30 September 2023
KEARNEY, NE. (KSNT) – The fourth quarter turned into an offensive show, but it wasn’t enough for the Ichabods to take the lead.
Washburn fell to the University of Nebraska-Kearney, 27-21, Saturday.
A combined 28 points were scored in the final 15 minutes of the game. Down 13-7, Josh Grant picked off a UNK pass at Washburn’s six-yard line. However, the Ichabod drive stalled and they had to punt. UNK (2-3, 2-3) scored on the second play of the next drive. A 42-yard pass with 12:51 to go stretched the Lopers’ lead to 20-7.
Washburn (1-4, 0-4) drove to midfield on its next drive, but fumbled. UNK returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown with 9:28 to go, extending its lead to 27-7. Then, Washburn went on a 16-play, 70-yard drive to trim the margin to 13 at 27-14. Sam Van Dyne hit Maury Sullivan for a touchdown pass with 3:05 to go.
The Ichabod defense held the Lopers on a fourth-and-one play with 67 seconds left in the game. Then, Van Dyne threw to D.J. Bell for a 54-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 27-21.
Lining up for an onside kick, Gavin Wilhelm’s kick bounced off a Loper returner. After a scrum, UNK recovered and kneeled down the clock.
Van Dyne passed for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns, completing 30 of 45 attempts. Triston Johnson had five catches for 106 yards. On the ground, Taylon Peters had 14 rushes for 50 yards.
Jake Zeller averaged 52 yards per punt on three attempts, including an 81-yard punt, the third-longest in program history.
Washburn’s defense held the Lopers to 261 yards on 50 plays, while the Ichabods ran 82 plays for 421 total yards.
Next, Washburn hosts Missouri Western State on Oct. 7.