Box Score
FLORENCE, Ala. – When a road game at North Alabama became a late addition to Harding's schedule, many Bison fans said, “Why them again?”
As it turns out, it was a great game to start the season for Harding, who ran all over North Alabama in a 31-10 victory at Braly Municipal Stadium before a very quiet crowd of 10,872. The Lions had won the last four meetings with Harding in Florence when both schools were members of the Gulf South Conference.
Originally, Harding was scheduled to play Missouri S&T in Searcy on Saturday, but the opponent had to be changed late due to a scheduling conflict for next year's game.
Sophomore Donatella Luckett, making his first-ever start at wide receiver, caught five passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Luckett rushed for over 500 yards as a reserve fullback last season as a redshirt freshman.
The Bisons rolled up 430 yards of total offense, including 282 on the ground, and had 24 first downs. Sophomore D'Nico Jackson-Best was Harding's top rusher, gaining 66 yards on 11 carries. Harding senior quarterback Kelvin Martin, playing just 30 minutes from his hometown of Cherokee, Ala., rushed 16 times for 61 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Romo Westbrook had 59 yards on 14 carries.
Harding's defense limited North Alabama (1-1) to only 192 yards and forced four turnovers. Seniors Ty Powell and Josh Aldridge both had two sacks each.
With Harding leading 7-3 after a first quarter 19-yard touchdown run by Martin, Luckett struck for the first time.
The Bisons took over after a punt at their own 14 on their first of two possessions in the second period. Harding ran the ball eight times on its first nine plays and had 3rd-and-4 at the UNA 41. Martin went with a hard snap, drew North Alabama offsides, and used the free play to float a pass down the sidelines to Luckett, who outjumped two defenders and walked into the end zone. It was Martin's second career touchdown pass, Luckett's first scoring reception. It gave the Bisons a 14-3 lead.
North Alabama's Lamonte Thompson scored on a 38-yard run on UNA's first possession of the second half, but Luckett's next catch put the game out of reach.
On 3rd-and-4 from the HU 40-yard line, Martin threw a quick pass to Luckett on the sidelines. He broke a tackle with stiff-arm and raced 60 yards for his second touchdown. The Bisons led 21-10 and never looked back.
Harding tacked on a 5-yard touchdown run from Ahmad Scott that culminated a 12-play, 79-yard drive that ate up over six minutes of the clock in the fourth quarter. Sophomore John Gay completed the scoring with a 23-yard field goal, the first of his career.
Harding (1-0) has won 10 of its last 11 season openers and defeated North Alabama in Florence for the first time since 2002.
The Bisons will play the second of three straight road games to open the season next Saturday against Arkansas-Monticello at 6 p.m. It will be Harding's first Great American Conference game of the season
