WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Central Missouri built a 21-point lead twice in the second half, but Washburn nearly erased the deficit behind a huge passing performance from
Logan Madden and an offense that produced 245 passing yards and 22 points in the fourth quarter before falling 49-43 Saturday at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri. The loss dropped the Ichabods to 4-2-1 overall and 3-2 in conference play, while Central Missouri improved to 5-2 and 4-1 in conference play.
Washburn trailed 14-0 after the first quarter as Central Missouri scored on its first two possessions. Jordan Pachot opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jake Weber with 11:02 remaining, then connected with Damien Brown for a 6-yard touchdown with 1:45 left in the period.
The Ichabods answered with an 11-play, 64-yard drive that carried from late in the first quarter into the second.
Keller Hurla converted a fourth-and-goal from the 3 with a touchdown pass to
Jacoby Ogbonna, and
Aidan Battle's extra point cut the deficit to 14-7 with 11:01 remaining in the half. Central Missouri responded with a 9-yard Marlon Lindsey touchdown run and a 20-yard Pachot-to-Jack Pospisil scoring pass to push its advantage to 28-7 with 2:36 left, giving the Mules their first 21-point lead.
Washburn needed only 1:32 to respond. Madden connected with
Quinton Renfro for 12 yards and twice found
Tre Calhoun for gains of 12 and 18 yards before hitting Nathan Lewis Jr. for a 36-yard completion to the Central Missouri 1.
Cam Robinson finished the eight-play, 79-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, sending the Ichabods to halftime trailing 28-14.
Washburn immediately continued its rally after halftime with a 14-play, 77-yard touchdown march. Madden connected with Calhoun for gains of 14 and 10 yards and converted a third down with a 9-yard completion to
Julian Stratford. Robinson kept the possession alive with a 4-yard run on fourth-and-2 before Madden found Lewis for a 19-yard touchdown with 9:22 remaining. Battle's extra point pulled Washburn within 28-21.
Central Missouri restored a two-score margin when Brown broke loose for a 22-yard touchdown run with 1:27 left in the third quarter, making it 35-21. The Mules then intercepted Madden early in the fourth and turned the short field into another score, with Brown finishing the 38-yard drive on a 23-yard run for a 42-21 advantage with 10:09 remaining.
That set the stage for Washburn's furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Madden directed the Ichabods 61 yards in eight plays, completing passes of 12 yards to
Dwayne Moorehead and Calhoun before hitting Moorehead for 23 yards to the Central Missouri 14. Madden eventually scored himself on a 4-yard run, trimming the deficit to 42-28 with 7:27 remaining.
The momentum lasted only 14 seconds as Lindsey returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, again putting Washburn behind by 21 at 49-28 with 7:13 to play.
The Ichabod offense refused to go away. Facing third-and-16 on the next possession, Madden delivered a 27-yard completion to Calhoun. On the following snap, he connected with
Emeka Ogbonna for a 48-yard touchdown, completing the four-play, 69-yard scoring drive in just 1:29 and cutting the lead to 49-35 with 5:44 remaining.
After Washburn's defense forced a Central Missouri punt, the Ichabods received the ball at their own 1 with 1:01 remaining and put together one final charge. Madden completed consecutive passes to
Aden Canty for 19 and 18 yards around a 10-yard completion to Calhoun. After a roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball into Central Missouri territory, Madden found Calhoun for a 37-yard touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. Hurla ran in the two-point conversion to make it 49-43, completing a 99-yard scoring drive in just 51 seconds.
Washburn then recovered an onside kick at its own 44 with seven seconds remaining. Madden found Moorehead for 11 yards to the Central Missouri 45, giving the Ichabods one final play, but his pass intended for Calhoun was broken up as time expired.
The Ichabods finished with 503 yards of total offense, surpassing Central Missouri's 488, while producing 444 passing yards and 29 first downs. Washburn averaged 6.7 yards per play and converted 7 of 15 third downs and 2 of 3 fourth downs. The Ichabods scored touchdowns on all four of their red-zone opportunities.
Madden completed 28 of 51 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception, while adding a rushing touchdown. Hurla completed his only pass for a 3-yard touchdown to Ogbonna. Together, Washburn quarterbacks threw for 444 yards and four touchdowns.
Calhoun was Madden's top target, producing 11 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown. Lewis caught three passes for 66 yards and a score, Canty had four catches for 63 yards, Moorehead added three receptions for 46 yards and
Emeka Ogbonna's only reception went for the 48-yard fourth-quarter touchdown.
Jacoby Ogbonna finished with three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.
Robinson led Washburn on the ground with 46 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, while Madden accounted for the Ichabods' other rushing score.
Donovan George totaled 71 yards on four kickoff returns and Jaden Abongo Jr. added 58 yards on two returns, including a 34-yarder.
In the fourth quarter alone, the Ichabods outgained Central Missouri 249-65, including a 245-7 advantage through the air, and collected 13 first downs to the Mules' three. Madden went 14 of 24 for 245 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter, while Calhoun caught five passes for 92 yards and a score. Washburn outscored Central Missouri 22-14 in the period.
Defensively,
J.C. Heim led Washburn with a career-high tying 17 tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Joshua Flash recorded 10 stops,
Brody Hayes had nine and
Braiden Lagafuaina added eight with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. The Ichabods finished with five tackles for loss and three pass breakups.
Central Missouri's Brown finished with 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, while Pachot completed 41 of 50 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns. Pospisil led the Mules with 13 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Lindsey accounted for 209 all-purpose yards, including his 90-yard kickoff-return touchdown.
Washburn will be in action next week at Fort Hays State on Oct. 24 before returning home for a Halloween Homecoming game hosting Missouri Western on Oct. 31.
