Fresh off a bye week, the Washburn University football team will be back in action Saturday when the Ichabods travel to Pittsburg State for a 2 p.m. MIAA contest.
Washburn sophomore linebackers JC Heim (9) and L.J. Minner Jr. rank one-two in the MIAA in tackles entering Saturday's 2 p.m. game at Pittsburg State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics] The Ichabods are 1-4 this season and looking for their first conference win after falling 31-24 last time out to Nebraska-Kearney in Topeka.
Pittsburg State is 4-2 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play after topping Nebraska-Kearney in its last game, 23-6. The Gorillas are ranked 15th in the AFCA Coaches Poll and seventh in the d2football.com poll.
Ichabod coach Zach Watkins said the bye week came at a good time for the Ichabods, who have lost four games in a row but have played back to back one-possession contests against Central Oklahoma and Kearney.
"It came at a really good time,'' Watkins said. "We got some guys back from injury and the MIAA's a grind every week, so it kind of gives you that mid-year break. But we did not take the week off. We practiced and we got better and did academics and did all the stuff it takes and it was a really good productive week for us.''
Washburn sophomore linebacker JC Heim leads the MIAA tackles with 13.6 per game and sophomore L.J. Minner Jr. is second with 10.2 tackles per game, with the duo ranking second and 13th, respectively, in the NCAA Division II national rankings.
Jordan Finnesy's 222 career tackles rank 19th on the NCAA D-II active chart and he is 15th on the D-II active solo tackles chart with 136.
Jake Zeller is fourth on the NCAA D-II active punting average chart at 41.7 and he is seventh in total punt yards (5,746). Zeller is second in the MIAA and 14th in the national rankings in punting average at 42.3 yards per punt.
Chase Allen-Jackman's six touchdown receptions lead the MIAA and is 11th in the NCAA D-II ranks.
D.J. Bell is second in the MIAA and 25th in the nation in all-purpose yards at 128.6 yards per game.
Watkins knows the Ichabods will need to be at their best to upset the Gorillas on the road, but said his team looks forward to the challenge.
"It's the MIAA, another ranked team, another tough place to play, another well-coached team, but that's why you want to play in the MIAA because you get those kind of games every week and you get to compete with guys who are as good as you or better than you each week, and that's what you want as a competitor,'' Watkins said.
Zahmari Palode-Gary leads a one-two Pittsburg State rushing punch in rushing at 75 yards per game and Cleo Chandler, Jr. averages 71 yards per game.
