A pair of winning streaks will be on the line when the third-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (7-1, 6-0 MIAA) travels to Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl to face the Washburn Ichabods (6-2, 4-2 MIAA).

The Bearcats have won seven in a row since their season-opening setback against now-No. 2 Abilene Christian (Texas), while the Ichabods have bounced back from an 0-2 start to MIAA play with a four-game winning streak.  Meanwhile, the Bearcats lead the MIAA in scoring offense (41.8 ppg), total offense (455.6 ypg) and rushing defense (96.9 yapg).

It’s Homecoming time for No. 18 Central Missouri (6-2, 4-2 MIAA), and the Mules will host Nebraska-Omaha (4-3, 3-3 MIAA) at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

The Mules, ranked No. 5 in the super region this week, have the MIAA’s top passing offense, averaging 271.5 yards per game and scoring 23 of their 33 offensive TDs through the air. Junior QB Eric Czerniewski shares the wealth — four players have at least 20 receptions and three of them have five TDs apiece.

UCM is also seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since starting the season 4-0.

Truman will be looking to avoid its first three-game skid since the start of the 2006 season. The Bulldogs’ running game has seen improvement over the past two weeks — they’ve rushed for 307 yards in that stretch after having 317 over the first five games.Missouri Southern (4-4, 2-4 MIAA) will host the Missouri Western Griffons (3-5, 2-4 MIAA) to round out the week’s MIAA schedule.

Turnovers will be a key in this contest. Western has thrown just two interceptions in the last three games (during which they’ve gone 2-1) after getting picked off 11 times while going through a four-game losing streak.

MSSU will need to take care of the football to do so — Southern is minus-6 in turnover ratio in its last two losses and plus-3 in its last two wins. The Lions need a win to keep from falling below .500 for the first time this season.

TICICH INCHING CLOSER TO MIAA TOP 10s: Truman senior QB Matt Ticich is close to breaking into a pair of MIAA Top 10 lists.

He enters the Emporia State game needing 46 yards to pass Northwest Missouri State’s Chris Greisen (1995-98 — 7,563) for the 10th spot on the MIAA’s career total offense list.

Ticich has passed for 6,243 yards and ran for 1,275 to total 7,518.

He needs 434 passing yards to crack the MIAA’s career Top 10 in that category, and also become the No. 2 passer in Truman history. Former Bulldog Jeff Frost (1987-90 — 6,676) is in the No. 10 spot.

Missouri Southern senior QB Adam Hinspeter, who split time under center last week for the Lions, needs 33 yards to pass Washburn’s Tyler Schuerman (2000-04 — 8,254) for fifth on the total offense chart. He has 8,283 yards entering the Missouri Western game.

FRITZ LOOKING TO MATCH KNOX ON COACHING WINS LIST: Central Missouri head coach Willie Fritz enters the Mules’ game with Nebraska-Omaha needing one win to move into a tie for seventh on the MIAA’s career coaching victories list.

He has 88 wins in his 12th season with UCM, one behind former Southeast Missouri State head coach Kenneth Knox (1952-67 — 89).

Should the Mules win two more times in 2008, Fritz can become the seventh MIAA coach to get 90 wins and tie Northwest Missouri State’s Ryland Milner (1937-57 — 90) for sixth place on the list.

Team-by-Team Notes
Central Missouri: The Mules are facing the Mavericks for just the fifth time in school history, with the series tied at 2-2… UCM has won both meetings in Warrensburg — 7-6 in 1985 and 42-26 in 1998… Junior QB Eric Czerniewski needs 62 yards to become the seventh Mules player to reach 4,000 career passing yards… Senior RB Glenn Milner needs one more touchdown to be the fifth player in UCM history with 30 total touchdowns (23 rushing, 6 receiving).

Missouri Southern: The Lions have a 20-18 lead in the series with the Griffons, but have lost the last four meetings… Senior K Brian Malette has made 37 consecutive PATs dating back to last season, and needs to make his next one to claim sole possession of the school record… The Lions are ranked 10th in Division II this week in passing yards allowed per game (153.1 yapg)… Junior LB Jared Brawner is 11th in D-II with 10.5 tackles per game.

Missouri Western: The Griffons have won the last four games played against MSSU, including a 30-14 victory last season in St. Joseph… Sophomore QB Drew Newhart snapped a string of six straight games in which he tossed at least one interception in the win over ESU… Senior P Jamie Hanson remains second in D-II with a 44.8 average… Junior WR Cedric Houston had his third 100-yard receiving game last week (first since 9/13).

Northwest Missouri State: The Bearcats have a 21-6 lead in the series with the Ichabods, and have won the last three meetings… Senior QB Joel Osborn won the Don Black Award as Homecoming Game MVP last week, going 13-of-17 through the air for 212 yards and three TDs… Northwest is now 14-1 in Homecoming games since 1995… Junior RB LaRon Council slipped to second in Division II scoring, as his average moved to 15.0 ppg.

Truman: The Bulldogs have won their last two meeting over Emporia State, and are 8-7 against the Hornets since 1993… Senior QB Matt Ticich leads Truman in both passing (1,579) and rushing (213)… Senior TE Ryan King has at least one reception in each of his last 21 games and 36 of 40 career games… Junior RB Phil Kenney matched a season high with seven receptions against Washburn… Truman is seventh in D-II turnover margin (+1.71 per game).