Football 10/18/2018 8:46:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/18/18)

No. 24 Harding Football vs. Northwestern Oklahoma - GAME NOTES

#24 Harding Bisons (5-2, 5-2) vs. Northwestern Okla. Rangers (3-4, 3-4)
Oct. 20, 2018 • 2 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Two of the GAC's top rushing teams square off Saturday on Homecoming at First Security Stadium. Harding, ranked second in Division II with 330.7 rushing yards per game, hosts Northwestern Oklahoma, fourth in the GAC with 165.1 rushing yards per game. Harding's defense enters the game ranked second in Division II.

Harding is ranked No. 24 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Northwestern Oklahoma is not ranked. Harding is ranked No. 17 by MasseyRatings.com with Northwestern at No. 61.

Harding, tied with Southeastern Oklahoma for third in the GAC, is coming off a 50-10 victory at Southwestern Oklahoma. The Bisons held a 50-0 lead after three quarters. Harding rushed for 377 yards and four TD and had two passing TD for the first time this season. Harding held Southwestern to only 135 total yards and 10 first downs.

Northwestern, tied with Arkansas-Monticello for sixth in the GAC, posted a 21-0 shutout of Arkansas Tech last Saturday in Alva. It was Northwestern's first shutout since 2007 and was aided by five Arkansas Tech turnovers. There were 18 penalties, 15 punts and seven turnovers in the game.

Up Next
Harding plays its final regular season road game next Saturday at East Central in Ada, Oklahoma. Kickoff at Koi Ishto Field is at 4 p.m. Harding holds a 13-3 lead in the all-time series and has won six straight. The Bisons are 4-3 in Ada.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his second season as head coach at Harding. He has a 16-6 overall record and led Harding to the national semifinals in 2017. He is in his 13th season at Harding and had been Harding's defensive coordinator for the previous seven seasons before becoming head coach in 2017. Simmons was a three-time All-American defensive end and linebacker at Harding from 1992-94.

Matt Walter is in his fourth season at Northwestern Oklahoma and has a 15-25 record. He is a graduate of Northwestern Oklahoma.

Series History
Harding leads the all-time series 9-2 and has won all five meetings in Searcy. Harding is playing Northwestern for Homecoming for the first time.

Home/Road Records
Harding is 1-2 at home this season and 26-8 at home since 2012. Northwestern is 0-3 on the road and has allowed 36.0 points per game compared to 15.0 points at home. Harding is 39-17-2 (.690) on Homecoming and has won its last four.

Last Meeting
Harding scored the first of two consecutive shutouts last season with a 34-0 blanking of Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva on Oct. 14, 2017. It was Harding's fourth consecutive win.

Two interceptions off deflected passes and a dominating ground game gave Harding a 21-0 lead at halftime.

Harding rushed for 408 yards on 60 carries, its fifth straight game with more than 300 rushing yards.

Harding had 417 total yards to only 201 for Northwestern. The Bisons held the Rangers to only 83 rushing yards.

Harding had 118 interception return yards, fourth-most ever in a game and the most since the Bisons had 123 return yards on three interceptions against Northeastern State in 1999.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has outscored its opponents 83-7 in the first quarter of its first seven games.

Harding is second in D2 in rushing yards (2,315) and first in rushing TD (28). Harding is 16th in yards per rush (5.55).

Harding ranks third in D2 with an average of 35:22 time of possession. The Bisons have held at least a six-minute advantage in every game this season.

RB Cole Chancey has 1,805 career rushing yards and needs 72 to move past Chris Gilliam (1,876, 1994-97) into 10th on Harding's career list. He is seventh at Harding with 20 career rushing TD. He will tie Terrence Dingle (2015-17) for sixth with his next TD.

Harding vs. NWOSU
Sam Blankenship has 10 tackles, 1.5 TFL, and 1 INT in 3 games ... Cole Chancey rushed for 85 yards on 12 carries last season ... Devyn Comer had 2 tackles, 1.0 sack and a 68-yard INT TD last season ... Frank Herbert has 8 tackles and 1 INT in 3 games ... Daylon Markham has 14 tackles and 1.0 TFL in 3 games ... Jacory Nichols has 7 tackles and 1 FR in 2 games ... V'Onte Williams had 1 tackle and 1 INT last season ... T.J. Winslow had 9 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF and 1 FR in 3 games ... Christian Witt has 15 tackles in 3 games.

A Quick Look at Northwestern Oklahoma
NWOSU leads the GAC with eight fumble recoveries ... leads the GAC with 22.89 yards per kickoff return ... leads the GAC with 2.00 sacks per game, but last in the GAC with 2.71 sacks allowed per game ... last in the GAC in time of possession (26:00) and penalties per game (9.29).

Horatio Smith leads the GAC and ranks 28th in D2 with 462 combined kick return yards ... Smith is one of two GAC players with a kickoff return TD this season ... Maurice Wright (11.4) and Dakota Driskill (11.0) are two of three GAC players averaging 11.0 or more tackles per game.

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Tristan Tucker: 50 rushes, 484 yards (5th GAC), 5 TD (6th GAC); Cole Chancey: 88 rushes, 468 yards (6th GAC), 5 TD (6th GAC); Preston Paden: 82 rushes, 295 yards, 7 TD (3rd GAC)
Passing - Preston Paden: 17-34, 411 yards (12th GAC), 5 TD (8th GAC)
Receiving - Taylor Bissell: 6 receptions, 209 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Sam Blankenship: 45 tackles; T.J. Winslow: 4.0 sacks (5th GAC); V'Onte Williams, Dra Smith: 2 INT (7th GAC)
Punting - Cameron Scott: 26 punts, 42.2 avg. (1st GAC/26th D2)
Kicking - Cameron Scott: 5 for 9 FG, 33 for 34 PAT

NORTHWESTERN OKLA.
Rushing - Tyson Gatewood: 81 rushes, 416 yards (9th GAC), 2 TD
Passing - Cesar De Leon: 34-62, 337 yards, 4 TD (11th GAC)
Receiving - Gavin Garner: 32 receptions (7th GAC), 434 yards (8th GAC), 5 TD (2nd GAC)
Defense - Maurice Wright, Jr.: 80 tackles (2nd GAC); Jimmie Pace: 10.0 TFL (3rd GAC), 4.0 sacks (1st GAC); Trey Merritt: 3 INT (4th GAC)
Punting - Blake Humble: 36 punts, 41.1 avg. (5th GAC)
Kicking - Luke Neimeyer: 3 for 6 FG, 15 for 15 PAT

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Players Mentioned

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

#42 Sam Blankenship: LB; 6' 3"; Senior

#34 Cole Chancey: RB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#13 Devyn Comer: DL; 6' 2"; Senior

#21 Frank Herbert: DB; 5' 11"; Senior

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

#7 Jacory Nichols: DB; 5' 6"; Junior

#11 Preston Paden: QB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#26 Taylor Bissell: RB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#18 Cameron Scott: K/P; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#42 Sam Blankenship
: 6' 3"; Senior
: LB

#34 Cole Chancey
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: RB

#13 Devyn Comer
: 6' 2"; Senior
: DL

#21 Frank Herbert
: 5' 11"; Senior
: DB

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

#7 Jacory Nichols
: 5' 6"; Junior
: DB

#11 Preston Paden
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: QB

#26 Taylor Bissell
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: RB

#18 Cameron Scott
: 6' 1"; Junior
: K/P