Box Score
SEARCY – The Harding football squad rolled up 439 yards of total offense and the defense forced four turnovers as the Bisons plowed over Ouachita Baptist 24-7 in the season finale, Saturday at First Security Stadium. The victory was the 250th in Harding football history and gave the Bisons their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1993-94.
The game was the last football action for 25 Harding seniors.
Harding completed the season 6-5 overall, the same record as in the 2004 season. The Bisons finished 4-5 in Gulf South Conference play. Ouachita Baptist, which lost for the ninth straight time to Harding in Searcy, fell to 2-8 overall and 2-7 in league play.
The Bisons dominated the first period offensively, collecting 11 first downs and rushing for 128 yards on 16 carries. Despite the running success, Harding only touchdown of the period came on a 28-yard pass from David Knighton to Kyle Wess with 6:42 left.
Harding made it 14-0 with a 9-play, 82-yard drive in the second quarter. Knighton scored his second rushing touchdown of the year on a 1-yard dive wit 7:21 remaining in the half. The Bisons ended the first half with 317 yards of total offense, 152 on the ground and 165 in the air.
The Bison defense was equally strong in the first half, limiting OBU to 29 rushing yards on 12 carries and 50 passing yards. The Tigers had only six first downs.
Ouachita Baptist limited Harding to only 25 yards in the third quarter, but the Bisons put the game away early in the fourth quarter. With the Tigers on their own 13-yard line, Harding junior Justin Currie forced a fumble on a sack of OBU quarterback Taylor Carter, and senior Jonathan Ellis recovered it at the Tiger 2. Senior Dondtray Thomas scored his 10th career touchdown on the next play.
Harding junior Ben Davis added a career-long 40-yard field goal on the Bisons’ next drive to push the score to 24-0.
Ouachita Baptist scored its only touchdown of the game and the first offensive score against the Harding defense in 14 quarters with 7:08 remaining. Tight end Clint Lahman caught a 13-yard pass from Taylor Carter.
Harding finished the game with a season-high 215 rushing yards. Thomas led the Bisons with 74 rushing yards on 16 carries. Kyle Wess had 53 yards on 10 rushes.
Knighton finished the game 9-of-17 passing for 156 yards and one touchdown. Senior Adam Lybrand rushed six times for 19 yards, completed 3-of-4 passes for 51 yards, and caught four passes for 59 yards. The 51 passing yards gave him 5,474 in his career and moved him into second in career passing yards at Harding. Senior Joe Price led HU with four receptions for 74 yards and finished his career with 121 receptions, third all-time at Harding.
Senior linebacker Scott Dutile led Harding with 10 tackles, giving him a team-best 84 for the season. Currie finished with six tackles, including 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Junior Robert Towns picked off his team-high seventh pass of the season and 10th of his career. The seven interceptions are the most by a Harding player since Jon Newby had seven in 1991.
Harding limited Ouachita Baptist to only 73 rushing yards. Carter completed 27-of-46 passes for 269 yards. His top receiver was senior Slade Camp, who had nine catches for 81 yards.
