Box Score Box Score

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The fourth quarter was unkind to the Harding football squad for the second straight week, as the Bisons gave up 22 points in the period and fell 37-34 to Ouachita Baptist on Saturday in Gulf South Conference action at A.U. Williams Field.

Last week against West Georgia, Harding entered the fourth quarter with a 14-7 lead and the ball but came away without the win. Harding (1-2, 0-2) led 28-15 going into the fourth quarter Saturday,
but OBU cut into the advantage when Nico Hobbs scored from three yards out with 8:57 remaining make the score 28-22.

The Bisons then fumbled on the first play of their next drive, and five plays later, Ouachita Baptist took the lead for the first time on an 11-yard Ricky Brown touchdown run that put the Tigers up 29-28.

Harding roared back with a five-play, 64-yard drive with Jeremy Holt scoring a 10-yard touchdown run. Holt had his best game of the season with 12 carries for 102 yards. The Bisons led 34-29 with 4:02 left.

A personal foul, late hit penalty on the Bisons on the ensuing kickoff gave the Tigers the ball at their own 49. Ouachita Baptist (3-1, 1-1) converted two key third downs and a fourth down deep in the Harding zone, and Brown scored the game-winning, six-yard touchdown with 1:02 left.

A 34-yard pass from Josh Powell to Jordan Watson on 3rd-and-2 gave the Bisons the ball at the Ouachita Baptist 23. Harding's two passes toward the endzone that fell incomplete to end the game.
Watson had 129 receiving yards on four catches.

Powell completed 9-of-14 passes for a season-high 254 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes. Senior Kurt Adams had four receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns. His two touchdown catches gave him 25 for his career and tied Gerald Payne's Harding career touchdown record. Adams also reached the 2,000-yard mark for his career, joining Santiago Collins (2,587; 2000-03) and Ronnie Peacock (2,553; 1968-71) as the only Bisons to achieve that feat.

Harding finished with a season-high 458 yards of total offense, but had four turnovers that led to 13 Ouachita Baptist points.

The Bisons eclipsed the 200-yard rushing plateau for the third time this season, rushing for 204 yards on 50 carries. Harding has not rushed for more than 200 yards in three consecutive games since hitting the mark three straight times in 1997 (336 vs. East Central; 250 vs. Ouachita Baptist; 241 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma).

The Bisons entered the game ranked sixth nationally in total defense allowing only 222.0 yards per game, but the Tigers have the GSC's top offense. Ouachita Baptist compiled 466 total yards and became the first team to rush for more than 100 yards against Harding this season, rushing 36 times for 147 yards.

Ouachita Baptist quarterback Eli Cranor, who threw five interceptions in Harding's 21-7 victory over Ouachita Baptist last season, connected on 24-of-40 for 319 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Brett Reece had six catches for 153 yards.

Harding junior Kale Gelles, who entered the game ranked fifth in the nation in rushing with 142.0 yards per game, carried 21 times for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Jason Thomasson led Harding with 10 tackles and surpassed the 200-tackle mark for his career.

The Bisons are back in action next Saturday. Harding will host Lambuth in non-conference action starting at 6 p.m. at First Security Stadium.