Harding (1-0) set school-records with 515 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. For good measure, the defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns to give the Bisons their highest point total since defeating long-defunct Jonesboro Baptist 64-0 in 1928. It was Harding's sixth straight win over Southern Arkansas (0-1) overall and fifth straight over the Muleriders in Magnolia.
Harding scored two touchdowns before Southern Arkansas even ran a play from scrimmage.
Harding junior quarterback Chaz Rogers scored on a 73-yard touchdown run on the Bisons' second play from scrimmage. Junior James Feher then recovered senior Eddy Carmona's on-side kick, and Harding marched 56 yards on 11 plays to go up 14-0 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.
Harding intercepted three passes in the first half and returned two of them for touchdowns. Junior Jasper Bodiford returned an interception 44 yards and sophomore B.J. Jones had a 52-yard touchdown return. The Bisons had not had two interception returns for touchdowns in a SEASON since 1999.
The interception returns sandwiched a 9-play, 95-yard drive that resulted in Rogers' second touchdown run, this one from nine yards out.
Harding rushed for 282 yards on 33 carries in the first half.
Rogers scored his third rushing touchdown from three yards out to open the scoring in the second half. Junior quarterback Kelvin Martin, redshirt freshman running back Donatella Luckett and redshirt freshman Romo Westbrook also scored. Westbrook's 13-yard touchdown run was Harding's seventh, breaking the old mark of six, set in games against Arkansas-Monticello and Austin College in 1972.
Harding had never rushed for more than 500 yards in a game. The old record was 429 vs. Arkansas-Monticello in 1975 and Austin College in 1972. The Bisons averaged 8.4 yards per rush and had 20 first downs, all on the ground.
Senior Kale Gelles rushed for 171 yards on 20 carries, and Rogers carried 15 times for 110 yards and three touchdowns. Martin had six carries for 73 yards, and Luckett rushed six times for 72 yards. It was the 11th time in program history Harding had two 100-yard rushers in a game. Gelles now has six 100-yard rushing games, and Rogers has two, both against Southern Arkansas.
Harding's defense had three sacks, forced two fumbles, and had three interceptions returned for 96 yards. Caleb Farrel, Philip Mion, and Daniel Riley each had five tackles to lead the Bisons.
Southern Arkansas had only 240 total yards.
The Bisons are back in action next Saturday against Henderson State. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 6 p.m.
