Box Score
LIVINGSTON, ALA. – Harding junior quarterback David Knighton passed for over 300 yards for the third straight game and the much-maligned Bison defense forced three second half turnovers to defeat West Alabama 36-35 on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. It was the first career victory for Harding interim head coach Ronnie Huckeba.
Harding improved to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Gulf South Conference. West Alabama fell to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the GSC, losing to the Bisons in Livingston for only the second time in six meetings.
Harding trailed 35-33 entering the fourth quarter but junior defensive end Michael Solano sacked West Alabama quarterback Kurt Kennedy for a 16-yard loss on 4th-and-6 to give the Bisons the ball on the UWA 45 with 11:20 remaining. Harding drove to the 21 before the drive stalled, and junior kicker Ryan Ferrell booted the eventual game-winning field goal, his third field goal of the game.
West Alabama had three more possessions with a chance to take the lead, but the Harding's defense that had allowed 600 yards per game through the season's first four games, stiffened and forced a missed field goal, a punt and UWA's third fumble of the half on the Tigers' final drive.
Harding trailed 28-13 with 5:47 left in the first half after West Alabama's Terry Allen returned a kickoff 100 yards. Harding last allowed a 100-yard kickoff to Ricky Hughes of Missouri Southern in 2005.
After the two teams traded punts on their next possessions, the Bisons executed a series of plays that bordered on the impossible. With only 1:18 left in the half and Harding at its own 11, Knighton connected with sophomore Zac Ross for a 12-yard gain and followed that with a wrong-footed 53-yard pass to Kurt Adams down the visitor sideline. Two plays later, Knighton hit Ross on a 21-yard touchdown pass, Ross' first touchdown as a Bison. Ferrell's extra point cut the UWA lead to 28-20 with 0:35 left in the half.
West Alabama then ran three plays, lost six yards and had to punt from its own 38. Harding junior Daniel Phipps came untouched through the line and blocked his second punt in as many weeks. Harding took possession at the UWA 27, and one play later Knighton threw is second touchdown pass in 38 seconds, connecting with Ardell Briggs on a scoring strike. The Bisons' two-point attempt failed, and Harding trailed 28-26 at the break.
Harding's defense forced fumbles on each of UWA's first two second-half possessions. The Bisons could not take advantage of the first, but turned the second into a 13-play, 90-yard drive that culminated in a Ross nine-yard TD run on a direct snap. The extra point gave Harding a 33-28 advantage, its first of the game.
West Alabama came storming back with a 37-yard touchdown run from junior Cole Mason to give the Tigers a 35-33 lead with 3:24 left in the third quarter. But the fourth quarter belonged to the Bisons' defense, which limited UWA to only 19 yards in the period.
Knighton completed 26-of-41 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns. He moved past Luke Cullins (1997-99) and Tad Niblett (1988-91) into fourth in career completions at Harding with 379. Ross rushed three times for 13 yards and a touchdown, completed a 24-yard pass, caught five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown and returned two punts for 36 yards, including a 34-yard return that set up Harding's first touchdown. Senior Ardell Briggs led Harding with six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Mason rushed 21 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns for West Alabama, but Harding's defense limited the Tigers to 344 yards of total offense, over 100 yards less than the Bisons' previous best defensive effort this season and less than half of the 812 yards allowed to Arkansas-Monticello last week.
Harding recorded season-highs with 25 first downs and 474 yards of total offense.
The Bisons have a quick turnaround this week. Harding hosts West Georgia, which suffered a 37-17 defeat to Henderson State on Saturday, on Thursday, Oct. 4 in the GSC-TV Game of the Week.
