GRIFFON FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Missouri Western (4-4) vs Washburn (5-3)
When: Saturday, October 28 - 2PM
Where: Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium; St. Joseph, MO
Watch: The MIAA Network
Listen: Griffon Sports Network – 680 KFEQ
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/missouri/football/
Follow: @GriffonFootball @GoGriffons
GAME DAY PRIMER
MWSU Game Notes | Washburn Game Notes
ST. JOSEPH - One team will leave Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium, Saturday, with its first win in three weeks as Missouri Western hosts Washburn for Homecoming at Missouri Western.
Both teams enter the 46th all-time meeting between the schools having lost their last two games. Both teams also experienced similar fates in losses last week. While the Griffons saw Fort Hays State score 24 unanswered points in a 38-10 loss, Washburn took a 42-34 lead to the fourth quarter before Central Missouri rattled off 28 unanswered for a 62-42 win over the Ichabods.
Saturday marks the second consecutive home game for Missoruri Western and the last until the regular season finale on Nov. 11 against Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons travel to Emporia State next Saturday.
THE SERIES
Washburn has won the last two, but Missouri Western leads all-time 24-19-2. Missouri Western was held without a score in the second half, last year in Topeka. After taking a 13-10 lead to halftime, Washburn kicked two third quarter field goals to take a 16-13 lead. Washburn intercepted a
Corey Bertini pass in their own end zone with 28 seconds remaining to seal the win.
MISSOURI WESTERN LAST WEEK
Fort Hays State scored 24 unanswered points to hand Missouri Western its second loss in as many weeks, 38-10.
After the Griffons cut a 14-0 deficit to 14-10 late in the second quarter, Fort Hays State answered with a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half to begin the 24-point run. The Griffon offense totaled 188 yards in the game.
MISSOURI WESTERN THIS SEASON
The Griffons are looking for stability at the quarterback position after injuries forced the team to start a different quarterback in each of the last three games.
Skyler Windmiller went down late in the season opener at Nebraska Kearney, but returned last week against Fort Hays State. The senior was 13-of-29 for 132 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in his return. Windmiller's return was necessary after his replacement,
Dom Marino, sat out two-straight games with an illness.
Corey Bertini started at Pittsburg State two weeks ago, but was out last week while in concussion protocol. Combined, the three quarterbacks have passed for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns compared to six interceptions.
On the ground, the Griffons have been held in check each of the last two weeks, but still lead the MIAA with more than 222 rushing yards per game.
Joshua Caldwell ranks second in the conference with 856 rushing yards. Caldwell also has eight rushing touchdowns this season and his 6.2-yard per rush average is most among MIAA rushers with more than 93 carries.
The defense has made its living taking the ball away, leading the nation in turnovers gained (24) with 11 fumbles recovered (6th in DII) and 13 interceptions (11th in DII).
Cody Lindsay and
Darrian Bass make up the MIAA's most formidable duo behind the line of scrimmage. Lindsay leads the conference with 14.5 tackles for loss and Bass is second with 12. Lindsay also leads the MIAA with 5.5 sacks.
Tyler Basch leads the MIAA with 14 field goals.
Luke Theis averaged more than 50 yards per punt last week against Fort Hays State.
Shamar Griffith averages the second most yards per kick return (24.7) in the MIAA as does
Jonathan Owens on punt returns (13.8).
WASHBURN LAST WEEK
Central Missouri scored 28 unanswered fourth quarter points in a 62-42 win over Washburn in Topeka, Kansas.
The two teams combined for 1,218 yards of offense and 62 first downs in the game. Central Missouri put up 662 yards of offense on the Ichabods with 356 through the air and 306 on the ground.
Washburn took a 42-34 lead into the fourth quarter after outscoring the Mules 21-7 in the third quarter. Central Missouri got two touchdowns within a minute and a half to start the fourth quarter, then two more in the final five minutes of the game to seal the shootout victory.
WASHBURN THIS SEASON
The Ichabods come to St. Joseph having also lost their last two games. Fort Hays State came back to defeat Washburn 37-20 two weeks ago before the barn burner last week with Central Missouri. Washburn had won four in a row before dropping the last two.
Washburn features the MIAA's third highest scoring offense at 34.6 points per game and the fourth stingiest defense at 26.4 points per game. Blake Peterson tied a Washburn record with six touchdowns last week. He through for three and also had three, one-yard rushing scores while passing for 312 yards. On the season, Peterson has thrown for 1,419 yards with 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions. The Washburn backfield features to Ichabods with more than 400 yards rushing. Zach Willis leads the team with 483 yards while Mickeel Stewart has 407. The duo has combined for 10 rushing touchdowns.
The Ichabod defense is giving up a little more than 394 yards per game, 160 on the ground and 233 through the air. Derrick McGreevy leads Washburn and ranks third in the MIAA with 82 tackles. Washburn has 15 sacks this season, led by Will Jones who has 4.5. D.J. Olmstead is the only player in the MIAA with more interceptions than Missouri Western's
Brandin Dandridge. The Ichabod has six of his team's eight picks this year.
Perry Schmiedeler handles the field goal kicking and punting for Washburn. He's 5-of-7 on field goal attempts with none more than 39 yards. He ranks fifth in the MIAA with a 41.4-yard per punt average. Washburn features the only two return men better than MWSU's return team with Corey Ballentine averaging 29.5 yards per kick return and Josh Wright averaging 14.2 per punt return.
