Box Score
ARKADELPHIA, ARK. – Ouachita Baptist used a pair of third quarter fumbles to score two quick touchdowns and defeat Harding 34-20, Saturday in both teams’ season finale at A.U. Williams Field.
Harding (6-4, 5-3) had lost only three fumbles in its first nine games, but lost two in just over three minutes Saturday against Ouachita Baptist (2-8, 1-7).
The victory for the Tigers snapped an 11-game Gulf South Conference losing streak and gave OBU its first home win of the 2006 season. It was also the Tigers’ only win this season over an NCAA Division II team.
The Bisons’ first turnover came on a pitch from David Knighton to Devin Link at the OBU 29-yard line with 5:35 left in the third. Seven plays later, OBU quarterback Lance Parker dumped a pass over the middle to Willie Hopson, who beat several Harding defenders for a 32-yard score that put Ouachita Baptist ahead 20-13.
Link then fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the Harding 33. A 30-yard pass from Parker to Julius Pruitt set up another Hopson score on a 3-yard run with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter to give Ouachita Baptist a two-touchdown advantage.
Harding made a strong comeback effort late in the fourth. Junior cornerback Izell Gayles intercepted a pass from OBU backup Richard Young deep in Tiger territory. Knighton then hit Jonathan Paulson with a 45-yard bomb that led to a 14-yard touchdown pass from Knighton to Darrick Ware on fourth down.
OBU responded with a 40-yard Marcus Jamison kickoff return. Four plays later Jamison put the game out of reach with a 30-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers a 34-20 lead with 2:23 left.
Parker completed 25-of-32 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Bruce Steele, who became OBU’s career leader in receptions in the game, hauled in 13 passes for 123 yards and the game’s first touchdown.
Knighton’s two touchdown passes in the game gave him 22 for the season, tying him with Luke Cullins (1999) for the Harding single-season record.
Saturday’s contest was the final game for 13 Harding seniors, including Kyle Wess, the GSC’s leading rusher. Wess had 18 carries for 108 yards. He finished the season with 915 rushing yards, the ninth best total in HU history.
Ouachita Baptist took only a 13-10 lead into halftime despite controlling the ball nearly 22 minutes of the first half. The Tigers ran 44 plays, gained 265 yards, and converted 8-of-12 first downs, but managed only a 32-yard Steele touchdown reception and a pair of Zach Wright field goals.
Harding’s first half points came on a 15-yard Knighton to Kurt Adams touchdown pass and a 29-yard Ben Davis field goal. Davis kicked a 23-yarder to tie the game at 13-13 on Harding’s first possession of the second half.
Despite the loss, Harding completed the campaign with its third consecutive winning season, a feat not accomplished since the 1992-94 seasons.
