Box Score
SEARCY, Ark.—Harding quarterback David Knighton passed for over 400 yards and a school-record five touchdowns to help lead the Bisons to a 49-31 victory over the West Georgia Wolves on Thursday night, Harding's second regionally-televised game as part of the GSC-TV package.
After collecting a 36-35 victory over West Alabama last Saturday, the Bisons won their second game in five days to improve to 3-3 overall and even its Gulf South Conference record to 2-2. West Georgia dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in conference.
Harding amassed 548 total yards of offense, the fourth-most since Harding restarted its football program in 1959. The Bisons set a school record with 31 first downs, breaking the previous record of 29, set against Delta State in 2000.
The Bisons took a 10-0 lead early in the game as junior Ryan Ferrell kicked a 43-yard field goal and junior Daniel Phipps caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Knighton with 4:24 remaining in the first quarter.
West Georgia scored two consecutive touchdowns in the next two minutes to take a 14-10 lead. Knighton brought the Bisons back, hitting redshirt freshman Jordan Watson for a 66-yard touchdown and connecting with Kurt Adams on a 25-yard strike following a Kyle Young fumble recovery. Harding led 24-14 after the first quarter.
Knighton passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns before the second quarter began. He finished the game completing 26-of-43 passes for 401 yards, the third most in a Harding game. It was his second 400-yard passing game of the season.
West Georgia closed the game to 27-20 when quarterback Ryan Poole passed to Jimmy Howard for a 23-yard touchdown. Knighton ran for a 1-yard touchdown and Harding led 33-20 at halftime.
Knighton's fourth and fifth touchdown passes came in the third quarter. He scrambled to his left and threw to Ardell Briggs in the corner of the end zone, but not before Briggs' backfield mate, Calvin Roberts, deflected the pass into the air where Briggs grabbed it before falling out of bounds. The unusual play appeared at No. 3 on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays. Knighton threw a second touchdown pass to Kurt Adams, and his record fifth of the game, with 1:22 left in the third.
Redshirt freshman Alan Webster rushed for 82 yards, the highest total for a Harding player this season.
Adams caught four passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns for Harding, his second-career two touchdown game. Watson led the Bisons with 94 receiving yards.
West Georgia quarterback Ryan Poole completed 31-of-49 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
Harding will not play next week, but will resume its GSC schedule against Southern Arkansas in Magnolia, Ark., on Oct. 20.
