Box Score

The Tiger football team fell to 0-2 overall and in the MIAA with a 45-20 loss to 15th-ranked Washburn in Hays on Saturday night (Sept. 8). Washburn put the game away in the first half, holding a 42-0 lead at halftime. This was the second straight year the score ended 45-20 against Washburn, as the Tigers lost by the same score in Topeka last year.

Washburn methodically marched down the field on the opening drive of the game for a touchdown. FHSU went three-and-out on the first drive of the game and then Washburn scored a touchdown on the first play of their next drive to push the score to 14-0 just over five minutes into the game.

The Tigers continued to hurt their cause when Tarean Austin fumbled and Washburn recovered at the FHSU 28-yardline. That set up a short-field touchdown drive for the Ichabods to push the lead to 21-0 at the 7:00 mark of the first half. Washburn added another touchdown at the 1:02 mark of the first quarter to go up 28-0.

Fort Hays State had just 10 total yards at the end of the first quarter, compared to 221 for Washburn. The Ichabods tacked on two more touchdowns to push the lead to 42-0 by the half. At halftime, Washburn had 418 yards compared to 72 for FHSU.

The Tigers outscored the Ichabods in the second half 20-3, but the damage was already done. The Tigers scored their first touchdown with 6:02 to go in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by quarterback Tarean Austin. That capped a 14-play, 94-yard drive for the Tigers, their longest of the night.

Raheeme Dumas picked off a Joel Piper pass at the Washburn 28-yardline and took it to the house to give the Tigers their second touchdown of the night with 6:32 remaining in the game. Later on in the fourth quarter, Tarean Austin found Treyvias Alexander for a 3-yard touchdown pass to produce the eventual final of 45-20.

Washburn outgained the Tigers 565 to 246 in the game. The Ichabods also dominated time of possession in the game, having the ball nearly 10 minutes longer than the Tigers.

Reserve running back Addie Brown was a bright spot for the Tigers, gaining 114 yards on 21 carries. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry on the night. Tarean Austin completed 13-of-31 passes for 131 yards. Eli Cordon was the top receiver for FHSU with 55 yards on four catches. Austin Hubert led FHSU in tackles with 14.

Washburn quarterback Mitch Buhler threw for 252 yards, completing 15-of-20 passes. Kameron Stewart was the top rusher for the Ichabods with 87 yards on 11 carries, followed closely by Hayden Groves with 80 yards on 16 carries. Tore' Hurst was the top receiver for Washburn with 77 yards on five catches.

The Tigers head to Northwest Missouri State next week, a 1 pm kickoff in Maryville, Mo., on Saturday (Sept. 15). Northwest Missouri State was the No. 3 ranked team in the nation this week, but fell to Central Missouri by a score of 31-21.