Harding Football Game Notes

SEARCY – Senior Day for the Harding football team has taken on a little added significance in 2012.

When Harding hosts Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday at 2 p.m. at First Security Stadium, the Bisons and their 15 seniors have an NCAA Division II playoff berth on the line. Harding has never qualified for the football playoffs since joining the NCAA in 1997.

The game will air live on KVHU 95.3-FM in Searcy and on Harding's TV16. Billy Morgan and Jerry Mote will be on the call. Live video, audio and statistics will also be available on links at HardingSports.com.

Harding will honor its 15 seniors in a ceremony prior to kickoff.

Harding (8-1, 6-1) enters the game ranked 14th in Division II in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll and ranked fourth in the NCAA II Super Region 3 Rankings. The regional rankings determine which six teams from Super Region 3 advance to next week's first playoff round. The announcement of those six teams will come Sunday at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.

The Bisons are also only one game behind Henderson State in the Great American Conference standings. The Reddies take on cross-street rivals Ouachita Baptist on Saturday. A Henderson State loss combined with a Harding victory would give the Bisons a share of the GAC championship.

Harding has won three straight games, including a 31-9 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State last Saturday in Durant, Okla. Harding rushed for 338 yards in the game and limited SOSU to only 125, more than 120 yards below its average this season.

Southwestern Oklahoma enters the game 3-6 overall and 2-5 in the GAC. The Bulldogs have won two straight, including a 38-21 victory over Arknasas-Monticello last Saturday on Senior Day in Weatherford, Okla. Senior running back Aaron Wilson rushed for 289 yards on 30 carries and two touchdowns in the victory.

Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma will be meeting for the eighth time. The Bisons lead the series 4-3 and defeated the Bulldogs 70-28 last season in Searcy. Harding rushed for eight touchdowns in that game, including a 57-yard touchdown run by senior Kale Gelles on the Bisons' first play from scrimmage.