SEARCY – Junior quarterback Park Parish rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns and passed for another to lead 19th-ranked Harding to a 42-0 victory over Southern Nazarene in Great American Conference action at First Security Stadium.
Records
Harding improved to 2-0 overall and in the GAC. The Bisons are now 29-7 in GAC games, including 17-2 against Oklahoma team. Harding has won 10 straight over teams from Oklahoma and has won six consecutive GAC games dating to last season. Harding is 10-0 at home over Oklahoma teams in GAC games.
Southern Nazarene fell to 0-2 overall and in the GAC. The Crimson Storm has lost 24 consecutive games.
Scoring Plays
Harding 7, Southern Nazarene 0 – 6:48, 1st Quarter – Andrew Dather 23-yard pass from Park Parish (Tristan Parsley kick). 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:53 (Key plays: Matt Tenison 15-yard run on the first play of the drive and a 15-yard completion from Park Parish to Eric Kelly on 2nd-and-9).
Harding 14, Southern Nazarene 0 – 4:11, 2nd Quarter – Eric Kelly 6-yard run (Tristan Parsley kick). 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:35 (Key plays: 28-yard pass from Park Parish to Andrew Dather on 2nd-and-19 and 34-yard Park Parish run down to the SNU 8-yard line).
Harding 21, Southern Nazarene 0 – 10:09, 3rd Quarter – Park Parish 1-yard run (Tristan Parsley kick). 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:46 (Key play: 32-yard pass from Park Parish to Andrew Dather on 3rd-and-9 from the HU 33).
Harding 28, Southern Nazarene 0 – 6:10, 3rd Quarter – Park Parish 10-yard run (Tristan Parsley kick). 5 plays, 55 yards, 1:50 (Key play: 32-yard pass from Park Parish to Andrew Dather down the SNU 10).
Harding 35, Southern Nazarene 0 – 14:54, 4th Quarter – Park Parish 30-yard run (Tristan Parsley kick). 2 plays, 30 yards, 0:26 (Key play: Harding took over at the SNU 30 after a botched punt attempt by the Crimson Storm).
Harding 42, Southern Nazarene 0 – 9:49, 4th Quarter – Madison Firman 65-yard fumble return (Tristan Parsley kick).
Key Team Stats
Harding's defense posted its first shutout since last season's 58-0 victory over Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Oklahoma.
The Bisons had four rushing touchdowns. In Harding's last 24 games, the Bisons have scored 111 rushing touchdowns and allowed only 16.
Harding totaled 417 yards and averaged 7.6 yards per play, and held Southern Nazarene to 68 rushing yards and 1.8 rushing yards per play.
Key individual stats
Park Parish recorded his first 100-yard rushing game and scored multiple touchdowns for the first time in his career. He rushed 13 times for 112 yards and three touchdowns. Parish was the first Harding quarterback to rush for over 100 yards since Kelvin Martin rushed for 117 yards against East Central in 2012.
Andrew Dather had four receptions for 115 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown. It was his second straight 100-yard game. The last Harding receiver to have consecutive 100-yard games was Kurt Adams in 2008. He had 114 yards vs. Southern Arkansas on Oct. 4 and 142 yards vs. Ouachita on Oct. 11.
Senior linebacker Chris Sarkissian led Harding with a career-high 10 tackles. Junior Madison Firman had five tackles, including a sack. His 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown was the sixth-longest fumble return in program history and the first fumble return touchdown since Lou Daranda returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown last season at Arkansas-Monticello.
Redshirt freshman Tony Becton made his first career interception and added two tackles.
Up next
Harding takes on Southern Arkansas next Saturday at 6 p.m. in Magnolia.
