Football 10/8/2015 2:03:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/8/15)

No. 22 Harding Football Hosts Henderson State on Saturday

Harding Bisons (4-1, 4-1) vs. Henderson State Reddies (4-1, 4-1)
Saturday, Oct. 10 • First Security Stadium • 6 p.m.
PINK OUT to Support Breast Cancer Awareness

Today's Game
•   Harding will play the third of its five home games Saturday. The Bisons will take on the Henderson State Reddies in Great American Conference action at First Security Stadium in Searcy. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. It is Harding's final night game of the season. Harding is 3-0 in night games this season. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness.
•   Harding enters the game 4-1 overall and 4-1 in the GAC following a 26-21 loss to Ouachita on Saturday in Arkadelphia. The Bisons rushed for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Eric Kelly rushed four times for a career-high 114 yards.
•   Harding enters the game tied with four other teams for the top spot in the GAC. All five teams are 4-1.
•   Harding and Henderson State are the two best teams in the GAC in rushing defense. Henderson State leads the GAC, allowing only 92.0 yards per game. Harding is second at 117.6 yards per game.
•   Harding is one of nine teams in NCAA Division II that has not thrown an interception. Henderson State enters the game as NCAA Division II's leader with 14 interceptions.
•   Harding junior quarterback Park Parish enters the game with 12 rushing touchdowns, tied with Humboldt State's Ja'Quan Gardner for the most of any player at any level in the NCAA. Parish has at least one rushing touchdown in all five games this season.
•   Harding is ranked No. 22 in the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll and in the D2Football.com Poll. The Bisons have been ranked in the last 17 AFCA polls. Harding has been ranked as high as No. 12 this season.
•   The Henderson State game is the sixth of 11 games in the 2015 season, all of which are Great American Conference games. The Bisons will play six road games and five home games during the regular season.
•   Harding is 31-8 in its four-plus seasons in the GAC and is 14-6 against teams from Arkansas. The Bisons have won four straight home games, seven of their last eight home games, and 16 of their last 18 GAC games.
•   Harding has a 19-8 (.704) record as a nationally-ranked team and has won 15 of its last 19 games as a ranked team. The Bisons are 11-3 in their last 14 games as a ranked team.
•   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 enters the game ranked second in NCAA Division II in rushing offense with 366.6 rushing yards per game. The Bisons lead Division II in passing yards per completion (30.78). Harding is also second in sacks allowed (0.40 sacks per game).
•   Former Harding wide receiver Donatella Luckett was signed Wednesday to the San Diego Chargers practice squad.

Last Week
•   Harding fell to 4-1 overall and in the GAC with a 26-21 loss to Ouachita. The Bisons rushed for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Twenty of Harding's 21 first downs came on the ground, and the Bisons averaged 6.7 yards per rush.
•   Junior slotback Eric Kelly rushed for 114 yards on only four carries. He set a Harding record for fewest carries in a 100-yard game. The previous low was five carries by Jeremy Holt in a 113-yard effort against Southwestern Oklahoma in 2011.
•   Junior fullback Michael Latu rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries with a 28-yard touchdown. Latu has rushed for 90 yards or more in each of the last three games.
•   Junior linebacker Daylan Skidmore led Harding with 13 tackles, his seventh game with 10 or more tackles.

Next Week
•   Harding will make its second trip of the season to Oklahoma, taking on Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant. The Bisons lead the series with the Savage Storm 19-7 and have an 8-6 record in Durant. Harding has won the last four meetings overall, including a 51-6 victory last season.

Offensive Notes
•   Harding has outscored its opponents 45-17 in the first quarter this season and 165-47 over the last two seasons. Over the last six seasons, the Bisons hold a 572-198 advantage over opponents in the first period.
•   Harding has outscored its opponents 88-31 in the first half of games this season, and 105-71 in the second half.
•   Harding has ranked in the top five in NCAA Division II in rushing in each of the last five seasons. This season, Harding ranks second in Division II with 366.6 rushing yards per game. Harding is tied for first in NCAA Division II with 24 rushing touchdowns and ranks fifth with 6.23 yards per rush.
•   Since moving to the flexbone in 2010, Harding has rushed for 18,627 yards or a little over 10.6 miles.
•   Harding led NCAA Division II last season in passing efficiency (188.1). The Bisons scored a passing touchdown every 7.2 pass attempts (86 passes, 12 touchdowns). Through the first five games, Harding ranks second in passing efficiency, averaging an NCAA Division II-best 13.9 yards per pass attempt.
•   In the last three seasons, Harding has 109 more rushing touchdowns than its opponents. The Bisons have rushed for 128 touchdowns and allowed only 19.
•   Harding had six plays of 20 yards or longer against Ouachita, including a 51-yard run by Eric Kelly. It was Harding's third-longest run of the season. This season, Harding has 43 plays of 20 yards or more, including 22 rushing plays and 15 passing plays. Of Harding's 18 pass completions this season, 15 have gone for 20 yards or more.

Defensive Notes
•   Harding enters the sixth game of the season ranked fourth in the GAC in scoring defense (21.6) and second in rushing defense (117.6). The Bisons are seventh in passing yards allowed (222.0).
•   Harding has 35 tackles for loss in the first five games. The Bisons lead the GAC with 2.20 sacks per game and rank fourth with 7.0 tackles for loss per game.
•   Harding has five interceptions and 17 pass breakups this season.
•   The Bisons have outscored their opponents 38-14 this season off turnovers.
•   Harding's defense has a total of 110 yards on turnovers (45 on interceptions and 65 on fumbles). Opponents do not have any turnover return yards.

Opponent/Series Notes
•   Harding snapped a four-game losing streak to Henderson State with a 28-24 victory in Arkadelphia last season. It also snapped Henderson State's 30-game conference winning streak.
•   Donatella Luckett scored on a 3-yard reverse with 17 seconds remaining to give the Bisons the victory. Harding rushed for 333 rushing yards and held possession for 43 minutes, 58 seconds.
•   Henderson State is 4-1 to start the season. The Reddies are 2-0 on the road this season with a 23-16 victory at Southeastern Oklahoma and a 25-17 victory at Northwestern Oklahoma.
•   Henderson State ranks eighth in the GAC in total offense (356.6) and third in total defense (326.2). The Reddies defense ranks first in the GAC in rushing defense (92.0) and ninth in passing defense (234.2).
•   Henderson State also leads the GAC and rank sixth in NCAA Division II in red zone defense. Opponents have scored only 53.3 percent of the time they have reached the red zone, including only two rushing touchdowns.
•   Jaquan Cole leads the GAC and ranks 22nd in NCAA Division II with 118.2 rushing yards per game.
•   Defensive back Tavares Garner leads the GAC and ranks sixth in NCAA Division II with 2.2 passes defended (pass breakups plus interceptions) per game.

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Players Mentioned

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

#20 Eric Kelly: RB; 5' 7"; Junior

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

#44 Daylan Skidmore: LB; 5' 11"; Junior

#9 Michael Latu: RB; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#20 Eric Kelly
: 5' 7"; Junior
: RB

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

#44 Daylan Skidmore
: 5' 11"; Junior
: LB

#9 Michael Latu
: 5' 11"; Junior
: RB