Harding Game Notes

SEARCY – In the brief two-year history of the Great American Conference, two nationally-ranked teams have never met in conference action.

Saturday they will.

Harding, ranked 23rd in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, will host 12th-ranked Henderson State at First Security Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff. It is one of only three games nationally between ranked Division II teams.

The game will air live on KVHU 95.3 FM in Searcy and will be televised on Harding's TV16 with Billy Morgan and Jerry Mote on the call. A live video stream of the game and a live statistics link will be available on HardingSports.com.

Harding enters the game 5-0 for only the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2002. The Bisons, who are 3-0 in GAC action, are nationally ranked for the first time since 2005.

Henderson State is also undefeated at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the GAC. The Reddies have been lighting up scoreboards all season and are the highest-scoring team in any division of the NCAA, scoring 60.0 points per game. Last week, the Reddies defeated Arkansas-Monticello 71-0 in Arkadelphia.

Harding is coming off a 23-20 victory over Southern Arkansas last Saturday at the Boomtown Classic in El Dorado, Ark. The Bisons trailed 13-0 but scored 20 straight points and, with the game tied at 20-20, sophomore kicker John Gay made a career-long 44-yard field goal as time expired.

Harding senior Ty Powell blocked an extra point that was returned for two points by Roderick Cohn and later blocked a punt that was returned 48 yards for a touchdown by Tramaine Wilkes. Powell became the second straight Bison to earn GAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Henderson State's offense is led by sophomore Kevin Rodgers, who has thrown 28 touchdown passes and averages 336.5 passing yards. The Reddies have the fourth-ranked offense in Division II.

Harding's defense has allowed only one passing touchdown and leads Division II with only 108.8 passing yards allowed per game. The Bisons are second nationally in total defense (202.60 yards per game).

Harding and Henderson State are meeting for the 48th time with the Reddies leading the series 29-17-1. Harding holds a 13-8-1 lead in games played in Searcy and has won six of the last seven played at First Security Stadium.

Henderson State has won the last two meetings, including a 35-21 win in Searcy last season.