Box Score

SEARCY — Although Harding senior quarterback David Knighton passed for more than 450 yards, the Bisons struggled to reach the end zone Saturday in a 30-27 loss to the Ouachita Baptist Tigers at First Security Stadium on Saturday night.

The victory for Ouachita Baptist (3-3, 2-3 Gulf South) snaps a 10-game losing streak to the Bisons at First Security Stadium. The Tigers had not defeated Harding in Searcy since 1985. Harding (2-5, 1-3) had won its previous eight home games against Arkansas schools.

While Harding had little trouble driving the ball, scoring proved much more difficult despite the fact that Harding had a season-high 561 offensive yards. The Bisons reached Ouachita Baptist's side of the field in 12 of 13 drives but settled for just three touchdowns and five field goal attempts — two of which were blocked. Harding also committed two turnovers in the Tigers' territory.

Ouachita Baptist running back K.J. Johnson rushed for a 13-yard touchdown on the right side as the Tigers took a 30-17 lead with 8:22 remaining in the third quarter.

Three minutes later, Harding junior Daniel Phipps blocked a punt by Mark Cain as the Bisons took possession on Ouachita Baptist's 1-yard line. Harding could not drive across the goal line in three attempts, and place-kicker Ryan Ferrell kicked a 20-yard field goal to cut the lead to 30-20 with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter.

Senior linebacker Sevohn Greer forced a fumble from the hands of Ouachita Baptist's John Johnson and freshman Luke Tribble recovered the ball at Harding's 43-yard line. Knighton completed a 39-yard pass to junior Kurt Adams and then rushed for nine more yards two plays later, but the drive ended when Ferrell's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Harding had a chance to tie the game midway through the fourth quarter when Knighton marched the team down to the Tigers' 25-yard line with three minutes left in the game. However, one of Knighton's passes bounced off redshirt freshman Tyler O'Quin and Mikhail Lindsay intercepted the ricocheted pass. On Lindsay's return, he fumbled, but the ball bounced out of bounds, and Ouachita Baptist maintained possession.

Knighton completed 37 of 52 passes for 473 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a career-high 53 yards on 14 carries. It was Knighton's fifth career 400-yard passing game. Adams finished with six catches for 142 yards.

Greer, Harding's leader with 12 career forced fumbles, finished the game with 19 tackles and two tackles for loss. Senior Tracy Brown was second with 11 tackles, and Tribble had eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.

The Bisons will travel to No. 10 Valdosta State in Valdosta, Ga., on Saturday at 2 p.m.