Box Score
SEARCY, ARK. – Harding University senior cornerback Robert Towns intercepted three passes and the Bisons had five as a team in a 17-6 victory over Southern Arkansas on Thursday in Gulf South Conference action at First Security Stadium. The game was the sixth of nine games in the GSC-TV package that is broadcast to more than 8 million homes across the South.
Harding (5-2, 4-1) won its fourth straight game and moved to within one game of GSC leader North Alabama. Southern Arkansas (2-6, 1-5) remained winless in four road games this season.
Towns was involved in nearly every aspect of the Harding victory. The Memphis, Tenn., native had five tackles, tied his own school record with three interceptions, set a new school record with four pass breakups, blocked an extra point attempt, made a 12-yard reception on offense, and returned three punts for 15 yards.
Harding scored the only points of the first half on David Knighton’s swing pass to Kyle Wess, who took it 22 yards to give the Bisons the lead with 6:04 left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Harding had interceptions on three consecutive Southern Arkansas possessions with all three coming in Bison territory. Junior Sevohn Greer, Towns, and junior Rocky Hall each intercepted a pass. Hall’s came on the Harding 5-yard line as time expired in the first half.
The Bisons went ahead 14-0 with 1:13 left in the third quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run by Ardell Briggs. The score culminated a seven-play, 71-yard drive that began after Towns intercepted a pass nine yards deep in the end zone and returned it 29 yards.
Following a Ben Davis 35-yard field goal that gave Harding a 17-0 lead with 8:40 remaining, Towns made his second interception in the end zone on the next Southern Arkansas possession. It was Towns’ seventh interception of the season and the 17th of his career, tying him with Lorne Latiker (1991-94) for second all-time at Harding.
Southern Arkansas averted its third shutout of the season with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Josh SanFilippo to Rasheed Rowe with 28 seconds remaining in the game. Towns came through the middle of the line to block the point after attempt.
Harding made 21 first downs in the game and had 327 total yards. Wess was the Bisons’ leading rusher with 78 yards on 19 carries and leading receiver with three catches for 48 yards. Briggs added 69 rushing yards on nine attempts. Knighton completed 12 passes for 161 yards.
The Bison defense limited SAU to 295 total yards and had five interceptions for the first time since a 24-14 victory over Southern Arkansas in 1994.
Harding plays its final home game of the 2006 season on Saturday, Oct. 28 against Henderson State. Kickoff for the Homecoming game is 2 p.m. at First Security Stadium.
