Harding Game Notes
Northeastern State Game Notes
Great American Conference Notes
Pregame Interview with Head Coach Ronnie Huckeba
The Bisons enter the game 2-4 after falling 41-24 to West Georgia in Searcy on Saturday. Harding had six turnovers in the game, and West Georgia scored following each of them. Kale Gelles rushed for 102 yards, and Kelvin Martin score two rushing touchdowns.
Northeastern State is riding a two-game winning streak and is 3-3 overall. The RiverHawks won their first road game of the season last Saturday with a 38-28 win at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Quarterback Johnny Deaton threw three touchdowns and rushed for two more in the victory.
Harding enters the game as the leading rushing team in Division II. The Bisons average 356.0 yards per game, 48.5 more than second-place Nebraska-Kearney (307.50). Harding is one of only two teams that average more than 6.0 yards per carry. (Midwestern State – 6.46, Harding – 6.09)
GAME NOTES
* Harding's opponents have only scored on 6-of-63 drives that did not originate off a Bison turnover.
* Harding and Northeastern State are meeting for the 12th time overall but the first time since 1999. Northeastern State leads the series 8-3 overall and 4-1 in Tahlequah. Harding's last win in the series and its last win in Tahlequah came in 1996, when Harding won 33-7.
* The Bisons have scored 29 touchdowns, six more than the next-highest GAC team. (East Central, 23)
* Harding leads the GAC in fourth-down conversions at 76.9%. The Bisons have converted 10-of-13 fourth down attempts, including 4-of-5 last weekend against West Georgia.
* Harding has scored 18 touchdowns in its 24 trips inside the redzone. All 18 touchdowns have come on the ground.
* Senior Kale Gelles leads the GAC in rushing and ranks 17th in Division II with 106.2 rushing yards per game.
* Harding junior quarterback Chaz Rogers has nine rushing touchdowns, the second-highest total by a quarterback in Division II this season.
* Gelles has moved into seventh in career rushing at Harding with 1,782 yards. He is 95 yards behind Chris Gilliam (1994-97) for sixth.
* Harding senior left guard Garrett Taylor leads the team with 194 knockout blocks this season.
* Harding enters the game as the GAC's leader in total defense (243.7), rushing defense (112.3), and passing defense (131.3). The Bisons are also tops in the GAC with 17 sacks and 13.7 first downs allowed.
* Harding has eight interceptions by eight different players. Senior linebacker Brian Maupin and junior cornerback Tramaine Wilkes each had their first interceptions vs. West Georgia.
* Harding's leading tackler is junior linebacker Aaron Gillaspie with 46. He is fifth in the GAC with 7.7 tackles per game.
* Harding and Northeastern State have both allowed only two punt returns this season, tied for the lowest total in Division II.
* The Bisons' leading special teams tackler is junior James Feher with seven, all on kickoff returns.
* Harding has outscored its opponents 66-7 in the first quarter. Northeastern State has been outscored 66-17 in the first quarter.
