SCENE SETTER
• The Washburn Ichabod football team is back on the road again heading Kearney, Neb. to face the Lopers on Saturday afternoon.
• The Ichabods (2-1-1, 1-1 MIAA) are coming off a 14-10 win over Central Oklahoma on Family Day at Washburn last time out.
• The Lopers (0-3) are coming off a 19-9 loss at No. 17 Emporia State last time out …two of the three Loper losses have been under three points (21-20 to Wayne State and 24-21 at Chadron State).
• The Lopers lead the all-time series 20-13 and have won the last five meetings.
• 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 as of Monday shows 71 degrees with a 25 percent chance of rain.
 
 BOD NOTES
• Tre Calhoun leads the Ichabods with 25 catches for 318 yards and four touchdowns averaging 12.7 yards per catch and 79.5 yards per game … Calhoun is 36th in the nation in receiving yards per game.
• Logan Madden is eighth in the nation in total passing yards at 1,063 and he is 13th in passing yards per game at 265.8 … his eight passing touchdowns is 13th in the nation.
• Jayson Green had a career high six tackles and recorded his first sack against UCO.
• Everett Grower tied a career high with six punts while booming a career-long punt of 62 yards against UCO.
• The interception that sealed the Ichabod win against UCO by reigning MIAA Defensive Player of the Week, J.C. Heim, was the first of his career … Heim also moved into a three-way tie on the career forced fumbles chart with six as an Ichabod … Heim is 13th in the nation this season in total tackles
• Jamond Lane's two tackles for loss and his three overall against UCO were career bests.
• Ty Weber's run for first down on a fake punt was his first rushing attempt as an Ichabod that went or 21 yards.
• Keith Guidy tied an Ichabod single game record with his two fumble recoveries against UCO.
• Brody Hayes is eight in the nation in solo tackles leading the MIAA with 6.5 per game and he is 21st in the nation in total tackles.
• The Ichabod defense is tied for the national lead with seven fumble recoveries with West Alabama and Western Colorado.
• Washburn is 16th in the nation in first downs with 88 behind Northeastern State who leads the nation with 105.
• Last time out, the 14-10 win by the Ichabods over UCO was not a football Scorigami as the score had happened before … through 1,254 Ichabod games, there have been 301 games in which a score has happened only one time. In all, there have been 528 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 5-9-1 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 0-1 against Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Nebraska-Kearney head coach Ryan Held . . .            
• is in his third season directing the UNK program going 10-15 and he is 47-75 in his 10th
season overall.
• spent the 2022 season as interim head coach and offensive coordinator at FCS member
North Alabama.
• before that, he was an assistant/running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at
Nebraska (2018-21) and assistant/running backs coach at Central Florida (2016-17).
• additionally, he has held head coaching stints at junior colleges Northeastern Oklahoma
A&M and Highland Community College; Division II Southwestern Oklahoma and Panhandle
State; and NAIA Peru State.
• is 3-0 against Washburn.
 
 NOTING THE LOPERS
• The Lopers (0-3) are coming off a 19-9 loss at No. 17 Emporia State last time out …two of the three Loper losses have been under three points (21-20 to Wayne State and 24-21 at Chadron State).
• The Lopers are scoring 20 points per game while allowing 22.5 points per game.
• Quincay Ryker leads the team with 181 yards rushing averaging 60.3 yards per game … quarterback Devin Tate has a team-high three rushing touchdowns and averages 4.0 yards per carrry and 45.7 yards per game on the ground and through the air he is 43 of 71 with one interception averaging 120.7 yards per game.
• Alex Parks leads the team with 11 catches for 95 yards and 31.6 yards per game.
• Defensively, UNK is led by Gunnar Lym has 17 tackles to lead the team.
• UNK's Kaden Kiernan is 5 of 8 this season includig a 59-yarder against Emporia State and a 52-yard kick against Wayne State.
 
 LAST MEETING WITH THE LOPERS
(Sept. 27, 2025) 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 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.
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.
 
 SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LOPERS
• The Ichabods trail the all-time series with the Lopers 13-20 as the Lopers have won the last five in the series and six of the last seven.
• Washburn is 6-11 in home games against the Lopers and 7-9 in games played in Kearney.
• The very first meeting took place on Sept. 14, 1963 with the Lopers winning 19-14 in Kearney.
• The Ichabods are 4-6 in the last 10 meeting against the Lopers.
• Washburn's last win in the series Nov. 16, 2019 in a 57-41 win in Kearney.
   LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
(Sept. 19, 2026) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod defense stood firm down the stretch as the Ichabods picked up an MIAA victory with a 14-10 Washburn Family Day over Central Oklahoma on Saturday as the defense forced three turnovers, came up with a second quarter goal-line stand, improving to 2-1-1 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play.
Despite being outgained 359-202 in total offense, Washburn made the biggest plays when it mattered most. The Ichabod defense held the Bronchos to just 88 rushing yards on 36 attempts, averaging only 2.4 yards per carry, while forcing three turnovers and recording three sacks.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Washburn capitalized on a pair of miscues by the Bronchos (1-2, 0-1 MIAA) early in the second. First, Reece Watkins forced a fumble on a catch by Andrew Carney that was recovered by Jayson Green. Moments later, Keith Guidry recovered a muffed punt at the UCO 16-yard line, setting up the game's first touchdown. Four plays later, Quinton Renfro scooted in from two yards out with 11:57 remaining in the second quarter to give the Ichabods a 7-0 lead.
One of the biggest defensive stands came late in the second quarter when Central Oklahoma mounted a drive deep into Washburn territory. Following a 24-yard run by Jadaniel Nettles, the Bronchos had first-and-goal at the Washburn 1-yard line. Washburn stopped four consecutive rushing attempts from the 1-yard line, highlighted by tackles from J.C. Heim, Brody Hayes, Jayson Green, and Al-Mani Jimerson. A chop-block penalty pushed UCO backward, and after more defensive resistance the Bronchos settled for a 30-yard field goal from Bradley Thao, leaving Washburn with a 7-3 halftime lead.
The Ichabods delivered their best offensive possession to open the second half. Starting at their own 25, Washburn marched 75 yards in nine plays. Logan Madden connected with Tre Calhoun for eight yards, scrambled for nine more, found Dwayne Moorehead for a 25-yard gain, and then capped the drive with a perfect 22-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Lewis Jr. for a 14-3 advantage.
Central Oklahoma cut the margin to four points later in the third quarter, but the Ichabod defense again delivered a momentum-changing play. After the Bronchos reached the Washburn 24-yard line, J.C. Heim recorded a 14-yard sack of quarterback Jett Huff, forcing a fumble that Keith Guidry recovered. The takeaway prevented another scoring opportunity and helped Washburn maintain control.
The fourth quarter featured more defensive heroics. UCO threatened late, but Washburn forced a punt after backing the Bronchos up near their own goal line. The Ichabods then turned away another drive when the Bronchos failed on a fourth-down pass near midfield. With under a minute remaining, Heim sealed the win by intercepting Huff and returning the ball to the Washburn 41-yard line, allowing the Ichabods to kneel out the clock.
Heim was everywhere for the Washburn defense, finishing with 12 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and the game-sealing interception. Brody Hayes added 11 tackles, while Green recorded six stops and recovered a fumble. Watkins forced a fumble, Guidry recovered two fumbles, Daniel LaValley and Elijah Clark-Boyd combined for a sack, and Green added another sack as Washburn totaled three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Offensively, Washburn leaned on a balanced rushing attack and timely passing from Madden. Cam Robinson led the Ichabods with 41 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Renfro scored the game's first touchdown and finished with 22 rushing yards. Tight end Ty Weber delivered a key 21-yard fourth-down run late in the third quarter on a fake punt. Madden completed 11-of-25 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. Lewis caught two passes for 24 yards and the decisive touchdown, while Calhoun led the receiving corps with three receptions for 33 yards. Moorehead added a 25-yard reception and Aden Canty caught two passes for 24 yards.
For Central Oklahoma, Huff completed 27-of-42 passes for 271 yards and rushed for the Bronchos' lone touchdown, but Washburn's defense limited the UCO ground game to 88 net rushing yards and forced the three critical turnovers that led directly to seven points and repeatedly denied scoring chances. Nettles finished with 33 rushing yards and five catches for 29 yards, while Tahkari Bethel recorded seven catches for 99 yards.
 
 A WIN OVER THE LOPERS WOULD
• move the Ichabods to 3-1-1 on the season.
• snap a five-game losing streak to the Lopers.
• be the first win by the Ichabods in the series Nov. 16, 2019 in a 57-41 win in Kearney.
• move the Ichabods to 14-20 all-time against the Lopers.
 
  A LOSS TO THE LOPERS WOULD
• drop the Ichabods to 2-2-1 on the season.
• be the sixth loss in a row to the Lopers.
• drop the Ichabods to 13-21 all-time against the Lopers.
• be the third-straight loss to UNK in Kearney.
 
 ICHABOD FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Washburn is 586-623-45 (.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
After an open week on Oct. 3, Washburn will host Pittsburg State on Oct. 10 as part of Washburn's Hall of Fame Weekend and Stormont Vail Health's Pink Out Game.