Football 11/12/2015 4:39:00 PM by Scott Goode (11/12/15)

Harding Football Meets Arkansas Tech Saturday; Postseason Hopes Alive

Harding Bisons (7-3, 7-3) vs. Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (7-3, 7-3)
Saturday, Nov. 14 • Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field • 2 p.m.

Today's Game
•   Harding will play its final regular season game Saturday against Arkansas Tech in Russellville. The Bisons are still alive for a berth in the 2015 Texarkana Live United Bowl, to be played on Dec. 5 in Texarkana, Arkansas. Harding needs to win the game and have Henderson State defeat Ouachita Baptist and Northwestern Oklahoma defeat Southwestern Oklahoma. In that scenario, Harding would be alone in second place in the GAC at 8-3.
•   Harding enters the game 7-3 overall and in the GAC following a 42-30 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday in Searcy. Harding overcame a 30-21 fourth-quarter deficit by scoring three touchdowns in the game's final 6 minutes, 20 seconds.
•   Harding enters the game tied with four other teams for second place in the GAC. The Bisons are two games behind leader Henderson State, who has clinched the regular-season conference championship.
•   Saturday's game is a matchup of the two highest-scoring teams in the GAC. Harding leads the conference with 39.7 points per game, and Arkansas Tech is second at 36.0 points per game.
•   Harding and Arkansas Tech have the top two rushing offenses and top two rushing defenses in the GAC. The Bisons lead the conference and rank second in NCAA II with 376.7 rushing yards per game. The Wonder Boys are second in the GAC and ninth in NCAA II with 286.9 rushing yards per game. Tech has the top rushing defense (101.3 yards per game), and Harding is second (106.5 yards per game).
•   Harding junior quarterback Park Parish enters the game with a Harding-record 19 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 10 games this season, tying the school record that Alan Dixon set in 1972. Parish has scored 116 points this season, the most ever by a Bison.
•   Harding junior Michael Latu leads the GAC with 6.61 yards per carry (min. 10 carries per game). He has moved up to fifth in the GAC with 80.1 rushing yards per game.
•   Harding junior defensive end Trevon Biglow was named the GAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording 3.5 sacks against Northwestern Oklahoma. Biglow now leads the GAC and ranks sixth in NCAA II with 8.5 sacks (1.06 sacks per game).
•   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).

Last Week
•   Harding improved to 7-3 overall and in the GAC with a 42-30 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday in Searcy. Harding junior Michael Latu scored three rushing touchdowns in the last 6:20 of the game to bring the Bisons from nine points down to a 12-point victory.
•   Harding rushed for 433 yards, its fourth game of 400 rushing yards or more. Michael Latu (167) and Park Parish (128) both rushed for more than 100 yards, the fourth time this season Harding had two backs over 100.
•   Parish scored his school-record 19th rushing touchdown and tied the school record of Alan Dixon by scoring a rushing touchdown for the ninth straight game.
•   Defensive end Trevon Biglow had 3.5 sacks, second-most by a Harding player since 2000.
•   Harding's defense limited Northwestern to only 33 rushing yards on 33 carries, made 15 tackles for losses, including eight sacks, broke up five passes, forced two fumbles and held the Rangers to 3-of-17 on third down and 0-of-3 on fourth down.
•   Harding gained 6.7 yards per play and 7.2 yards per rush.

Offensive Notes
•   Harding has 50 rushing touchdowns this season, only two short of the school record of 52 set in both 2013 and 2014. Harding is three ahead of Eastern New Mexico (47) 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 has rushed for 3,767 yards this season. The Bisons need 322 yards against Arkansas Tech to break the single-season record of 4,089 yards set last season.
•   Harding averages 6.55 yards per rush, second in NCAA II, and ahead of the school record of 6.33 set in 1972.
•   With three points against Arkansas Tech, Harding will eclipse the 400-point margin for the third consecutive season. Prior to 2011, Harding had never scored more than 355 points in a season.
•   Harding has outscored its opponents 83-62 off turnovers this season.
•   Harding leads the GAC and ranks second in NCAA Division II with 376.7 rushing yards per game. The Bisons have eclipsed 300 yards five times and have rushed for more than 500 yards three times.

Defensive Notes
•   Harding leads the GAC and ranks 25th in NCAA II with 29 sacks. The Bisons are averaging 2.90 sacks per game and had a season-high eight sacks against Northwestern Oklahoma.
•   Harding is ranked fifth in the GAC in total defense, allowing 351.4 yards per game. Twice the Bisons have allowed fewer than 300 yards.
•   Harding ranks second in the GAC and 16th in NCAA Division II in rushing defense. The Bisons are allowing 106.5 yards per game and have held six of their 10 opponents to fewer than 100 yards. Opponents average only 2.8 yards per rush.
•   Harding ranks ninth in the GAC in passing defense, allowing 244.9 yards per game. Four of Harding's 10 opponents passed for fewer than 200 yards.
•   Harding averages 8.0 tackles for loss per game, tops in the GAC. Harding had 12 tackles for loss against Northwestern Oklahoma.

Opponent/Series Notes
•   TECH LAST WEEK: Arkansas Tech yielded three passing touchdowns to Southwestern Oklahoma quarterback Marc Evans and fell 28-14 to the Bulldogs. The Wonder Boys ran a staggering 103 offensive plays but managed only 3.3 yards per play and had 115 penalty yards.
•   HU-TECH: Harding scored the first 41 points in a 41-7 victory over Arkansas Tech last season in Searcy. The Bisons rushed for 311 yards and limited the Wonder Boys to 11 rushing yards. Ahmad Scott led Harding with 80 rushing yards on only three carries with two touchdowns. Park Parish and Eric Kelly also scored, and Keenan Kellett threw touchdown passes to Kelly and Zach Shelley.
•   Arkansas Tech is fifth in NCAA II in fourth-down conversion defense, stopping opponents on 71.4 percent of fourth downs.
•   Arkansas Tech has lost only four fumbles this season to rank eighth in NCAA II.
•   The Wonder Boys are one of the most penalized teams in the GAC, ranking 10th in the GAC with 9.0 penalties and 81.50 penalty yards per game.
•   Bryan Allen leads the GAC and ranks 20th in NCAA II with 118.1 rushing yards per game. Allen is second in the GAC and 20th nationally with 6.56 yards per rush.
•   Arkansas Tech's Cua' Rose is second in the GAC with five interceptions.

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Players Mentioned

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

#4 Ahmad Scott: RB; 5' 8"; Senior

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

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#4 Ahmad Scott
: 5' 8"; Senior
: RB

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

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

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

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

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