Harding Football Game Notes

SEARCY – One hundred fifty-seven of the 158 NCAA Division II teams have played their 2012 home openers. The final team – the Harding Bisons – will play their first home game Saturday against East Central at First Security Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m., and will culminate activities associated with Family Weekend on the Harding campus.

The game will air live on KVHU 95.3-FM and on TV16 in Searcy. Billy Morgan and Jerry Mote will be on the call. Live video, audio and statistics will also be available on HardingSports.com as part of the Harding Sports Network.

Despite starting with three straight road games for only the second time in program history, Harding enters the game 3-0 with a 1-0 mark in Great American Conference play. The Bisons are receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll and are looking for their fifth straight victory dating to last season.

Harding's early success has come from an offense that has Division II's top rushing attack and a defense that has been very difficult to score on.

The Bisons are averaging a Division II-best 363.67 rushing yards per game and have three of the GAC's top 10 rushers. Sophomore fullback D'Nico Jackson-Best rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns last week in Harding's 42-13 victory over Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla. Jackson-Best ranks third in the GAC in rushing yards per game (71.3).

The running game is not the only aspect of the Bison offense that has been impressive in the first three victories. Harding moved sophomore fullback Donatella Luckett to wide receiver prior to the first game, and Luckett has responded with nine receptions for 232 yards and three touchdowns. Luckett scored his fourth touchdown of the season on a 21-yard reverse against Southern Nazarene.

Harding's defense has been the best in Division II against the pass. The Bisons are allowing only 96.0 passing yards per game and are the only team in Division II that has not allowed a touchdown pass. Harding ranks third nationally in total defense (201.67) and allowed only 144 yards against Southern Nazarene.

East Central enters the game 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Great American Conference play. The Tigers recorded their first conference victory last Saturday with a 31-17 win over Arkansas-Monticello in Ada, Okla.

The Tigers are led by senior defensive end and NFL prospect Armonty Bryant, who leads the GAC with seven sacks, and junior defensive back Fred Gaines, who leads the conference with five interceptions.

East Central will offer the stiffest challenge this season to Harding's top-ranked rushing offense. The Tigers rank fifth nationally in rushing defense, allowing only 52.5 yards per game.

East Central's top offensive weapon is senior running back Titus Mobley, who ranks fourth in the GAC with 68.8 rushing yards per game and had his second 100-yard rushing game last week with 130 yards against Arkansas-Monticello.

Harding leads the all-time series with East Central 7-3 and has won all five previous meetings in Searcy. The Tigers won last season's game 23-16 in overtime in Ada, despite Bison kicker Eddy Carmona's school-record 62-yard field goal that came just before halftime.