Kearney, Neb. – The 26th all-time meeting between the Nebraska Kearney and Washburn football teams will come down to the run game.
 
The MIAA contest is set for 1 p.m. this Saturday at Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl in Topeka. Check the Loper schedule page for media links.
 
UNK (1-2) and 33rd-ranked Washburn (2-1) both like to run the football on offense and limit the run on defense. The Lopers currently lead the MIAA in rush defense (58.7 yards per game) with the Ichabods fourth (102.3).
 
Offensively, WU works behind one of the top offensive lines in the league and, with a new quarterback playing, is averaging 188.0 rushing yards per game. That includes 136 rushing yards against Northwest Missouri State, the most against the vaunted Bearcat defense since October 2015.
 
UNK's option offense has the fourth most carries in the

MIAA (118) with Omaha sophomore back Thomas Russell (Millard West) tied for first (50). Injured last fall against Washburn, Russell didn't lose a single yard last Saturday vs. Northwest, finishing with 55 on 15 carries.
 
Washburn, led by veteran head coach Craig Schurig, has won eight straight over the Lopers but three of the last five games have been decided by 10 points or less. Those heartbreaking losses for UNK include last year (44-41 in 3 OT), 2014 (10-7) and 2012 (24-14)
 
Current senior back Mickeel Stewart (6-1, 210 lbs.) was the 'Bods workhorse in OT last September, scoring three TD's. He finished with 87 yards and three TD's on 19 carries while catching two balls for 37 yards and a score. The Iowa Western transfer had five TD's in 11 other games.
 
At quarterback, Derek McGinnis graduated with his 2016 backup, sophomore Logan Twehous, getting the first two starts this fall. McGinnis is the older brother of UNK QB Alex McGinnis (Crete). 
 
Twehous (18 of 30; five total TD's) had productive numbers over the first two weeks but suffered a season-ending injury vs. NW Missouri. Topeka native and sophomore Blake Peterson (6-2, 215 lbs.) is the new starter. He began his career at FBS-Texas State in 2015 and spent part of last fall as a WU wide receiver.
 
Peterson is 30 of 55 (60%) for 247 yards, two TD's and no INT's while rushing for 120 yards (5.5 avg.). The top targets are 6-1 senior Carey Woods (13 recep., 89 yds., one TD) and 6-5 sophomore Jace Williams (10 recep., 119 yds., two TD's).
 
The powerful line features 2016 All-MIAA right tackle Bob Marco (6-4, 305 lbs.) and FCS transfers Kyle Kinton (left tackle) and Jake Riedeer (right guard).
 
Washburn is also talented along the defensive front where tackle Trey Parker (6-5, 305 lbs.) and nose guard Jalen Durham (6-2, 320 lbs.) clog the middle.  Sophomore end Rashade Chester (6-2, 245 lbs.) has a team-best 3.5 TFL's with junior inside backer Derrick McGreevy (6-2, 245 lbs.) having a team-high 26 tackles.
 
Finally, junior kicker/punter Perry Schmiedeler is a 2017 preseason All-American. He has made 22 of 31 field goals in his career and currently has a healthy 42.8 yard punt average.
 
On UNK's side of the ball, the Loper D (updated 2-deep) is looking for an encore performance after holding Northwest to 68 rushing yards, 5 of 19 (26%) on third down and its lowest point total in seven years (13).
 

Led by a d-line featuring seniors Sam Stoltenberg (Omaha) and Spencer Cook (Houston), UNK has allowed a total of 176 rushing yards this year. That breaks down to a 1.9 per carry average with this being just the second time in the MIAA era Kearney has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing for three straight weeks.
 
UNK is also getting after the QB, having an MIAA-best 10 sacks for a loss of 59 yards. Last year, the Lopers had 18 for the season. Junior end Tye Spies (2.5) and sophomore end Hinwa Allieu (2.0) have 4.5 of those 10 sacks.
 
In the back end, junior corner Malik Webb (Roper, N.C.) has two interceptions for one TD and an MIAA-best 93 return yards. The Lopers have been great at turning picks into big plays and momentum shifters; the last 10 Kearney picks have covered 342 yards and resulted in four scores.
 
To beat Washburn for the first time in 32 years, the Loper offense aims to get moving. Ranked fifth in the league in time of possession (29:43), UNK has seen Russell (168) and sophomore QB Steve Worthing (96) combine for almost 275 rushing yards. The pair also has three runs of 20 or more yards.
 
Russell (five recep., 29 yds., one TD) leads in receptions with junior tight end Alex Harms (North Platte) having a team-best 41 receiving yards. The former defensive back and linebacker has three catches, the first three of his career.
 
On the special teams, redshirt freshman Grant Buschkoetter (Kearney Catholic) has seen seven of his punts (32%) land inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Despite being a rugby-style punter, he has three boots of at least 50 yards, including a 68 yarder last Saturday.
 
UNK remains on the road to face Missouri Southern State (0-3) next Saturday. The Lions are at NW this weekend.