Box Score The Lindenwood football team scored 35 points against the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation on Saturday in Topeka, Kan. Washburn, which is ranked tenth in NCAA Division II, was still able to come away with the victory though by a 44-35 score.

Washburn scored the first touchdown of the game but the Lions answered with two straight touchdown drives. The first drive was a 12-play, 75-yard effort. Lindenwood converted three third-downs and scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown by Marvin Byrd. After Washburn turned it over on downs, Lindenwood got the ball back and on the second play, Dillon Miller found Sam Sealer for a 70-yard reception. Three plays later, Byrd added another three-yard rushing touchdown.

The score remained 14-7 until a wild finish to the second quarter. The Ichabods tied the game with 2:32 left in the half, but it took the Lions just 1:24 to answer.

Lindenwood took a 21-14 lead when Miller completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Alex Robinson. The Lions left too much time on the clock as Washburn managed a field goal with 13 seconds left. The Ichabods trailed for the first time this season at halftime by a 21-17 margin.

The two teams started trading the lead back-and-forth in the third quarter. Washburn went ahead 24-21 midway through the quarter, leading to Tre' Roby responding with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown. The Ichabods went on a 13-play, 80-yard drive to retake the lead 31-28 at the end of the third quarter.

Washburn finally got some breathing room early in the fourth quarter as another touchdown followed by a missed PAT made the score 37-28. The Lions quickly got back within two when Miller found Sealer for a 17-yard touchdown reception. The big play in that drive was a 41-yard pass to Robinson that got Lindenwood into the redzone.

The Lions defense forced a turnover on downs but Lindenwood also turned it over after going for it on fourth down on its 15-yard line. That enabled Washburn to finally seal the win with a touchdown with 3:34 left in the game.

The biggest difference in the game was in field position. With Lindenwood missing its punter, the Lions averaged just 28.8 yards per punt. This helped set Washburn up with great field position as only one of its six touchdown drives was longer than 37 yards. All of Lindenwood's touchdown drives were 69 yards or longer.

Washburn's defense came into the game allowing just 11.4 points, 206.7 passing yards, and 294.7 passing yards a game. The Lions threw for 327 yards and had a total of 352 yards as they scored the most points against the Ichabods this year. Washburn finished with 467 total yards of offense, including 190 on the ground. Both teams had two turnovers in the game.

Miller had all 327 passing yards for Lindenwood and had two touchdown passes. His only mistake came on an interception late in the game while trying for a quick touchdown strike in the endzone. Robinson and Jordan Gater each caught nine passes. Robinson finished with 100 receiving yards, while Sealer and Gater each had 92. Roby was the team's top rusher with 28 yards and he also had 31 receiving yards.

Roderick Ryles had a team-high nine tackles and also intercepted a pass. Thomas Stubbs and Brian Hawthorne each finished with two tackles for loss. D'Andre Green had eight tackles, followed by Stubbs with seven and Clint Koons with six.

Game Notes: Lindenwood falls to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in MIAA play … Washburn improves to 8-0 overall and 7-0 in MIAA action … the Ichabods were the highest ranked team that Lindenwood has played since moving to the NCAA … Washburn leads the all-time series with Lindenwood by a 2-0 margin … Dillon Miller had his sixth 300-yard passing game in 13 career starts … Alex Robinson had his third 100-yard receiving game … Marvin Byrd scored his sixth and seven touchdown of the season and now leads the team with 42 points … Roderick Ryles' interception was his first as a Lindenwood Lion … Washburn did not challenge former Ichabod Pierre Desir much in his return to Topeka as Desir finished with three tackles and no passes defended … the game was Washburn's Homecoming contest … Lindenwood is in action again next week at Missouri Southern.