Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney football team battles the Washburn Ichabods for the 31st time this Saturday at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

It's "Homecoming" at UNK so the game will kick off at 2 p.m. There'll be an extended halftime due to the festivities with the annual parade set for 10 a.m. "on the bricks" in Downtown Kearney. The game is available via The MIAA Network, The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM and live stats.  

UNK (1-3) has won three of the last four meetings, but those wins have come by a combined total of 13 points. WU (1-3) won nine straight in the series between 1986-17 including a three-overtime thriller in 2016, a 10-7 victory on a 2014 rainy night in Kearney and a 34-14 two-day win in Topeka. That 2015 game began Thursday night and wasn't completed until Friday morning due to extreme weather. Overall, the Lopers lead the series by a 17-13 margin.

Last year in Topeka, UNK totaled 407 yards and ran off the last seven minutes of the clock thanks to a 13-play drive. The Blue & Gold got out to a 14-3 lead before WU closed within 21-13 midway through the third quarter. 

Veteran head coach Craig Schurig, 138-95 in his two-decade tenure, has a young squad with southpaw Sam Van Dyne (#16) the new quarterback after 2022 h.m. All-MIAA pick Kellen Simoncic suffered an injury earlier this fall. He has completed 51% of his passes for 384 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. His favorite target is also a first-year player in 5-8 receiver D.J. Bell (#8). Having brought back a kickoff 100 yards for a score vs. Missouri Southern, Bell is up to 21 receptions for 163 yards and two scores.

WU is more experienced up front and in the backfield with junior Taylon Peters (#21) and four senior starters across the line. The 'Bods are at 21 points and 345 yards per game to date.

Defensively, Washburn is allowing 21 points per game after the break. The opposition is 12 for 12 in the red zone but converting just 34% of the time on third down. The younger group is paced by junior end Patrick Altenor (#90), sophomore backer Mason Capper (#30), sophomore corner Braylon Alexander (#6) and junior safety Spencer Caeden (#2). Finally, Papillion native Trenton Brehm (#21) is back at kicker with sophomore Jake Zeller (#18) averaging 45 yards as the team's punter.

UNK trailed No. 3 Pitt State by just a 12-7 margin last Saturday afternoon in The Jungle. The Lopers were outscored 21-7 in the fourth quarter but, on the year, have been outscored by only 13 points.

The least penalized team in the MIAA, the Lopers also rank high in the league in kick (25.4) and punt return (16.0) averages, red zone defense (39%) and offense (89%) and pass defense (186.0 ypg).

QB TJ Davis (Colorado Springs) is about to join 2023 UNK Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Mike Miller as the only Lopers to reach 4,000 career rushing yards. Davis, after 95 yards at Pitt, us up to 3,933. In the air, the two-time MIAA Offensive P.O.Y is at an even 5,555 yards.

One of his favorite targets to date has been grad transfer Severyn Foster (Lincoln SE). The former McNeese (La.) State Cowboy is up to 11 grabs for 205 yards and two scores. Fellow newcomer Cole Brown (Dallas, Ga.) also has two TD receptions with backs Jamaal Joseph (Miami), Zane Schawang (Waverly) and Tamicus Napier (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) having all reached the end zone once.

The defense continues to be stingy in the red zone, allowing only seven TD's in 18 trips by the opponent. UNK has forced one turnover, made two fourth down stops and seen the opponent go 5 for 8 on field goal tries. Overall, junior backer David Lilly (Wahoo) is up now tied for the team-lead in both solo tackles (16) and TFL's (3.5) while having one of the team's three INT's. He also is one of 10 Lopers with a pass break up. Another consistent force is fifth-year senior safety Tre O'Guinn (Peoria, Ariz.) who has a team-best 32 tackles, two PBU's and one INT. He recently went over 100 career stops (101) as a Loper. 

The Lopers head to nationally-ranked Central Missouri (3-1) next Saturday. The Mules host rival Northwest Missouri (2-2) this Saturday in a key league contest.

UNK Release/Depth Chart & Roster

WU Notes