SCENE SETTER
• The Washburn Ichabods are on the road for the second-straight week as this time they are traveling west to Hays, America to take on the Fort Hays State Tigers.
• The Ichabods (4-2-1, 3-2 MIAA) are alone in third place in the conference standings with the Tigers, Central Oklahoma, Missouri Western and Pittsburg State all at 2-3.
• The Tigers (3-4, 2-3 MIAA) are coming off a 24-23 loss to then No. 10 Northwest Missouri last time out at home.
• The Ichabods will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Tigers.
• Four of the last six games between the Tigers and Ichabods have been decided by three points including three overtime games with two of the three going to the Tigers.
• Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown was an assistant at Washburn as the defensive coordinator for nine years.
• Another former Ichabod coach on the Tiger staff, defensive coordinator Cooper Harris, who was at Washburn from 2002-11 serving as linebackers coach and one season as the defensive coordinator before joining Chris Brown in Hays.
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series 46-30-3 in 79 all-time meetings.
• The 79 meetings between the two schools is the third-most played series in program history trailing only the 120 meetings with Emporia State and the 96 contests with Pittsburg State
• The Washburn Ichabods were tabbed No. 8 in both the MIAA preseason coaches and preseason media polls that were released on Aug. 27 by the league office at the annual MIAA Football Media Day hosted by Washburn inside the Sneed Indoor Athletic Facility.
 
 WEATHER CHECK
• Saturday's weather forecast calls for a partly with a high of 71 with a 100 percent chance of wind.
 
 BOD NOTES
• Logan Madden fell just shy of the Ichabod program record with his 441 passing yards last time out against Central Missouri trailing only his offensive coordinator Dane Simoneau who recorded 452 in the season opener at Sioux Falls in 2011 …Maddens 449 total offensive yards was five yards shy of Simoneau's record of 454 total offensive yards set in the game same game… Madden also rushed for his second career touchdown on the ground - the first one came in 2026 against the Mules.
• Logan Madden is 11th in the nation in completions per game with 21.2 and second in the MIAA overall.
• Everett Grower is 20th in the nation in punting at 42.6 yards per game.
• J.C. Heim's 17 tackles against Central Missouri tied a career high and he has recorded double digit stops in six games, one shy of the school record of seven-straight games with at least 10 tackles …he is seventh in the nation and first in the MIAA in solo tackles with 6.3 per game and his total tackles of 12.3 per game is second in the nation also leading the MIAA.
• Joshua Flash had a career-high 10 tackles against Central Missouri last time out.
• Coming off a career-high seven tackles against Pittsburg State, Braiden Lagafuaina recorded eight against Central Missouri.
• Cam Robinson leads the team with 383 yards and four scores averaging 54.7 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry … Quinton Renfro has 239 yards and 4.5 yards per carry with two scores and 34 yards per game.
• Tre Calhoun has 44 catches for 650 yards and five scores averaging 92.9 yards per game … against Central Missouri he had a career-high 11 receptions for 166 yards … the 11 receptions is tied for fifth in program history for a single game.
• Going back and researching as far back as 1961, Jacoby and Emeka Ogbonna became the first brothers to catch a touchdown pass in the same game in program history.
• The Ichabod defense is second in the nation with 10 fumble recoveries.
• Last time out, the 49-43 loss by the Ichabods at Central Missouri was an Ichabod football Scorigami as the score had happened never before … through 1,257 Ichabod games, there have been 302 games in which a score has happened only one time. In all, there have been 529 unique scoring games.

 PRO BODS
• The Washburn Ichabods have one former player on an NFL roster this season and one in the Canadian Football League.
• Kyle Hinton is on the 53-man roster of the Atlanta Falcons.
• James Letcher, Jr. is a standout return specialist and wide receiver  in the Canadian Football League playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in his third season in the CFL.
 
 COACHES
Washburn head coach Zach Watkins . . .
• is 7-10-1 in his second 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).
• has had 10 players earn all-MIAA honors, an all-region selection, a CSC Academic All-American®, and 70 MIAA Academic Honor Roll picks adding five MIAA Scholar Athletes and three MIAA Academic Excellence selections after his first season as the Ichabod head coach.
• 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 1-0 against Central Missouri.
 
Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown. . .            
• is in his 15th season as head coach at Fort Hays State leading the Tigers to an MIAA Championship in 2017 and a co-championship in 2018 as well as their first NCAA Postseason games since 1995.
• has compiled a 98-67 record leading the Tigers.
• was a three-time All-America free safety for the Pittsburg State from 1993-95, came to FHSU after serving as defensive coordinator at for the Ichabods from 2002-10.
• is 7-7 against Washburn.
 
 NOTING THE TIGERS
• The Tigers are 3-4 this season and 2-3 overall and have lost their last two games falling 24-23 to Northwest Misouri last time out and 31-10 at Central Oklahoma on Oct. 10. The Tigers opened the season with a 35-14 win over Angelo State then lost at home to then No. 5 ranked CSU Pueblo 35-17.
• AG Floyd leads the team with eight rushing touchdowns and has 516 yards on 109 carries averaging 73.7 per game.
• Major Cantrell has 233.5 yards passing per game completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,401 yards and eight scores against seven interceptions.
• Keyshawn Dooley has 423 yards on 35 catches with two scores and Ayden Robinson-Wayne has 16 catches with five going for touchdowns averaging 79 yards per game and 24.8 yards per catch including a 97 touchdown reception against Pittsburg State.
• The Tigers are 4 of 8 on field goals this season with Zane Colson connecting on 3 of 4 with a long of 42.
• Matthew McBride is fifth in the nation and leads the MIAA in interceptions per game with 0.57.
• Logan Russell is averaging 42.9 yards per punt with six attempts of more then 50 yards.
• The Tigers are 12th in the nation and lead the MIAA with 10 interceptions and they are sixth in the nation in time of possession averaging 33:29 per game.
 
 LAST MEETING WITH THE TIGERS
(Oct. 25, 2025) TOPEKA, Kan. -- On a rain-soaked Homecoming afternoon at Yager Stadium, Washburn's defense delivered a gutsy effort, but Fort Hays State escaped with a 13-10 overtime win on Saturday.
The Ichabods (2-6, 1-5 MIAA) struck first when Ky Thomas capped a short field with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter after Braiden Lagafuaina's interception return to the FHSU 20. Aidan Battle's extra point made it 7-0. Washburn extended its lead early in the second quarter as Battle drilled a 32-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 12:37 to go before halftime.
Fort Hays (5-4, 4-3 MIAA) finally broke through in the third quarter, taking advantage of a Washburn interception to score on an 18-yard keeper from quarterback Caleb Heavner. The Tigers tied the game later in the period with a 25-yard field goal by Zane Hall.
Neither team managed points in the fourth quarter as both defenses forced turnovers and traded punts in increasingly wet conditions. Washburn reached the red zone late but missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in overtime before the Tigers' Michael Polley connected from 34 yards out to seal the win, 13-10.
Thomas powered the Ichabods' ground game with 95 yards on 16 carries, averaging 5.9 per attempt, and added 16 receiving yards. Quarterback Logan Madden went 16-for-29 for 101 yards, with Henry Mohrmann catching three passes for 26 yards and Jaden Abongo Jr. adding 21 yards receiving and 38 on kickoff returns.
Defensively, Washburn's L.J. Minner Jr. led the way with 11 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and a forced fumble. Kamble Haverkamp and J.C. Heim each added six stops, while Quay Wright and J.T. Tillis recorded sacks. The Ichabods' defense forced four turnovers—two interceptions and two fumbles recovered—holding Fort Hays to 10 points in regulation despite the Tigers outgaining Washburn 308-228.
Heavner paced the Tigers with 117 rushing yards and 95 passing yards, while running back Curtis Douglas added 82 on the ground.
Washburn finished with 127 rushing yards and 101 through the air while punter Jake Zeller pinned the Tigers inside the 20 five times, averaging 40.4 yards on seven punts.
The game marked the third time in the last six years the two teams needed an overtime to decide a winner.
 
 SERIES HISTORY WITH THE TIGERS
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series 46-30-3 in 79 all-time meetings.
• Washburn is 18-17-2 all-time in games played in Hays, America.
• The Ichabods are 28-13-1 all-time in meetings played in Topeka.
• The Tigers have won 7 of the last 10 overall and the last three in a row.
• The first game was played on Nov. 27, 1919 with the Ichabods winning 7-6.
  LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Oct. 17, 2026) 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.
 
 A WIN OVER THE TIGERS WOULD
• move the Ichabods' record to 5-2-1 on the season.
• snap a three-game losing streak to the Tigers.
• move the Ichabods to 4-2 in MIAA games.
• be the first win in Hays for the Ichabods since Oct. 8, 2022 in a 45-14 win.
 
  A LOSS TO THE TIGERS WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 4-3-1 on the season and 3-3 in MIAA games.
• be the second loss in a row to the Tigers in Hays.
• drop 46-31-3 all-time against the Tigers.
 
 ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 588-624-45 (.484) in the 136th 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 187 all-MIAA picks and 63 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 home on Oct. 31 in a Halloween Homecoming contest against Missouri Western with kickoff set for noon.