Harding Football vs. Southern Arkansas - Game Notes

Harding Bisons (0-1, 0-1) at Southern Arkansas Muleriders (0-1, 0-1)
Sept. 9, 2017 • 6 p.m. • Magnolia, Ark. • Wilkins Stadium

Game Story
Harding will look to even its season record Saturday when it travels to Magnolia, Arkansas, to meet Southern Arkansas at 6 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium. Both Harding and Southern Arkansas suffered losses in the first week of the season. Harding fell 28-20 to Henderson State on Thursday in Searcy. Southern Arkansas lost 28-21 to Arkansas Tech on Thursday in Russellville.

Both Harding and Southern Arkansas were ranked in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll but with losses in week one, both teams dropped out of the poll. Both are receiving votes. Harding is ranked No. 8 by MasseyRatings.com, and Southern Arkansas is No. 37. Hero Sports has Harding at No. 16 and Southern Arkansas at No. 55.

Opposite offenses: Harding led Division II in rushing last season and rushed for 235 yards in week one. Southern Arkansas rushed for a GAC-low 60 yards in its first game, but passed for 343 yards.

Harding was picked second in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Southern Arkansas is the preseason favorite.

Up Next
Harding plays its second of five home games against Southern Nazarene. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 6 p.m. The Bisons have won all five meetings with the Crimson Storm and have outscored Southern Nazarene 268-41.

The Coaches
Harding's Paul Simmons will be coaching his first road game 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.

Bill Koepple is in his ninth season at Southern Arkansas and has a 42-43 overall record. He is a 1982 graduate of Central Arkansas.

Series History
Harding and Southern Arkansas are meeting for the 54th time with the Bisons leading the all-time series 27-25-1. Harding has won the last 11 meetings. SAU's last win was a 24-19 victory in Searcy in 2003.

Home/Road Records
Harding was 5-0 on the road during the regular season in 2016 and is 21-5 in GAC road games over the last five seasons. The Bisons are 14-10 on the road against Southern Arkansas and have won the last seven meetings in Magnolia. HU's last loss in Magnolia came in 1991.

Last Meeting
Harding rushed for 385 yards and five touchdowns in a 35-14 victory over Southern Arkansas on Sept. 17, 2016, at First Security Stadium in Searcy.

With the game tied 7-7, senior fullback Michael Latu scored on a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:02 left in the second quarter to give Harding the lead for good. It was the first of three rushing touchdowns for Latu, who carried 18 times for 136 yards.

Barrett Renner completed 16-of-31 passes for 177 yards and an interception, and Michael Nunnery rushed 11 times for 26 yards and a TD.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Zach Shelley needs 80 yards to become the seventh Bison to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a career. He currently ranks eighth with 1,920 yards.

Senior Daylon Markham has 15 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in three games against Southern Arkansas ... T.J. Winslow has nine tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in two games.

Shelley has rushed 14 times for 230 yards and two TD, scored on a 49-yard TD pass and has 296 all-purpose yards in three games vs. SAU.

Harding has rushed for more than 200 yards in 48 of its last 49 GAC games and in 14 straight conference games. The Bisons have allowed 200 rushing yards only once in their last 20 games.

A Quick Look at Southern Arkansas
Southern Arkansas was 9-3 last season and concluded its year with a 24-17 loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville in the Texarkana Live United Bowl. The Muleriders averaged 469.8 yards of total offense, 20th in Division II.

In its opener against Arkansas Tech, Southern Arkansas ran 68 plays, 44 of them passing (64.7 percent).

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Zach Shelley: 10 rushes, 109 yards, 0 TD
Passing - Terrence Dingle: 4-of-8, 101 yards, 1 TD
Receiving - Grant Kimberlin: 2 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TD
Tackles - Sam Blankenship: 10 tackles, 1 FF

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Rushing - Michael Nunnery: 10 rushes, 29 yards, 0 TD
Passing - Barrett Renner: 33-of-44, 343 yards, 3 TD
Receiving - Tanner Hudson: 8 receptions, 73 yards, 0 TD
Tackles - Elgin Moore: 12 tackles, 2 PBU

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#5 Grant Kimberlin: RB; 5' 8"; Senior

#32 Daylon Markham: DB; 5' 10"; Senior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#5 Grant Kimberlin
: 5' 8"; Senior
: RB

#32 Daylon Markham
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DB

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

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