Football 12/1/2016 11:20:00 AM by Scott Goode (12/1/16)

Game Notes: No. 5 Harding Plays No. 1 Northwest Missouri in NCAA Quarterfinals

No. 5 Harding Bisons (13-0) vs. No. 1 Northwest Missouri St. (12-0)
Dec. 3, 2016 • 1 p.m. • Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Stadium

Game Story
Harding has reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals for the first time and will take on defending national champion Northwest Missouri on Saturday at Bearcat Field. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. CT. Northwest Missouri won the MIAA and is 12-0.

Harding rushed for 332 yards and had 403 total yards in its 27-24 overtime victory over Sioux Falls. Junior Tristan Parsley kicked a 47-yard game-tying field goal and a 35-yard game-winning field goal in overtime. Sioux Falls had its streak of 13 straight home playoff wins snapped.

Harding claimed its first outright football conference championship in program history in 2016. The Bisons tied for conference championships in 1972, 1976 and 1989, all in the NAIA Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference.

Harding leads NCAA Division II in rushing offense with 381.5 yards per game. The Bisons have rushed for more than 400 yards five times. Northwest Missouri enters the game with the top rushing defense in Division II, allowing 63.9 yards per game.

Harding's defense leads Division II in total defense (245.6). The Bisons are second in scoring defense (13.7) and rushing defense (73.3).

Harding's offense has 30 touchdown drives this season of five plays or more and 50 yards or more. Harding's opponents have eight.

In the final AFCA regular season poll, Harding was at No. 5. Harding is ranked ninth in the D2football.com poll, second on MasseyRatings.com and seventh on HeroSports.com. Northwest Missouri is first in each ranking.

Harding is 1-2 against Division II No. 1-ranked teams, defeating No. 1 Valdosta State 16-13 on Sept. 17, 2005.

There are 664 NCAA football teams. Harding is the only one that is 13-0.

Up Next
The winner advances to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The four remaining teams will be reseeded to determine the matchups.

The Coaches
Harding's Ronnie Huckeba is in his 10th season as head coach and 31st on the Bison staff. He has a 69-39 career record, including 45-11 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.

Adam Dorrel is 73-8 in six seasons at Northwest Missouri.

Home/Road Records
Saturday's game against Northwest Missouri is Harding's seventh road game. The Bisons are 29-24 on the road under coach Ronnie Huckeba and have won 23 of their last 29 road games. Harding has outscored its opponents 241-55 in road games. The Bisons are averaging 375.7 rushing yards on the road and allowing only 58.3.

Previous Meetings
Harding and Northwest Missouri's only previous meeting came in the 2012 NCAA Division II Playoffs. It was Harding's first Division II playoff game and was played in Maryville. Harding rushed for 304 yards in the game but lost both of its fullbacks in the 35-0 loss. Starting quarterback Kelvin Martin played fullback the entire second half.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has a school-record 61 rushing TD, 13 more than any other team in Division II. Harding also leads Division II with a school-record 4,960 rushing yards. Pittsburg State (2004) holds the NCAA II record with 68 rushing TD.

Harding has 51 rushes of 20 yards or longer this season and has allowed only five. Zach Shelley leads Harding with 12 rushes of 20 yards or more, and Park Parish has nine.

Harding has outscored its opponents 219-61 in the second quarter, 118-28 in the fourth quarter, and 124-56 off turnovers.

Park Parish ranks fifth in career rushing yards with 2,438 and needs 46 yards to pass Chris Pierson (2,483, 1996-97) for fourth. He has a school-record 45 rushing TD, fourth-most among active players in Division II and the most by an active quarterback.

Park Parish (21) and Michael Latu (14) have combined for 35 rushing touchdowns. Parish's 21 TD are a school record and lead Division II.

Corey Bassett leads Division II in kickoff return average at 34.0 yards per return. He is only the second Harding player with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same season (Donatella Luckett, 2011). The current Harding record is 28.2 by Aaron Evans in 1996.

Trevon Biglow is 3.5 TFL away from Said Perez's single-season record of 22.0 tackles for loss in 2000.

Harding has seven return touchdowns this season, one short of the school record of eight set in 2011. This is Harding's first season to have scored punt return, interception return (2), kickoff return (2) and fumble return touchdowns.

A Quick Look at Northwest Mo. St.
Northwest Missouri leads Division II in scoring defense (13.1) and ranks second in scoring offense (48.6). The Bearcats won the 2015 Division II national championship and have won 27 consecutive games.

Senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman ranks second in Division II in passing efficiency (179.0) and third in completion percentage (69.4).

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Park Parish: 184 rushes, 1,149 yards, 21 TD
Passing - Park Parish: 31-of-61, 701 yards, 1 INT, 5 TD
Receiving - Andrew Dather: 22 receptions, 566 yards, 4 TD
Tackles - Daylan Skidmore: 74 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 PBU, 1 FR

NORTHWEST MO. ST.
Rushing - Phil Jackson II: 122 rushes, 769 yards, 8 TD
Passing - Kyle Zimmerman: 250-of-364, 3,242 yards, 2 INT, 35 TD
Receiving - Jordan Grove: 45 receptions, 461 yards, 4 TD
Tackles - Jacob Vollstedt: 105 tackles, 18 TFL

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Players Mentioned

#12 Corey Bassett: DB; 5' 8"; Senior

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

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

#9 Michael Latu: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

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

#80 Tristan Parsley: K/P; 5' 9"; Junior

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

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

Players Mentioned

#12 Corey Bassett
: 5' 8"; Senior
: DB

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

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

#9 Michael Latu
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

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

#80 Tristan Parsley
: 5' 9"; Junior
: K/P

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

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