Football 10/5/2017 2:33:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/5/17)

Harding Football vs. Ouachita Baptist - GAME NOTES

Harding Bisons (2-3, 2-3) vs. Ouachita Baptist Tigers (4-1, 4-1)
Oct. 7, 2017 • 12 p.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark. • Cliff Harris Stadium

Game Story
Harding and Ouachita Baptist have played every year since 1960 and renew their rivalry for the 57th consecutive season Saturday at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia.

Harding is 2-3 overall and in the GAC and has won two straight. Ouachita Baptist has also won its last two games and is 4-1 overall and in conference. The Tigers are one game behind GAC leader Southeastern Oklahoma.

Harding enters the game ranked second in NCAA Division II with 327.2 rushing yards per game. Minnesota State is Division II's leader with 338.0 yards per game. The Bisons have rushed for more than 300 yards in three consecutive games. Harding has rushed for 200 or more yards in 52 of its last 53 GAC games and the last 18 straight.

Ouachita leads Division II in net punting, averaging 43.56 yards per punt. Tiger punter Shelton Wooley averages 46.6 yards per punt, and seven of his 16 punts have traveled 50 or more yards. Ouachita opponents have returned only four punts for just eight yards.

Harding's defense enters the game as the top unit in the GAC in rushing defense (107.8 yards per game) and second in total defense (335.8). Three of Harding's first five opponents have rushed for fewer than 100 yards.

Up Next
Harding will play the second of two consecutive road games Saturday, Oct. 14 against Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva. Harding holds an 8-2 advantage over Northwestern and has won the last six games.

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.

Todd Knight, a 1986 Ouachita Baptist graduate, is in his 20th season as head coach at Ouachita and his 26th season as a collegiate head coach. He is 99-93 at Ouachita and 127-125-2 overall.

Series History
Harding leads the all-time series with Ouachita 31-23-4. The Bisons lead the series 15-13-2 in Arkadelphia. The teams first played on Nov. 1, 1928, a 0-0 tie in Arkadelphia. The next meeting came in Arkadelphia on Nov. 8, 1960, and also ended in a 0-0 tie. The third game of the series finally resulted in points and a 15-14 Harding victory in Searcy in 1961.

Home/Road Records
Harding is 1-1 on the road this season. The Bisons have averaged 294.5 rushing yards and scored seven rushing TD in those two games, and have allowed only 78.0 rushing yards and no rushing TD. Ouachita is 1-1 at home with a 31-28 win over Northwestern Oklahoma and a 41-35 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma.

Last Meeting
Harding quarterback Park Parish rushed for 144 yards and a TD and passed for another TD to lead the 20th-ranked Bisons to a 24-20 victory over Ouachita Baptist in 2016 at First Security Stadium.

With Ouachita holding a 20-17 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Harding forced a punt and took over at their own 21. Two plays later, Parish broke through the Tiger defense with a 75-yard run and was tackled at the OBU 2. He scored on the next play to give Harding its first lead of the second half.

Ouachita had one more opportunity for a comeback, but on 2nd-and-14 at the OBU 38, Harding cornerback Isaiah Jefferson intercepted a pass by Tiger quarterback Austin Warford.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Zach Shelley averages 9.2 yards per carry in his career, which is the highest among active players at any level in the NCAA (min. 2,000 yards) ... ranks seventh at Harding in career rushing yards (2,188) and tied for fifth in career rushing TD (19) ... ranks ninth with 3,082 all-purpose yards, 55 behind Donatella Luckett (3,136, 2011-14) ... ranks fourth in the GAC with 377 rushing yards.

Sam Blankenship needs three tackles to reach 100 in his career ... ranks seventh in the GAC with 8.0 tackles per game.

Against Ouachita Baptist: Dather had a 69-yard TD catch in 2015 ... Isaiah Jefferson had an interception, a TFL and a pass breakup in 2016 ... Christian Witt had six tackles in 2016.

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.

Harding quarterback Terrence Dingle and fullback Cole Chancey each have seven rushing TD. Their 14 rushing TD are currently the most by two Division II teammates this season.

A Quick Look at Ouachita Baptist
Ouachita Baptist won the GAC championship in 2011 and 2014 ... the Tigers are 45-17 all-time in GAC games ... OBU is ranked fifth nationally converting third downs (52.6%) but rank 162nd of 168 teams in third-down conversion defense (51.3%) ... OBU has been penalized 26 times this season, the fewest among GAC teams ... OBU has allowed 123 first downs, most against a GAC team ... OBU leads the GAC in three special teams categories: kickoff returns (27.68), net punting (43.56) and punt return defense (2.00).

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Zach Shelley: 44 rushes, 377 yards (4th-GAC), 2 TD; Cole Chancey: 65 rushes, 374 yards (5th-GAC), 7 TD (2nd-GAC)
Passing - Terrence Dingle: 16-of-39, 306 yards, 3 TD
Receiving - Andrew Dather: 7 receptions, 155 yards, 1 TD
Tackles - Sam Blankenship: 40 tackles (7th-GAC), 3.5 TFL

OUACHITA BAPTIST
Rushing - Austin Warford: 60 rushes, 342 yards (8th-GAC), 2 TD; Drew Harris: 33 rushes, 191 yards, 10 TD (2nd-NCAA, 1st-GAC)
Passing - Austin Warford: 66-of-100, 892 yards (6th-GAC), 5 TD (9th-GAC)
Receiving - Allie Freeman: 26 receptions, 322 yards (4th-GAC), 3 TD (5th-GAC)
Tackles - Elijah Williams: 48 tackles (2nd-GAC), 4.5 TFL

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#24 Isaiah Jefferson: DB; 5' 9"; Senior

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#24 Isaiah Jefferson
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DB

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

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

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