SCENE SETTER
• The Washburn Ichabods will wrap up the regular season with hosting Missouri Southern on Senior Day in Yager Stadium … it will be the final game in the friendly confines for Teondre Carter, Kale Hammerschmidt, Jaylen Johnson, Mason Levin, Justin Lewis, Nathan Lewis, Jr., Dwayne Moorehead, Andrew O'Doherty, Emeka Ogbonna, Lucas Oitker, JaMarcus Piper, Victor Pless, Caden Rhamy, Evian Thompson and Ty Weber who will all be honored with their families in pregame ceremonies.
• The Ichabods (7-2-1, 6-2 MIAA) are tied for second place in the conference standings with  after beating No. 15-ranked Emporia State last time out 20-19 in Emporia. The Hornets are also 6-2 in MIAA play and Northwest Missouri is 7-1 in league play. An Ichabod win over Missouri Southern coupled with a Pittsburg State win over Northwest Missouri would give the Ichabods a share of the MIAA title - their first since 2005 … if those two scenarios happen and Emporia State wins at Fort Hays State, there could be a three-way tie for the league title.
• The Lions (4-6, 3-5 MIAA) are coming off a 23-14 win over Central Oklahoma last time out and have won their last three games overall with the wins over the Bronchos, Pittsburg State (23-13) and over Missouri Western (38-14).
• The Ichabods are ranked No. 7 in the lastest NPI rankings with the top eight reaching the NCAA postseason.
• The Ichabods have won 9 of the last 10 against the Lions in the series and lead it overall 30-22-1 … the lone loss was on Sept. 7, 2023 in a 30-23 loss in Yager Stadium… The Ichabods are 15-11 in home games against the Lions and 15-11-1 in road contests.
• 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 a sunny day with a high of 46 with a light breeze - but it's Kansas so who knows for sure.
 
 BOD NOTES
• J.C. Heim earned his third MIAA defensive player of the week honor and second straight after leading the defensive unit at Emporia State with 11 tackles, including nine solo stops, three tackles for loss totaling 12 yards and one sack for nine yards in Washburn's victory over the Hornets … he has had double digit tackles in a school-record nine straight games … he leads the D2 ranks with 133 total tackles (13.3 per game) and has 37 more than anyone else in the MIAA (Reece Roller, UCO) … he is also first in the MIAA in solo tackles and in the nation with 7.3 per game … Heim has more total tackles than the FBS leader (Jared Lloyd - Missouri State - 102); the FCS lead (Trevor Barry - New Hampshire - 119); and the D3 leader (Brennan Stout - Washington and Lee - 122).
• Cam Robinson leads the team with 578 yards and four scores averaging 57.8 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry … Quinton Renfro has 355 yards and 4.5 yards per carry with two scores and 35.5 yards per game.
• Tre Calhoun has 57 catches for 936 yards and eight scores averaging 93.6 yards per game … he needs 64 yards to become the first Ichabod to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season since James Letcher, Jr. had 1,076 on 80 catches with 10 touchdowns in 2022.
• the Ichabod defense leads the nation with 13 fumble recoveries.
• the win over the Hornets … moved the Ichabods' record to 7-2-1 on the season … moved the Ichabods to 54-62-6 all-time against Emporia State … snapped a five-game losing streak in the process was the first win over the Hornets in Emporia since a 37-17 win on Nov. 2, 2019 … gave the Ichabods seven wins in a season for the first time since 2021.
• J.C. Heim has gone over the 100 tackle mark for the second consecutive season pushing his total to 133 this season after recording 142 last season.
 
 NPI RANKINGS
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Washburn Ichabods moved up to No. 7 in the latest Super Region 4 NPI rankings this week after beating Emporia State 20-19 yesterday in Emporia after being ranked eighth last week.
Washburn (7-2-1, 6-2 MIAA) is one of three MIAA squads in the rankings this week, joining Northwest Missouri (4th) and Emporia State (6th). The Ichabods will wrap up the regular season hosting Missouri Southern on Saturday at noon in Yager Stadium.
The NPI rankings will determine playoff selection. The top eight teams will earn selection into the 2026 NCAA Div. II Playoffs. Conference champions from the MIAA, GAC, Lone Star and RMAC will receive automatic bids. The final four slots will be determined by the NPI.
NPI Rankings - Super Region 4 (Nov. 8)
1. Harding                       67.461
2. CSU-Pueblo                64.297
3. Western Colorado       62.837
4. Northwest Mo. St.        62.775
5. Central Washington     62.002
6. Emporia State              60.544
7. Washburn                    58.859
8. Midwestern St.            58.408
9. Southeastern Okla. St. 58.106
10. Ouachita Baptist        57.644
 
 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 10-10-1 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 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 22-44 in his seventh 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 1-4 against Washburn.
 
 NOTING THE LIONS
• The Lions (4-6, 3-5 MIAA) are coming off a 23-14 win over Central Oklahoma last time out and have won their last three games overall with the wins over the Bronchos, Pittsburg State (23-13) and over Missouri Western (38-14).
• The Lions have been outscored in the second quarter of games this season 135 to 133.
• Allen Mitchell leads the team on the ground with 527 yards and four scores and Narkel LeFlore has 382 yards and three scores.
• Tillman Martin has completed 149 of 275 attempts with 11 interceptions and seven touchdown passes averaging 155.6 yards per game.
• Isaiah Green is averaging 11.8 yards per catch with five scores and a 66.0 yards per game score … he also has nine punt returns for an average of 14.7 yards per return.
• David Bethune has 12 kickoff returns for 386 yards averaging 32.2 yards per attempt including two returned for touchdowns.
• The reigning MIAA Special Teams player of the Week Asher Huffman is 21 of 23 on PAT's and 9 of 10 on field goals with a long of 43 against Missouri Western three weeks ago …he hit field goals of 27, 20 and 31 last time out against Central Oklahoma.
• The Lions have the ninth-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA at 18.6 ppg and the fifth-best scoring defense allowing 26.1 ppg.
• Missouri Southern's offense is ranked ninth in the MIAA averaging 261.4 yards per game and is fifth in total defense allowing 357.7 yards per game.
 
 LAST MEETING WITH THE LIONS
(Nov. 7, 2026) JOPLIN, MO. – The Washburn Ichabod football team closed its 2025 season with a hard-fought 29–24 victory at Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon, powered by a pair of late scoring drives, a defensive touchdown two huge defensive stops on fourth down in the Lion redzone.
The Ichabods (3–8, 2–7 MIAA) made the most of their opportunities despite being outgained 442–345, finishing 4-for-4 in the red zone and scoring 13 points off turnovers—including the play of the game, an 83-yard fumble return touchdown by Josh Grant that flipped momentum early in the second half.
Washburn opened the scoring late in the first quarter when Keller Hurla capped an 80-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Henry Mohrmann with :32 left in the quarter. Missouri Southern responded quickly with a 54-yard touchdown pass and added a field goal to take a 10–6 lead midway through the second quarter.
Logan Madden then engineered a crisp 64-yard drive, hitting Ty Weber on a 16-yard scoring strike to push Washburn back in front 13–10. The Ichabods added a 26-yard field goal from Aidan Battle just before halftime for a 16–10 advantage.
Early in the third quarter, Missouri Southern drove inside the Washburn red zone before the Ichabod defense provided a massive turning point. Keith Guidry forced a fumble that Grant scooped and returned 83 yards for a touchdown, extending the Washburn lead to 23–10. The Lions answered with consecutive touchdown drives to take a 24–23 lead late in the third quarter.
Trailing in the fourth, Washburn delivered its best drive of the day. Starting at its own 18, Madden guided a 12-play, 82-yard march featuring steady runs from Cam Robinson and efficient short passes. Madden finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mohrmann—his second of the game—with 4:16 remaining. The Ichabod defense held from there, posting a fourth-down stop in the red zone to secure the victory. On a 4th and two from the Ichabod nine, the Lions running back was tackled by J.C. Heim and forced a fumble as Kamble Haverkamp recovered the ball at the Ichabod 7 ending the play and two kneel downs later, the Ichabods picked up the win.
Madden finished 21 of 26 for 186 yards and two touchdowns while Hurla added a 4-for-5 passing performance and a touchdown along with 49 rushing yards. Robinson led the ground attack with 82 yards on 17 carries. Trey Harmison caught six passes for 72 yards, and Nathan Lewis Jr. added five receptions for 32 yards.
Defensively, J.C. Heim led Washburn with 12 tackles, while Jordan Finnesy and Jaren Heim added eight apiece. Grant recorded the game-changing fumble return touchdown and had five tackles, and Haverkamp added an interception.
Washburn totaled 147 rushing yards on 35 attempts and completed 25 of 31 passes for 198 yards. The Ichabods converted 7 of 12 third downs and 4-for-4 red zone chances while forcing two turnovers and scoring on both.

 SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LIONS
• the Ichabods lead the all-time series with the Lions 30-22-1 and have won nine of the last 10 in the series.
• the Ichabods are 15-11-1 in games played in Joplin and 15-11 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 four straight games in Joplin and 11 of the last 12 played in Topeka.  LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Nov. 7, 2026) EMPORIA, Kan. -- Washburn erased an early 12-point deficit and relied on a clutch defensive stand in the final minutes to knock off No. 15-ranked Emporia State 20-19 on Saturday afternoon in the 123rd edition of the Turnpike Tussle at Welch Stadium. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak to the Hornets and gave the Ichabods seven wins in a season for the first time since 2021.
The afternoon got off to a rough start for the Ichabods. On Washburn's second offensive play, Emporia State tackled Jacoby Ogbonna in the end zone for a safety before adding a 28-yard field goal and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jamison Sarver to Malik O'Atis to build a 12-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.
Washburn (7-2-1, 6-2 MIAA) responded with a methodical 12-play, 75-yard drive that stretched into the second quarter. Logan Madden guided the march and capped it with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Lewis Jr. with 11:17 remaining in the first half. The drive featured strong running from Cam Robinson and key receptions by Lewis and Ogbonna as the Ichabods trimmed the deficit to 12-7.
The Washburn defense then stiffened. Joshua Flash helped break up a pair of passes while Reece Watkins and Armani Carrillo also recorded pass breakups as the Hornets were forced to punt. Later in the quarter, Emporia State missed a 32-yard field goal, and the Ichabods capitalized. Dwayne Moorehead hauled in a 38-yard reception and a face-mask penalty moved Washburn deep into Hornet territory before Aidan Battle connected on a 27-yard field goal with 21 seconds left before halftime, cutting the Emporia State lead to 12-10.
Emporia State (8-2, 6-2 MIAA) extended its lead to 19-10 on the opening possession of the second half as Sarver found O'Atis for his second scoring reception of the day. The Hornets appeared ready to seize momentum, but Washburn answered with perhaps its most important offensive drive of the afternoon.
Beginning at its own 48-yard line, the Ichabods marched 52 yards in 10 plays over 5:29. Madden completed a critical fourth-down pass to Ty Weber, Tre Calhoun added a 20-yard reception, and Ogbonna hauled in a 14-yard catch to set up first-and-goal. Keller Hurla powered into the end zone from one yard out with 1:36 left in the third quarter, bringing Washburn within 19-17 after Battle's extra point.
The deciding points came midway through the fourth quarter. Washburn pieced together an 11-play, 40-yard drive, converting a third down with a 13-yard completion to Calhoun before Battle drilled a 33-yard field goal with 10:59 remaining to give the Ichabods their first lead of the day at 20-19.
The final minutes belonged to the Washburn defense.
After driving to the Washburn 13-yard line with under two minutes remaining, Emporia State appeared poised to reclaim the lead. J.C. Heim delivered the game's biggest defensive play when he burst through for a nine-yard sack of Sarver on third down, pushing the Hornets back to the 22-yard line and turning a manageable field-goal attempt into a much tougher kick. On the ensuing play, Al-Mani Jimerson blocked Brandon McCary's 39-yard field-goal attempt with 1:33 remaining, preserving the one-point advantage.
Emporia State received one final opportunity after the Ichabods were forced to punt, advancing to the Ichabod 20-yard line in the closing seconds. However, McCary's 37-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired, allowing Washburn players to celebrate reclaiming the Turnpike Tussle trophy.
Madden finished 20 of 32 passing for 255 yards and a touchdown while adding 16 rushing yards. Robinson carried 21 times for 81 yards and totaled 84 all-purpose yards. Lewis recorded eight catches for 77 yards and the touchdown, while Ogbonna added six receptions for 77 yards and Calhoun finished with four catches for 52 yards. Battle scored eight points, converting both field-goal attempts in the second half and adding two extra points.
Defensively, Heim turned in one of his best performances of the season with 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and the pivotal fourth-quarter sack. Flash contributed two pass breakups and two tackles, while Keith Guidry added seven stops. Caden Rhamy recorded a sack and forced fumble, and the Ichabod defense collected seven pass breakups while holding the Hornets to just 4.3 yards per play.
Despite being flagged 14 times for 126 yards, Washburn controlled the game statistically, outgaining Emporia State 397-316, rushing for 139 yards, limiting the Hornets to 64 rushing yards and holding the ball for 38:12. The Ichabods recorded 24 first downs to 23 for Emporia State and converted seven of 15 third-down opportunities.
Washburn's victory improved the Ichabods to 54-62-6 all-time against Emporia State and completed one of the program's biggest wins of the season, overcoming an early two-score deficit, a season-high 14 penalties and a ranked rival on the road to bring the Turnpike Tussle trophy back to Topeka.
 
 A WIN OVER THE LIONS WOULD
• move the Ichabods' record to 8-2-1 on the season.
• move the Ichabods to 30-22-1 all-time against Missouri Southern and the third win in a row over the Lions.
• be the second win in a row in Topeka.
• give the Ichabods eight wins in a season for the first time since tallying nine overall during the 2021 season when the Ichabods were 9-3 in their last NCAA Playoff appearance.
 
  A LOSS TO THE LIONS WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 7-3-1 on the season and 6-3 in MIAA games.
• end a two-game winning streak over the Lions.
• drop the Ichabods to 29-22-1 all-time against the Lions
 
 ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 591-624-45 (.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
A win all but guarantees the Ichabods their first NCAA playoff appearance since 2021. The NCAA selection show is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. CST with the first round of the playoffs set for Nov. 21.