By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football will be back on the road again Saturday, facing Nebraska-Kearney in a 1 p.m. MIAA contest.
The Ichabods, 2-1-1 overall, 1-1 MIAA, are coming off a 14-10 MIAA win over Central Oklahoma last Saturday while the Lopers, 0-3, 0-1, are coming off a 19-9 loss at No. 17 Emporia State last time out.
Washburn junior linebacker JC Heim (9) is the reigning MIAA Defensive Player of the Week. [File photo/TSN]
Two of the three Loper losses have been by three or fewer points (21-20 to Wayne State and 24-21 at Chadron State).
Washburn coach Zach Watkins knows that the Ichabods face another tough test on Saturday. UNK leads the all-time series 20-13 and has won the last five meetings.
"Every MIAA game, no matter the record or the location or color of the jersey, is going to be a hard game, a tough game to win,'' Watkins said. "You have to play really well to win the game and a Kearney team that is very physical and has had some tough losses is no different.''
Washburn sophomore quarterback 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 ranks 13th in the nation.
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.
The interception that sealed the Ichabod win against UCO by reigning MIAA Defensive Player of the Week JC Heim, a former Washburn Rural star, was the first of his career. Heim is 13th in the nation this season in total tackles.
Rural product Jamond Lane's two tackles for loss and his three overall stops against UCO were career bests.
Brody Hayes is eighth in the nation in solo tackles and leads the MIAA with 6.5 per game while ranking 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.
Quincay Ryker leads the Lopers with 181 rushing yards, averaging 60.3 yards per game.
UNK 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 while completing 43 of 71 passes and averaging 120.7 yards per game.
Alex Parks leads the team with 11 catches for 95 yards.
Nebraska-Kearney topped Washburn 31-24 last season in Topeka.
Washburn's last win in the series came in 2019, a 57-41 win in Kearney.
After an open week on Oct. 3, Washburn will host Pittsburg State on Oct. 10 as part of Washburn's Hall of Fame Weekend.
