SEARCY – Harding's offense rushed for 500 yards and seven touchdowns, and the defense held Southern Arkansas' potent offense scoreless in the second half as the 15th-ranked Bisons defeated the Muleriders 56-13 before a boisterous Family Weekend crowd on Saturday at First Security Stadium.
The victory was the ninth straight for Harding over Southern Arkansas and extended the Bisons' winning streak to eight straight overall, tying the school record of the 1972 and 1973 teams.
Harding improved to 4-0 overall and in the Great American Conference and goes back on the road next week to take on Arkansas-Monticello. Kickoff at Convoy Leslie-Cotton Bowl Stadium is at 3 p.m. Southern Arkansas, who has not defeated Harding since 2003, fell to 2-3 overall and in conference.
The game marked only the fourth time in program history that Harding rushed for 500 or more yards. The school record of 515 came against Southern Arkansas in 2011. The Bisons had 593 total yards, the seventh-highest total by a Harding team, and averaged 9.9 yards per play. The 500 rushing yards are the most by an NCAA Division II this season.
Harding senior running back Romo Westbrook rushed for 134 yards on only 10 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead the Bisons' potent rushing attack. Westbrook passed former teammate Kale Gelles for fourth on Harding's career rushing list. The Marion, Arkansas, native now has 2,257 rushing yards.
In the first half, Harding rolled up 370 total yards only 26 plays, scored four rushing touchdowns and added another on a 64-yard Donatalla Luckett scoring reception.
Westbrook rushed for 105 yards on only six carries, including a 21-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 76-yard score on Harding's first drive of the second quarter.
Luckett's reception came with 8:46 left in the first quarter and gave Harding a 14-0 lead. It was his 13th career touchdown reception, moving him into sole possession of eighth all-time at Harding.
Alapeti Magalei scored on a 3-yard run with 2:30 left in the half that culminated an eight-play, 80-yard drive.
Southern Arkansas scored its second touchdown of the half on a 49-yard pass from Si Blackshire to Aaron Johnson to cut the Harding lead to 28-13. Two plays later, Harding's Zach Shelley scored on a 61-yard option pitch that gave Harding its 35-13 halftime lead.
Blackshire's 26-yard touchdown pass to Johnson with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter accounted for the first points allowed by the Harding defense in the first quarter this season. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns.
Harding tacked on three more rushing touchdowns in the second half and has 23 rushing touchdowns in the first four games. Senior Jason Oller scored from 4 yards out in the third quarter. Magalei scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run with 14:28 remaining, and fullback Matthew Tenison punched in a 20-yard score with 9:12 left.
Harding scored touchdowns on all five of its possessions in the second and third quarters.
Southern Arkansas entered the game averaging 516.8 yards per game, but Harding's defense limited the Muleriders to 391 total yards, including only 150 yards in the second half. Southern Arkansas averaged just 3.4 yards per rush.
