Football 10/29/2015 2:45:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/29/15)

Harding Football Travels to Southwestern Oklahoma Saturday

Harding Bisons (6-2, 6-2) vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs (5-3, 5-3)
Saturday, Oct. 31 • ASAP Energy Field • 2 p.m.

TODAY'S GAME
• Harding will play the fifth of its six road games Saturday. The Bisons will take on the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs in Great American Conference action at ASAP Energy Field. It is Harding's last of three
road trips to Oklahoma.
• Harding enters the game 6-2 overall and 6-2 in the GAC following a 62-20 victory over East Central on Saturday in Searcy. Harding scored nine rushing touchdowns for the third time this season and gained 557
rushing yards. The Bisons improved to 37-17-2 on Homecoming.
• Harding enters the game tied with Arkansas Tech for second place in the GAC. The Bisons are one game behind leader Henderson State.
• Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma are two of the top four scoring teams in the GAC. Harding leads the GAC with 42.8 points per game, and Southwestern Oklahoma is fourth at 35.6 points per game.
• Harding enters the game with four of the top 11 rushers in the GAC. Park Parish is fourth (78.1), Michael Latu is fi fth (75.0), Zach Shelley is sixth (73.6), and Matt Tenison is 11th (62.7).
• Harding junior quarterback Park Parish enters the game with 17 rushing touchdowns, the most by any quarterback in NCAA Division II and third-most of any player. Parish has at least one rushing touchdown in all eight games this season and has tied Alan Dixon's school record of 17, set in 1972. Parish has scored 104 points this season, the most ever by a Bison.
• Harding has had six different players this season rush for more than 100 yards in a game. Prior to this season, Harding had never had more than four (2011).
• The Southwestern Oklahoma game is the ninth of 11 games in the 2015 season, all of which are Great American Conference games. The Bisons play six road games and fi ve home games during the regular season.
• Harding is 33-9 in its four-plus seasons in the GAC and is 19-2 against teams from Oklahoma. The Bisons have won 13 straight games against Oklahoma schools.
• Harding has won 33 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 32 wins in his career. He has played in more wins than any other Harding player.
• Harding enters the game ranked second in NCAA Division II in rushing offense with 395.4 rushing yards per game. The Bisons lead Division II in passing yards per completion (26.28).

LAST WEEK
• Harding improved to 6-2 overall and in the GAC with a 62-20 victory over East Central on Homecoming. The Bisons rushed for 557 yards, the second-highest single-game total in program history, and tied a school
record with nine rushing touchdowns.
• Junior Michael Latu and junior Dwayne Carter both set career highs by rushing for 138 yards. It was the first 100-yard game for both backs. Carter had an 83-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage
this season and the fi fth-longest run in program history.0
• Park Parish had two rushing touchdowns to give him 17 on the season, tying Alan Dixon's school record set in 1972.
• Trevon Biglow, a junior defensive end, earned the John Prock Award for Homecoming MVP. Biglow had five tackles, including 2.0 sacks, and a forced fumble.
• Senior DeAndre Baines and redshirt freshman Tony Becton both made interceptions. The duo leads the team with three interceptions each.

NEXT WEEK
• Harding will play its fi nal home game of the season on Nov. 7 against Northwestern Oklahoma. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 2 p.m.
• Harding holds the series lead 6-2 overall and has won all four meetings in Searcy. The Bisons have outscored the Rangers 123-21 in those four games and have two shutouts.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Harding has 44 rushing touchdowns this season, only eight short of the school record of 52 set in both 2013 and 2014. Harding is fi ve ahead of Eastern New Mexico (39) for the lead in Division II. The Bisons have
rushed for nine touchdowns three times. No other team in Division II has done it once.
• Harding averages 6.72 yards per rush and 7.23 yards per play, both of which are the highest fi gures in Bison history. The Bisons' 6.72 yards per rush ranks second in NCAA II (Colorado St.-Pueblo, 7.24).
• Harding is averaging 42.8 points per game this season, most in the GAC. 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 69-48 off turnovers this season.
• Harding leads the GAC and ranks second in NCAA Division II with 395.4 rushing yards per game. The Bisons have rushed for at least 245 in each game, have eclipsed 300 yards four times, and have rushed for more than 500 yards three times.
• Harding leads NCAA Division II in yards per completion (26.28).

DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Harding is ranked fourth in the GAC in total defense, allowing 356.4 yards per game. Twice the Bisons have allowed fewer than 300 yards.
• Harding leads the GAC and ranks 17th in rushing defense. The Bisons are allowing 105.3 yards per game and have held fi ve of their eight opponents to fewer than 100 yards. Opponents average only 2.86 yards per rush.
• Harding ranks ninth in the GAC in passing defense, allowing 251.1 yards per game. Three of Harding's eight opponents passed for fewer than 200 yards.
• Harding averages 7.5 tackles for loss per game, tops in the GAC. Harding had 7.0 tackles for loss against East Central.

OPPONENT/SERIES NOTES
• Southwestern Oklahoma used a 42-14 victory at Oklahoma Baptist to extend its current winning streak to three games. The Bulldogs are a perfect 4-0 at home and have outscored their opponents 219-96.
• In its win over Oklahoma Baptist, Southwestern Oklahoma scored touchdowns on a 17-yard blocked punt return, a 41-yard interception return and a 69-yard punt return.
• Harding opened the 2014 season with a 42-6 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma in Searcy. Six different players scored touchdowns, and Romo Westbrook rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries. Keenan Kellett completed 7-of-11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Southwestern had seven rushing yards.
• Southwestern has allowed opponents to convert only 29.4 percent of their fourth-down attempts, the lowest percentage in the GAC.
• The Bulldogs have lost only three fumbles in eight games, fewest in the GAC, and has a conference-low 11 turnovers.
• Southwestern has been outstanding on special teams. Some of the highlights: blocked two punts, 12th in Division II in kickoff returns (24.38), and sixth in Division II in punt returns (19.87).
• Junior wide receiver D.J. Jones leads the GAC with 156.38 all-purpose yards per game. Jones has returned two punts for touchdowns and averages 27.5 yards on 13 kickoff returns. He leads Division II with 22.3 yards per punt return.
• Senior defensive back Trevon Hartfi eld leads the GAC and ranks seventh in NCAA II with 15 passes
defended (14 pass breakups and one interception).
• Conner Bays ranks second in the GAC with 10.6 tackles per game. He leads the Bulldogs with 85 tackles.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Keenan Kellett: QB; 5' 11"; Senior

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

#23 Tony Becton: DB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

#19 Trevon Biglow: DL; 6' 1"; Junior

#35 Dwayne Carter: RB; 5' 9"; Junior

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

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

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

#31 Matt Tenison: RB; 5' 8"; Junior

#3 DeAndre Baines: DB; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#10 Keenan Kellett
: 5' 11"; Senior
: QB

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

#23 Tony Becton
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: DB

#19 Trevon Biglow
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DL

#35 Dwayne Carter
: 5' 9"; Junior
: RB

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

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

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

#31 Matt Tenison
: 5' 8"; Junior
: RB

#3 DeAndre Baines
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DB