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Harding University Athletics

2016 FB vs. SAU - Story Image
Michael Latu rushed for 136 yards on 18 carries and three TD.
14
Southern Ark. SAU 2-1 , 2-1
35
Winner Harding HU 3-0 , 3-0
Southern Ark. SAU
2-1 , 2-1
14
Final
35
Harding HU
3-0 , 3-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SAU Southern Ark. 0 7 0 7 14
HU Harding 0 14 7 14 35

Game Recap: Football | | by Scott Goode (9/17/16)

Harding Football Remains Undefeated with 35-14 Win over Southern Arkansas

SEARCY – Harding senior fullback Michael Latu rushed for 136 yards and three TD and the Bison defense forced five turnovers in a 35-14 Great American Conference victory over Southern Arkansas on Saturday at First Security Stadium.

Records
Harding improved to 3-0 for the third time in the last four years and is tied with Henderson State for the top spot in the GAC. The win was the Bisons' 11th straight over the Muleriders dating to 2003.

Southern Arkansas dropped to 2-1.

How it Happened
After falling behind for the first time this season on 1-yard TD run by Southern Arkansas' Michael Nunnery early in the second quarter, Harding tied the game at 7-7 on its next possession. Junior Zach Shelley took a pitch and raced around the right side for a 34-yard TD to even the score.

On the ensuing kickoff, junior Isaiah Jefferson stripped the ball from Southern Arkansas return man Karonce Higgins and recovered the fumble at the SAU 18. Two Latu rushes later, the second a 10-yard score, and Harding had a 14-7 advantage. The Bisons led the rest of the way.

Harding quarterback Park Parish ended a 73-yard drive with a 1-yard TD early in the third quarter, and Latu added two fourth-quarter TD as part of his third career 100-yard rushing game. Will Haines scored a 3-yard TD with 5:43 left in the game to complete the Muleriders' scoring.

Team Stats
Harding, who entered the game second in Division II in rushing, rolled up 385 rushing yards and five TD.

Harding had 459 total yards and limited Southern Arkansas to 275. The Muleriders rushed for only 55 yards on 28 carries.

The Bisons entered the game as the Division II leader in time of possession and again held a huge advantage. Harding had the ball for 36 minutes, 19 seconds, just off its average of 38:27. The Bisons had the ball for more than 20 minutes of the second half.

Harding's defense did not allow a drive of more than 39 yards from the second quarter through early in the fourth quarter.

Individual Stats
Shelley had 80 yards on seven carries, and fullback Dwayne Carter added 51 yards on nine carries.

Parish completed 3-of-5 passes for 74 yards. Junior Andrew Dather had two receptions for 49 yards, and Grant Kimberlin caught the other pass for 25 yards.

Southern Arkansas quarterback Barrett Renner, who came into the game hobbled by an ankle injury, completed 16-of-31 passes for 177 yards with an interception and no TD. Renner left the game early in the fourth quarter and did not return. His replacement, Will Haines was 4-of-10 for 43 yards but fumbled on his first play and threw two interceptions.

Harding's secondary intercepted three passes, one each from Daylon Markham, Terrence Williams and Corey Bassett, who picked off a pass in the end zone early in the fourth quarter. The Bisons also broke up nine passes, including three from Bassett. Junior linebacker T.J. Winslow also had a forced fumble and fumble recovery for Harding.

Up Next
Harding makes its second road trip of the season. The Bisons travel to Monticello to take on the Arkansas-Monticello Weevils. Kickoff at Convoy-Leslie Stadium is at 6 p.m. Harding has won the last five meetings between the teams, including the last two in Monticello.









 
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