By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University football team returns home to host No. 25-ranked Central Missouri as part of Washburn's Family Day festivities at 1 p.m.Saturday in Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods are coming off their first win of the season, a 24-10 win at Lincoln, while the Mules are 2-1 after falling to then-No. 3-ranked Pittsburg State 38-37 when a Central Missouri 2-point conversion attempt in the final seconds came up short.
Washburn senior running back Taylon Peters ran for 121 yards on 11 carries in Saturday's 24-10 win over Lincoln. [File photo/TSN]]
The Mules lead the all-time series with Washburn 28-21-2 in 51 all-time meetings, but the Ichabods have won the last two meetings and three of the last four.
Ichabod senior Taylon Peters has has tied Brandon Rainer for seventh on the Washburn all-time rushing chart with 2,171 yards while his 460 carries is ninth all-time at WU.
The Ichabods have played 10 true freshmen so far this season and have also played 16 redshirt freshmen.
True freshmen Sam Van Dyne (quarterback), Daniel Chavez (defensive end), Washburn Rural product Ty Weber (tight end), Jaquez White (defensive back) and D.J. Bell (wide receiver) all started the game against the Blue Tigers.
Washburn withstood a 62-minute lightning delay at Lincoln and the Ichabod defense held the Blue Tigers to 85 yards of offense through three quarters in their 14-point win and Ichabod coach Craig Schurig said he was pleased with WU's performance.
"Very, very much so,'' Schurig said. "Actually, the proximity of the score was helpful because your guys were in the game the whole way with focus. Obviously we would have felt great 50 to whatever but the way the game was and the different adversity we had to face, we had to start and stop, it was just what we needed.
"Hopefully we seed a big improvement (this week) but we got guys in and we felt like, 'Hey, these guys can play.' ''
Van Dyne, making his first career start, was 18 for 29 passing for 217 yards and two touchdowns while Peters finished with 121 rushing yards and a TD on 11 carries.
Teondre Carter had 11 carries for 88 yards and Jaylon Walker had 11 carries for 44 yards.
Ichabod freshman Van Dyne, a product of Liberty North (Mo.) High School will face his high school coach, Greg Jones, who is the Mules' defensive coordinator.
Jayden Russell and Jai Haynes are graduate transfers from Central Missouri to Washburn and both in their first year with the Ichabods.
The Mules are 2-1 this season and moved into both the AFCA and D2Football.com polls at No. 25 after their 38-37 loss to Pittsburg State.
UCM is ranked first in the nation in first downs (87), passing offense (402.7) and fifth in total offense, averaging 510.3 yards per game. The Mules are also eighth in the nation in third- down conversions and scoring 41 points per game as a team while allowing 31 points per game.
Mules quarterback Zach Zebrowski leads the team with 368.7 yards per game passing and 49 yards per game rushing and leads the nation in passing touchdowns (13), passing yards (1,106) and is second in passing yards per game (368.7).
UCM's Arkell Smith is second in the nation in touchdown receptions and eighth in total receiving yards (334) and 12th in yards per game (111.3).
"This early in the season to be putting up the points they are against the teams that they've played is impressive,'' Schurig said. "We hope to be able to control the ball and keep it away from them.''
Cale Miller leads the team with 20 tackles.
Rossville prouct Bo Reeves plays tight end for the Mules.
The Ichabods will travel to Nebraska-Kearney for a 2 p.m. MIAA game on Sept. 30.
