Postgame Interview with Head Coach Ronnie Huckeba



FLORENCE, Ala. – Harding's top-rated rushing offense carried for 381 yards and held second-ranked North Alabama to only 25, but the Bisons could not overcome three costly fumbles and fell 28-20 at Braly Stadium on Saturday.

Trailing by eight with 8:06 left in the game, Harding drove down to the North Alabama 21 before the third lost fumble of the game put an end to the Bisons' chances.

Harding (2-2) put together several long scoring drives, but a pair of fumbles in their own territory led to two one-play scoring drives for North Alabama (4-0).

Bison quarterback Chaz Rogers scored on a 3-yard run to end a 13-play, 80-yard drive to open the game. UNA answered after a fumble at the Harding 45, when on the next play, Mo Miliam caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Lee Chapple with 3:46 left in the first.

The only other score of the first half came on a 32-yard Eddy Carmona field goal that gave Harding a 10-7 halftime lead.

Another costly fumble at the Harding 13 early in the third quarter gave North Alabama a short field. On the next play, Antwan Ivey carried it in for the score and gave UNA a 14-10 lead. Carmona kicked another field goal, this one from 42 yards out on Harding's next drive to cut the advantage to 14-13.

Late in the third, Harding went 82 yards on six plays with Rogers scoring again on a quarterback sneak to give the Bisons the lead back at 20-14. Sophomore Colton Kamper broke loose for 69 yards on a pitch to get the ball deep in UNA territory. Kamper finished with 109 yards on seven carries, his first career 100-yard game.

Harding attempted an on-side kick following the touchdown and had a shot to recover it but could not come up with the ball. North Alabama took advantage with a seven-play, 44-yard drive with Chapple connecting with Daniel Almon on a six-yard pass to give UNA the lead back at 21-20.

Harding was forced to punt on its next drive, and North Alabama used its longest drive of the game to take an eight-point lead on Chapple's 61-yard touchdown pass to Jason Smith. Harding's final drive looked promising with Donatella Luckett breaking several tackles on a 23-yard run that got the ball into UNA territory. But on 1st-and-10 at the UNA 17, Rogers and Luckett collided on a handoff attempt and North Alabama recovered. It was only the third time this season that Harding reached the red zone and failed to score a touchdown.

Luckett rushed 10 times for 73 yards after coming in for a banged up Kale Gelles, who played briefly in the third quarter after suffering a leg injury just before halftime. Gelles, the eighth-leading rusher in Division II, had 11 carries for 42 yards.

North Alabama had very little running game, but passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns against Harding's defense, the top-ranked defense in Division II.

Junior linebacker Aaron Gillaspie led the Harding defense with eight tackles. Junior Caleb Farrel had six tackles and an interception, and junior Josh Aldridge had 2.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks.

Harding returns to the Alabama next weekend to meet West Alabama in Livingston. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.