Football 11/1/2018 9:17:00 AM by Scott Goode (11/1/18)

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

#24 Harding Bisons (7-2, 7-2) vs. Southeastern Okla. Savage Storm (5-4, 5-4)
Nov. 3, 2018 • 2 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Two of the top six defenses in NCAA Division II will be on display Saturday as No. 24 Harding hosts Southeastern Oklahoma at First Security Stadium. Harding is ranked second nationally in total defense, allowing 222.4 yards per game. Southeastern is ranked sixth nationally, allowing 244.4 yards per game.

Harding is ranked No. 9 in the second NCAA Super Region 3 Rankings. The top seven teams reach the NCAA Division II Playoffs at the end of the regular season.

Harding is ranked No. 24 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Southeastern Oklahoma is not ranked. Harding is ranked No. 17 by MasseyRatings.com with Southeastern at No. 54.

Harding rushed for 564 yards and 29 first downs, both the highest figures in Division II this season, in a 49-7 road victory at East Central. It was Harding's 10th consecutive regular season road victory. Tristan Tucker (108) and Malik Mathews (100) became the first slot back duo in Harding's flexbone era to reach 100 rushing yards.

Arkansas Tech limited Southeastern to a pair of Joel Carlos field goals Saturday in the Savage Storm's 10-6 loss in Durant, Oklahoma. Southeastern quarterback Rollin Kinsaul passed for 215 yards, but the Storm rushed for only 62. Southeastern punted on all six possessions in the first half and on eight of 11 possessions in the game.

Up Next
Harding plays its final regular season home game Saturday against Arkansas Tech. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 2 p.m. Tech leads the all-time series 31-24, but Harding leads 15-11 in Searcy.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his second season as head coach at Harding. He has an 18-6 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.

Bo Atterberry is in his fifth season at Southeastern Oklahoma and has a 32-22 record. He also coached at Texas A&M-Kingsville from 2007-2012 and had a 41-28 record. A 1998 Southeastern Oklahoma graduate, he has a 73-50 career record.

Series History
Harding holds a 22-7 lead in the series, including 12-1 in Searcy. Harding has won the last seven meetings overall and has a seven-game winning streak in Searcy. Southeastern's last win in Searcy was a 7-3 victory in 1989.

Home/Road Records
Harding is 2-2 at home this season and 27-8 at home since 2012. The Bisons have scored 14 rushing TD at home and allowed one. Harding has outscored its opponents 93-21 in the first three quarters of home games.

Last Meeting
Harding dominated possession, rushed for 501 yards, passed for 90 more, and the defense held an opponent without a touchdown for the third straight game as the Bisons defeated Southeastern Oklahoma 42-3 on Oct. 28, 2017, in Durant.

Harding set season highs with 42 minutes 30 seconds of possession, 591 total yards, 30 first downs and 9 of 12 conversions on third downs. Southeastern had only 226 total yards and seven first downs and converted just 3-of-13 third downs.

Harding had six rushers with more than 50 yards, led by Cole Chancey with 99 yards. Brandon Gates and Terrence Dingle scored two TD each. Austin Skinner was 11-of-30 passing for Southeastern for 147 yards. Rashod Polk was the leading rusher with 24 yards. Skye Lowe had three receptions for 68 yards and Jalen Sims caught four passes for 65 yards.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has outscored its opponents 104-7 in the first quarter of its first nine games. Only Oklahoma Baptist has scored against Harding in the first quarter.

Harding is second in D2 in rushing yards (3,213) and first in rushing TD (40). Harding is 10th in yards per rush (5.91).

Harding leads D2 with an average of 35:57 time of possession. The Bisons have held at least a six-minute advantage in every game this season and averages 1 minute, 19 seconds more TOP than second-place Minnesota Duluth (34:38).

RB Cole Chancey has 1,972 career rushing yards and needs only 28 yards to become the eighth Harding player with 2,000 career rushing yards. Chancey is fifth at Harding with 24 rushing TD. With his next TD he will tie Michael Latu (25, 2015-16) for fourth.

Harding vs. Southeastern Okla.
Tony Becton has 5 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR in 3 games ... Sam Blankenship has 9 tackles, 1.0 TFL in 3 games ... Brandon Brice had 4 tackles, 2 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR last season ... Cole Chancey had 15 rushes for 99 yards last season ... Dylan Hampton has 1 INT in 2 games ... Frank Herbert has 3 tackles and 2 INT in 3 games ... Daylon Markham has 20 tackles and 2 PBU in 3 games ... Preston Paden had 7 rushes for 53 yards last season ... Romar Reades had 7 rushes for 72 yards and 1 TD in 2016.

A Quick Look at Southeastern Oklahoma
Southeastern's defense has recovered 12 fumbles, most in the GAC and second in D2, trailing only Colorado St.-Pueblo's 13 ... SE's defense has allowed only 109 first downs, second only in D2 to Harding's defense ... SE's defense ranks fourth nationally in third-down conversions (24.8) ... SE ranks second in D2 in passing defense (126.8).

DB Daquawn Brown has a GAC-leading 14 pass breakups ... RB Kenneth Burks is tied with HU's Preston Paden and OBU's Brockton Brown with 11 rushing TD ... QB Rollin Kinsaul ranks third in the GAC in passing efficiency (129.8) and completion pct. (60.6).

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Cole Chancey: 121 rushes, 635 yards (4th GAC), 9 TD (4th GAC); Tristan Tucker: 60 rushes, 590 yards (6th GAC), 5 TD; Preston Paden: 107 rushes, 379 yards, 11 TD (1st GAC)
Passing - Preston Paden: 22-42, 519 yards, 5 TD (10th GAC)
Receiving - Taylor Bissell: 7 receptions, 251 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Sam Blankenship: 54 tackles; T.J. Winslow: 6.5 sacks (1st GAC); V'Onte Williams, Dra Smith: 2 INT
Punting - Cameron Scott: 28 punts, 42.4 avg. (1st GAC)
Kicking - Cameron Scott: 6 for 10 FG, 45 for 46 PAT

SOUTHEASTERN OKLA.
Rushing - Kenneth Burks: 174 rushes, 678 yards (3rd GAC), 11 TD (1st GAC)
Passing - Rollin Kinsaul: 98-164, 1,210 yards (7th GAC), 6 TD (7th GAC); Austin Skinner: 55-109, 661 yards, 4 TD
Receiving - Jaylen Sims: 51 receptions, 707 yards (4th GAC), 6 TD (3rd GAC)
Defense - Conner Swope: 89 tackles (4th GAC); Jared Bell: 3.0 sacks; Seu Luafatasaga/Larry Bridges: 2 INT
Punting - Joel Carlos: 51 punts, 36.7 avg. (10th GAC)
Kicking - Joel Carlos: 7 for 13 FG, 23 for 25 PAT

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Players Mentioned

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

#4 Brandon Gates: RB; 5' 10"; Junior

#3 Tony Becton: DB; 5' 10"; Senior

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

#31 Brandon Brice: DB; 6' 0"; Senior

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

#93 Dylan Hampton: DL; 6' 4"; Junior

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

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

#24 Malik Mathews: RB; 5' 7"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

#4 Brandon Gates
: 5' 10"; Junior
: RB

#3 Tony Becton
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DB

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

#31 Brandon Brice
: 6' 0"; Senior
: DB

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

#93 Dylan Hampton
: 6' 4"; Junior
: DL

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

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

#24 Malik Mathews
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Freshman
: RB