Football 10/15/2015 7:32:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/15/15)

Football Bisons Travel for Saturday Showdown at Southeastern Oklahoma

Harding Bisons (4-2, 4-2) vs. Southeastern Okla. (3-3, 3-3)
Saturday, Oct. 17 • Paul Laird Field • 2 p.m.

Today's Game
•   Harding will play the fourth of its six road games Saturday. The Bisons will take on the Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm in Great American Conference action at Paul Laird Field in Durant, Oklahoma. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. It will be Harding's third day game of the season, both of the other two were 11 a.m. kickoffs.
•   Harding enters the game 4-2 overall and 4-2 in the GAC following a 22-17 loss to Henderson State on Saturday in Searcy. The Bisons had scored 20 or more points in its previous 27 games, dating to the 2012 playoff game at Northwest Missouri State.
•   Harding enters the game tied with four other teams for third place in the GAC. The Bisons are one game behind leaders Henderson State and Arkansas Tech.
•   Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma are two of the top three teams in the GAC in time of possession. Southeastern leads with 34:16 per game, and Harding is third with 32:05.
•   Harding leads the GAC in fewest penalties per game (6.50) and fewest penalty yards per game (57.83).
•   Harding junior quarterback Park Parish enters the game with 13 rushing touchdowns, good for second in NCAA Division II behind only Humboldt State's Ja'Quan Gardner (15). Parish has at least one rushing touchdown in all six games this season and is only four behind Alan Dixon's school record of 17 in 1972.
•   The Southeastern Oklahoma game is the seventh of 11 games in the 2015 season, all of which are Great American Conference games. The Bisons play six road games and five home games during the regular season.
•   Harding is 31-9 in its four-plus seasons in the GAC and is 17-2 against teams from Oklahoma. The Bisons have won 11 of their last 12 regular season road games, and 16 of their last 19 GAC games.
•   Harding has won 31 games over the last three-plus seasons and has reached the postseason each of the last three years. Last season, Harding went 9-2 and played in the NCAA II Playoffs for the second time.
•   Harding defensive back Trendall Stevenson has been a part of 30 wins in his career. With the Bisons' next victory, Stevenson will be tied for the most wins ever by a Harding player.
•   Harding enters the game ranked second in NCAA Division II in rushing offense with 346.3 rushing yards per game. The Bisons lead Division II in passing yards per completion (26.82).
•   Former Harding wide receiver Donatella Luckett is in his second week on the San Diego Chargers practice squad, and former defensive back Darious Lane remains on the BC Lions practice squad in the Canadian Football League. Lane has played in two games and has two special teams tackles.

Last Week
•   Harding fell to 4-2 overall and in the GAC with a 22-17 loss to Henderson State. The Bisons rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
•   Junior quarterback Park Parish rushed for 86 yards on 22 carries and scored a 1-yard touchdown. It was his 13th touchdown of the season and 18th of his career, one back of Kelvin Martin (2010-12) for most ever by a Harding quarterback.
•   Michael Latu and Vanard Placide both made their first receptions of the season, Latu's for 18 yards and Placide's for 17 yards.
•   Sophomore Zach Shelley led Harding with 106 all-purpose yards, 68 rushing and 38 on kickoff returns.
•   Junior strong safety Scott Middleton led Harding with a season-high nine tackles, eight solo, and 2.0 tackles for loss. He also blocked an extra point. Jensen Jackson and Madison Firman each had sacks, and senior DeAndre Baines made his first interception as a Harding player.

Next Week
•   Harding will return to Searcy to host East Central for Homecoming. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 2 p.m. The Bisons hold the all-time lead in the series 10-3 overall and 7-0 in Searcy. Harding has won three straight overall, including a 41-14 victory in Ada last season.

Offensive Notes
•   Harding is averaging 36.2 points per game this season. The Bisons have averaged more than 30 points per game in each of the last four seasons, including a school-record 44.3 points last season.
•   Harding has outscored its opponents 41-27 off turnovers this season.
•   Harding leads the GAC and ranks second in NCAA Division II with 346.3 rushing yards per game. The Bisons have rushed for at least 245 in each game and have eclipsed 300 yards three times.
•   Harding has 26 rushing touchdowns, second only to Eastern New Mexico (28) in NCAA Division II.
•   Harding leads NCAA Division II in yards per completion (26.82).

Defensive Notes
•   Harding is ranked fourth in the GAC in total defense, allowing 335.2 yards per game. Twice the Bisons have allowed fewer than 300 yards.
•   Harding leads the GAC and ranks 28th in rushing defense. The Bisons are allowing 113.0 yards per game and have held three of their six opponents to fewer than 100 yards. Opponents average only 3.1 yards per rush.
•   Harding ranks sixth in the GAC in passing defense, allowing 222.2 yards per game. Three of Harding's six opponents passed for fewer than 200 yards.
•   Harding leads the GAC and ranks 22nd in Division II in fourth-down conversion defense. Opponents have converted only 4 of 14 (28.6) fourth downs against the Bisons.
•   Harding averages 6.8 tackles for loss per game, tied for second in the GAC. Twenty-one of Harding's 41 tackles for loss came in the first two games.

Special Teams Notes
•   Harding ranks second in the GAC and 26th in NCAA Division II in kickoff return defense, allowing only 16.75 yards per return. The Bisons have allowed only one of 20 kickoff returns for more than 25 yards.

Opponent/Series Notes
•   Southeastern Oklahoma had a three-game winning streak snapped last week with a 31-16 road loss to Northwestern Oklahoma. The Savage Storm is 3-3 overall and 2-1 at home and has won its last two home games.
•   Last season, Harding rushed for 467 yards and six touchdowns in a 51-6 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma in Searcy. Romo Westbrook rushed for 121 yards, and Alapeti Magalei rushed for 111 yards. Six different players scored rushing touchdowns. Harding's defense forced five turnovers and held Southeastern to only 4 of 17 on third down.
•   Southeastern's defense leads the GAC with three defensive touchdowns this season. The Savage Storm defense has recovered a GAC-best nine fumbles. Southeastern's defense is also tops in the GAC and 17th in Division II in passing yards allowed (148.2).
•   Southeastern Oklahoma leads the GAC and ranks fifth in Division II in time of possession (34:16).
•   Quarterback Ryan Polite is the most accurate passer in the GAC, completing 61.4 percent of his passes. He is second in the GAC and 10th nationally with 23.83 completions per game.
•   Wide receivers Kaymon Farmer (5.8) and Franky Okafor (5.7) are the top two players in the GAC in receptions per game.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Darious Lane: DB; 5' 11"; Senior

#6 Donatella Luckett: WR; 6' 0"; Senior

#9 Alapeti Magalei: RB; 5' 9"; Senior

#8 Romo Westbrook: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

#99 Jensen Jackson: DL; 5' 11"; Junior

#15 Park Parish: QB; 5' 10"; Junior

#27 Vanard Placide: WR; 6' 3"; Senior

#28 Zach Shelley: RB; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#1 Trendall Stevenson: DB; 5' 9"; Senior

#2 Scott Middleton: DB; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#24 Darious Lane
: 5' 11"; Senior
: DB

#6 Donatella Luckett
: 6' 0"; Senior
: WR

#9 Alapeti Magalei
: 5' 9"; Senior
: RB

#8 Romo Westbrook
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

#99 Jensen Jackson
: 5' 11"; Junior
: DL

#15 Park Parish
: 5' 10"; Junior
: QB

#27 Vanard Placide
: 6' 3"; Senior
: WR

#28 Zach Shelley
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: RB

#1 Trendall Stevenson
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DB

#2 Scott Middleton
: 5' 11"; Junior
: DB