more success with three touchdown passes, while UNK threw for 203 yards on just nine completions, highlighted by the 62-yard strike in the fourth quarter.
Penalties also played a role: the Lopers were flagged nine times for 82 yards, compared to just two penalties for 15 yards against Washburn. But turnovers were costly for the Ichabods, who gave away two fumbles and two interceptions, while UNK played clean with no interceptions and one lost fumble. UNK turned Washburn's miscues into 10 points.
