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Football by Scott Goode (11/10/16)

Game Notes: No. 5 Harding Seeks 11-0 Regular Season on Senior Day

No. 5 Harding Bisons (10-0, 10-0) vs. Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (6-4, 6-4)
Nov. 12, 2016 • 2:05 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Harding will compete for its first undefeated regular season in program history Saturday when it hosts Arkansas Tech on Senior Day. Kickoff between the Bisons and Wonder Boys will be at 2:05 p.m. Harding will honor 25 seniors in a ceremony prior to the game.

Harding has already claimed its first outright football conference championship in program history. The Bisons tied for conference championships in 1972, 1976 and 1989, all in the NAIA Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference.

Harding is ranked No. 3 in the third NCAA II Central Region Rankings. The top seven teams advance to the playoffs. Teams ranked first through fourth are guaranteed to host a playoff game.

Harding averages 384.8 rushing yards, 46.2 yards per game more than second-place Eastern New Mexico. Harding's opponents have only attempted 27.7 rushes per game, the fewest in Division II. 

Harding's defense allows only 11.6 points per game and has allowed fewer than 10 points in six of the 10 games. The Bisons have yielded 15 touchdowns, the fewest by a DII team that has played 10 games.

Harding's offense has 23 touchdown drives this season of five plays or more and 50 yards or more. Harding's opponents have three.

In the latest AFCA poll, Harding remained at No. 5. It is the fifth straight poll that has the Bisons in the AFCA Top 10. Harding is ranked ninth in the D2football.com poll, eighth on MasseyRatings.com and 19th on HeroSports.com. Arkansas Tech is No. 60 on Massey and No. 49 on Hero.

Harding has opened the season 10-0 for the first time and is one of only five teams in Division II with 10 wins (Northwest Mo. St., Sioux Falls, Grand Valley St., and LIU Post).

Up Next
The NCAA will announce the 2016 Super Region 3 field Sunday at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com. Harding will host a watch party in the Hammons Student Center on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The Coaches
Harding's Ronnie Huckeba is in his 10th season as head coach and 31st on the Bison staff. He has a 66-39 career record, including 44-11 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.

Raymond Monica is in his fourth season at Arkansas Tech and has a 23-21 record.

Series History
Arkansas Tech leads the all-time series 31-22, but Harding leads 14-11 in Searcy. The Bisons have won five of the last six meetings at First Security Stadium and set a school record with 76 points in the 2012 game.
 
Home/Road Records
Saturday's game against Arkansas Tech is the last of six home games. The Bisons are 36-15 at home under coach Ronnie Huckeba and 20-4 in their last 24 home games. Harding has outscored five opponents 202-85 at home this season. Arkansas Tech is 2-3 on the road this season.

Last Meeting
Harding entered the fourth quarter with a 14-point lead but Arkansas Tech scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and won 27-24 in Russellville.

Harding limited Tech to only 11 first downs and 280 total yards.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has 49 rushing TD, nine more than any other team in Division II. The Bisons need four rushing TD in the final game to break the school record of 52, set each of the last three seasons.  Harding also leads Division II with 3,848 rushing yards and needs 241 to break the current school record of 4,089 in 2014.

Harding has 41 rushes of 20 yards or longer this season and has allowed only three. Zach Shelley leads Harding with 11 rushes of 20 yards or more, and Grant Kimberlin has seven.

Harding has outscored its opponents 163-44 in the second quarter, 87-14 in the fourth quarter, and 100-42 off turnovers.

Park Parish is one of only six Bisons with more than 2,000 career rushing yards (2,065). He has a school-record 38 rushing TD and ranks fourth in scoring (230 points).

Harding senior Corey Bassett leads the GAC with a 32.1 kickoff return average. Trevon Biglow is third in the GAC with 10.5 tackles for loss and fifth with 4.0 sacks.

A Quick Look at Arkansas Tech
Arkansas Tech has been successful this season rushing the ball and stopping the run. The Wonder Boys are third in the GAC in both categories.

Junior quarterback Jaybes Cross leads the GAC with a 160.8 passing efficiency. He has completed 58 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
 
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Players Mentioned

Corey Bassett

#12 Corey Bassett

DB
5' 8"
Senior
Trevon Biglow

#19 Trevon Biglow

DL
6' 1"
Senior
Park Parish

#15 Park Parish

QB
5' 10"
Senior
Zach Shelley

#28 Zach Shelley

RB
5' 7"
Junior
Grant Kimberlin

#5 Grant Kimberlin

RB
5' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Corey Bassett

#12 Corey Bassett

5' 8"
Senior
DB
Trevon Biglow

#19 Trevon Biglow

6' 1"
Senior
DL
Park Parish

#15 Park Parish

5' 10"
Senior
QB
Zach Shelley

#28 Zach Shelley

5' 7"
Junior
RB
Grant Kimberlin

#5 Grant Kimberlin

5' 8"
Junior
RB
© 2026 Harding University Athletics Box 12281 Searcy, AR 72149
Phone: 501-279-4760