Football 10/12/2017 4:56:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/12/17)

Harding Football vs. Northwestern Okla. - GAME NOTES

Harding Bisons (3-3, 3-3) vs. Northwestern Okla. Rangers (3-3, 3-3)
Oct. 14, 2017 • 2 p.m. • Alva, Okla. • Ranger Field

Game Story
Harding will be playing a road game on consecutive Saturday's for the first time since the first two weeks of the 2012 season when the Bisons take on Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva. Kickoff at Ranger Field will be at 2 p.m.

Harding is 3-3 overall and in the GAC and has won three straight. Northwestern is also 3-3 and has won three of its last four games, including a 38-20 victory over East Central last Saturday in Ada.

Harding enters the game as the NCAA Division II leader in both rushing yards per game (330.7) and rushing TD (23). The Bisons have rushed for more than 300 yards in four consecutive games. Harding has rushed for 200 or more yards in 53 of its last 54 GAC games and the last 19 straight.

Saturday's game features three of the top 10 rushers in the GAC. Harding boasts Cole Chancey (4th, 471 yards) and Zach Shelley (7th, 438), and Northwestern's Anthony Cota is sixth (465 yards).

Harding's defense enters the game as the top unit in the GAC in rushing defense (122.3 yards per game) and second in total defense (352.8).

Harding is +3 in turnover margin in its three wins and has outscored its opponents 35-0 off turnovers. In the three losses, Harding was -5 in turnover margin and points off turnovers was tied 14-14.

Up Next
After playing two straight road games, Harding returns to First Security Stadium to host Southwestern Oklahoma for Homecoming. The Bisons have won the last four meetings aginst the Bulldogs in Searcy.

The Coaches
Harding's Paul Simmons is in his first season as the head coach of the Bisons. He is in his 12th season at Harding and had been Harding's defensive coordinator since 2010. Simmons was a three-time All-American defensive end and linebacker at Harding.

Matt Walter, a Northwestern Oklahoma graduate, is in his third season as head coach of the Rangers. He is 10-18 overall.

Series History
Harding leads the all-time series 8-2 and has won the last six straight, including all four GAC matchups. The Bisons have averaged 45.0 points in the four GAC games and allowed 11.0 points per game. The series began with a 16-13 Harding victory in Alva in 1965. The teams split four games played between 1974-77 with each team winning twice at home.

Home/Road Records
Harding is 2-1 on the road this season. The Bisons have averaged 312.3 rushing yards and scored 11 rushing TD in those three games and have allowed only 117.0 rushing yards and three rushing TD. Northwestern Oklahoma is 1-2 at home with a win over Southern Arkansas and close losses to Arkansas-Monticello and Southeastern Oklahoma.

Last Meeting
No. 5 Harding captured its first Great American Conference championship with a 24-7 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma in 2016 at Ranger Field. It was also the first outright conference championship for Harding football. Harding improved to 10-0, collecting its first 10-win season since 1972.

The Bisons scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half, a 35-yard scoring run from Zach Shelley and an 8-yard run from Dwayne Carter with 1:47 left in the third to pull away from the Rangers.

Northwestern entered the game with the GAC's top passing offense, averaging 319 yards per game. The Bisons limited the Rangers to only 159 passing yards and 221 total yards. Harding gained 422 total yards.

Harding had almost 42 minutes of possession and converted 10 of 15 third downs and both of its fourth downs. The Bisons had 27 first downs and limited the Rangers to only 12.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Zach Shelley averages 9.1 yards per carry in his career, which is the highest among active players at any level in the NCAA (min. 2,000 yards) -- Bryce Love (Stanford) is second at 8.7 ... ranks seventh at Harding in career rushing yards (2,249), 7 yards behind Kale Gelles (2,256, 2008-11) and fifth in career rushing TD (20) ... ranks eighth with 3,143 all-purpose yards, 183 behind Romo Westbrook (3,326, 2011-14).

Against Northwestern Oklahoma: Harding has averaged 397.5 rushing yards in the last four games and scored 20 rushing TD ... Frank Herbert has seven tackles and an interception in two games ... Zach Shelley has rushed for 179 yards on 19 carries with three TD in three games with 224 all-purpose yards ... T.J. Winslow has 4 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PBU and 1 FR in two games ... Christian Witt has 11 tackles in two games.

Harding has won the time-of-possession battle in all five games and has had the ball 50 minutes and 48 seconds longer than its opponents. Harding has won TOP in 20 of its last 22 games and ranks third in NCAA II at 35:04 per game.

A Quick Look at Northwestern Oklahoma
Northwestern is one win away from tying its season high for wins in a GAC season ... the Rangers were 4-7 last season, its best record in four seasons in the GAC ... NWOSU is 15-33 all-time in GAC games ... fifth in the NCAA in third-down conversions (51.4 percent), but 149th of 168 teams in third-down conversion defense (47.4 percent) ... 15th in the NCAA in completion percentage (65.8 percent) ... last in the GAC and 156th in D2 in time of possession (26:47).

Team Leaders (GAC Rank in parenthesis)
HARDING
Rushing - Cole Chancey: 81 rushes, 471 yards (4th), 8 TD (3rd); Zach Shelley: 53 rushes, 438 yards (7th), 3 TD; Terrence Dingle: 83 rushes, 283 yards, 9 TD (2nd)
Passing - Terrence Dingle: 17-of-42, 344 yards, 3 TD
Receiving - Andrew Dather: 7 receptions, 155 yards, 1 TD
Tackles - Sam Blankenship: 54 tackles (4th), 3.5 TFL

NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE
Rushing - Anthony Cota: 69 rushes, 465 yards (6th), 6 TD (7th); Jacob Peyton: 68 rushes, 356 yards, 3 TD; Isaiah Weed: 79 rushes, 339 yards, 7 TD
Passing - Isaiah Weed: 97-of-147, 1,244 yards (4th), 11 TD (t3rd)
Receiving - Da'Shawn Gordon: 26 receptions, 420 yards (3rd), 3 TD; Horatio Smith: 23 receptions, 339 yards (9th), 3 TD
Tackles - Devin Peyton: 61 tackles (1st)

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Players Mentioned

#35 Dwayne Carter: RB; 5' 9"; Senior

#42 Sam Blankenship: LB; 6' 2"; Junior

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

#1 Terrence Dingle: QB; 5' 10"; Junior

#21 Frank Herbert: DB; 5' 10"; Junior

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

#8 T.J. Winslow: DL; 6' 3"; Junior

#30 Christian Witt: DB; 6' 1"; Junior

#34 Cole Chancey: RB; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#35 Dwayne Carter
: 5' 9"; Senior
: RB

#42 Sam Blankenship
: 6' 2"; Junior
: LB

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

#1 Terrence Dingle
: 5' 10"; Junior
: QB

#21 Frank Herbert
: 5' 10"; Junior
: DB

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

#8 T.J. Winslow
: 6' 3"; Junior
: DL

#30 Christian Witt
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DB

#34 Cole Chancey
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: RB