Football 10/13/2016 11:09:00 AM by Scott Goode (10/13/16)

Game Notes: No. 8 Harding Hosts Southeastern Oklahoma in Battle of High-Scoring Offenses

No. 8 Harding Bisons (6-0, 6-0) vs. Southeastern Okla. Savage Storm (4-2, 4-2)
Oct. 15, 2016 • 6 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Last season, Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma played the highest-scoring game in Great American Conference history. They enter this season's meeting, Saturday at 6 p.m. at First Security Stadium, as the two highest-scoring teams in the GAC.

Harding enters the game ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II in total defense (217.2 yards per game), scoring defense (9.7) and turnover margin (+2.17).

In the latest AFCA poll, Harding moved up eight spots to No. 8. It is the first time in program history that the Bisons have been in the AFCA Top 10. The Bisons appear in the poll for the 35th time since 2002. Harding is ranked 12th in the D2football.com poll, 8th on MasseyRatings.com and 20th on HeroSports.com. Southeastern is No. 50 on Massey and No. 19 on Hero.

Harding has opened the season 6-0 for the second time (also 2002).

Harding leads the GAC in scoring at 42.0 points per game with Southeastern second (38.5). Harding leads NCAA Division II in turnover margin (+2.17) with Southeastern second (+2.00).

Up Next
Harding has a short turnaround before playing East Central on Thursday in Ada, Oklahoma. The Bisons lead the series 11-3 and have won the last four. The teams have split six games in Ada. Harding won 62-20 last season in Searcy.

The Coaches
Harding's Ronnie Huckeba is in his 10th season as head coach and 31st on the Bison staff. He has a 62-39 career record, including 53-30 in GAC games. Huckeba has announded that 2016 will be his final season. Defensive coordinator Paul Simmons will be the head coach beginning in 2017.

Bo Atterberry is in his third season at Southeastern and has a 17-12 record.

Series History
Harding holds a 20-7 series lead against Southeastern Oklahoma, has won the last five, and has won seven of the last eight. Harding has won six straight in Searcy and 11 of the 12 meetings at First Security Stadium. Southeastern's lone win in Searcy came in 1989.

Home/Road Records
Saturday's game against Southeastern Oklahoma is the fourth of six home games. The Bisons are 34-15 at home under coach Ronnie Huckeba and 18-4 in their last 22 home games. Harding has outscored two opponents 97-41 at home this season. Southeastern Oklahoma is 1-2 on the road this season.

Last Meeting
Park Parish scored a 1-yard TD to give Harding a 63-60 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma in four overtimes last season in Durant. It was the longest game in program history.

Harding rushed for 528 yards and nine TD in the game. Both Zach Shelley (10 carries, 157) and Matt Tenison (20 carries, 106 yards) rushed for more than 100 yards.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has 29 rushing TD, five more than any other team in Division II. The Bisons are one of only three teams in DII with more than 2,000 rushing yards.

Harding and American International are the only two DII teams that have played six games and allowed seven or fewer touchdowns.

Harding's defense is allowing an NCAA Division II-low 3.50 yards per play. The Bisons are third with 2.19 yards allowed per rush and third with 4.76 yards allowed per pass.

Harding is tied for fourth in DII with 19 turnovers gained and tied for 12th with only six turnovers lost. HU leads NCAA Division II with a +13 turnover margin.

Harding has 22 rushes of 20 yards or longer this season and has not allowed a rushing play longer than 20 yards.

Harding has 104 rushing first downs and allowed only 89 total first downs.

Harding has outscored its opponents 100-24 in the second quarter, 66-7 in the fourth quarter, and 79-21 off turnovers.

Park Parish ranks 10th at HU in career rushing yards (1,744), 2 yards behind Ronnie Huckeba's former teammate Allen Grieb (1974-77) ... he has 34 rushing TD, tied with Alan Dixon (1970-73) for the Harding record ... Parish (206 points) is only the fifth HU player with 200 or more points in a career.

Senior Daylan Skidmore needs 14 more tackles to become only the third Harding player since 2000 with 250 career tackles (Tim Polk, 2000-03, 330 tackles & Scott Dutile, 2001-05, 280 tackles).

Trevon Biglow needs one sack to join Josh Aldridge (2009-12) as the only two Bisons with 20 or more sacks in Harding's NCAA era (since '97).

A Quick Look at Southeastern Oklahoma
Southeastern Oklahoma's defense has recovered 11 fumbles and intercepted eight passes, tied with Harding for the most turnovers gained this season.

The Savage Storm has two of the top four rushers in the GAC -- Devlon Wortham (1st, 125.5 yards per game) and Ronnie Green (4th, 102.5).

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Park Parish: 74 carries, 455 yards, 10 TD
Passing - Park Parish: 12-of-27, 306 yards, 0 INT, 2 TD
Receiving - Andrew Dather: 7 receptions, 195 yards, 1 TD
Tackles - Daylan Skidmore: 33 tackles

SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
Rushing - Devlon Wortham: 99 carries, 753 yards, 11 TD
Passing - CB Cantwell: 108-of-160, 1,273 yards, 4 INT, 10 TD
Receiving - Bryce Steele: 23 receptions, 246 yards, 4 TD
Tackles - Kevin Jones: 29 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 FF

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Players Mentioned

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

#18 Andrew Dather: WR; 6' 1"; Junior

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#18 Andrew Dather
: 6' 1"; Junior
: WR

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

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

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