Washburn Ichabods Face Missouri Western Griffons in Battle for MIAA Supremacy

Strategic Insights -

The Washburn Ichabod football team will take on the Missouri Western Griffons in a highly anticipated matchup on Saturday at 2 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo. The two teams have a history of intense competition, with the Ichabods winning last year's game 24-16 on September 28, 2024. The Griffons have a 2-6 overall record and a 1-5 MIAA record, while the Ichabods are 2-6 overall and 1-5 in MIAA play. The game promises to be an exciting matchup between two teams with contrasting strengths and weaknesses.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Washburn Ichabods are led by head coach Zach Watkins, who is 2-6 in his first season as head coach and has a 11-season tenure as co-defensive coordinator.
  • The Ichabods have two former players on NFL rosters: Kyle Hinton (Atlanta Falcons) and Corey Ballentine (Dallas Cowboys practice squad), as well as a standout return specialist and wide receiver in the Canadian Football League, James Letcher, Jr.
  • The team's defense is nationally ranked eighth in turnovers gained and second in the MIAA with 20 overall, with the lead in turnover margin and ranked 16th in the nation.
  • The Ichabods have been impressive on offense, with a 239 career tackles leader, Jordan Finnesy, and a 41.8 average punter, Jake Zeller.
  • The game will be a battle of wills between two teams that have contrasting strengths and weaknesses, with the Griffons' defense looking to shut down the Ichabods' offense.

Statistics:

  • The Ichabods have a total of 11 interceptions this season, tied for the MIAA lead with Nebraska-Kearney, and ranks 10th in the latest NCAA D2 rankings.
  • The team has a 2-6 overall record and a 1-5 MIAA record.
  • The Griffons have a 2-6, 1-5 MIAA record.
  • Jordan Finnesy has 239 career tackles, ranking 16th on the NCAA D2 active chart.
  • Jake Zeller has a 41.8 average punting average, ranking second on the Ichabod all-time punting average chart.

Sources:

  • Source: Washburn University Athletics news release, date unknown.
  • Source: NCAA Division II statistics, date unknown.