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Football by Scott Goode (11/8/18)

No. 25 Harding Football vs. Arkansas Tech - GAME NOTES

#25 Harding Bisons (8-2, 8-2) vs. Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (3-7, 3-7)
Nov. 10, 2018 • 2 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
The top rushing defense in the Great American Conference will look to stop the conference's top rusher Saturday as Harding hosts Arkansas Tech on Senior Day at 2 p.m. Harding's defense allows only 68.7 rushing yards per game, while Tech's Bryan Allen leads the GAC with 84.0 rushing yards per game.

Harding is ranked No. 8 in the third 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. 25 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Arkansas Tech is not ranked. Harding is ranked No. 18 by MasseyRatings.com with Tech at No. 100. 

Harding's defense had four interceptions and held Southeastern Oklahoma to -3 rushing yards in a 24-10 victory last Saturday. Cole Chancey led the Harding offense with 99 rushing yards and 3 TD, all coming after Harding interceptions. V'Onte Williams had two of Harding's four interceptions.
 
Bryan Allen rushed for three second-quarter TD and had 132 rushing yards, but Tech gave up a late lead and lost 28-26 to East Central last Saturday in Russellville. Manny Harris was 13-for-33 passing for 119 yards. It was Tech's fifth loss in its last six games.

Up Next
Your guess is as good as mine.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his second season as head coach at Harding. He has an 19-6 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.

Raymond Monica is in his sixth season at Arkansas Tech and has a 34-33 record. He also coached at Kutztown from 2006-2012 and had a 45-34 record. A 1990 North Alabama graduate, he has a 79-67 career record.

Series History
Tech leads the all-time series 31-24, but Harding leads 15-11 in Searcy. Harding has won the last two games and six of the last seven. Harding has won four straight in Searcy.
 
Home/Road Records
Harding is 3-2 at home this season and 28-8 at home since 2012. The Bisons have scored 17 rushing TD at home and allowed two. Harding has outscored its opponents 103-24 in the first three quarters of home games.

Last Meeting
Harding won its eighth consecutive game and qualified for the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second straight season with a 24-17 victory over Arkansas Tech last season in Russellville.

Terrence Dingle scored on a 30-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to give Harding the lead, then Dra Smith intercepted a pass to seal the victory.

Harding rushed for 311 yards, led by Cole Chancey with 97 yards on 23 carries. Dingle rushed for 74 yards and scored two TD.

Harding limited Arkansas Tech to only 163 passing yards and 85 rushing yards, and  junior linebacker Sam Blankenship had 11 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding has outscored its opponents 104-7 in the first quarter of its first 10 games. Only Oklahoma Baptist has scored against Harding in the first quarter. 

Harding leads D2 in rushing yards (3,471) and in rushing TD (43). Harding is 11th in yards per rush (5.77).

Harding leads D2 with an average of 35:44 time of possession. The Bisons have held at least a six-minute advantage in every game this season and average 40 seconds more TOP than second-place Minnesota Duluth (35:04).

RB Cole Chancey has 2,071 career rushing yards and became only the eighth Harding rusher with more than 2,000 yards. He is 185 yards behind seventh-place Kale Gelles (2,256, 2008-11). Chancey has 27 rushing TD, fourth at HU and one behind third-place Romo Westbrook (28, 2011-14).

Harding vs. Arkansas Tech
Sam Blankenship has 17 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 FF, 1 FR in 3 games ... Cole Chancey rushed for 97 yards on 23 carries last season ... Devyn Comer has 3 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks last season ... Frank Herbert has 11 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FR in 3 games ... Daylon Markham has 13 tackles, 1 INT (TD), 1.0 TFL, 2 PBU in 3 games ... Jacory Nichols has 9 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 3 KR-76 yards in 2 games ... Dra Smith has 6 tackles, 1 INT in 3 games ... V'Onte Williams had 6 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PBU last season.

A Quick Look at Arkansas Tech
Arkansas Tech is second in the GAC in both tackles for loss/game (7.0) and sacks/game (2.20) ... Tech is 11th in the GAC in completion percentage (48.4) and last in passing efficiency (93.69) ... Tech in also last in the GAC in both kickoff returns (15.43) and punt returns (0.43).

RB Bryan Allen in the GAC's leader in all-purpose yards/game (120.60), rushing yards (840) and rushing yards/game (84.0) ... DB D.J. Williams has four interceptions, tied with Harding's V'Onte Williams for the GAC lead.
 
Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Cole Chancey: 142 rushes, 734 yards (3rd GAC), 12 TD (1st GAC); Tristan Tucker: 66 rushes, 631 yards (7th GAC), 5 TD; Preston Paden: 118 rushes, 416 yards, 11 TD (3rd GAC)
Passing - Preston Paden: 23-45, 540 yards, 5 TD (10th GAC)
Receiving - Taylor Bissell: 8 receptions, 272 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Sam Blankenship: 60 tackles; T.J. Winslow: 9.0 TFL, 8.5 sacks (1st GAC); V'Onte Williams: 4 INT (1st GAC)
Punting - Cameron Scott: 33 punts, 41.6 avg. (3rd GAC)
Kicking - Cameron Scott: 7 for 11 FG, 48 for 49 PAT

ARKANSAS TECH
Rushing - Bryan Allen: 183 rushes, 840 yards (1st GAC), 5 TD
Passing - Manny Harris: 67-134, 697 yards, 3 TD; Carter Burcham: 92-194, 1,208 (7th GAC) yards, 5 TD (10th GAC)
Receiving - Terrez Hampton: 45 receptions, 679 yards (5th GAC), 1 TD
Defense - KJ Reid: 109 tackles (2nd GAC), 8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks; D.J. Williams: 4 INT (1st GAC)
Punting - Tyler Dunlop: 57 punts, 41.8 avg. (2nd GAC)
Kicking - Tyler Dunlop: 2 for 4 FG, 6 for 6 PAT
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Players Mentioned

Terrence Dingle

#1 Terrence Dingle

QB
5' 10"
Junior
Sam Blankenship

#42 Sam Blankenship

LB
6' 3"
Senior
Cole Chancey

#34 Cole Chancey

RB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Devyn Comer

#13 Devyn Comer

DL
6' 2"
Senior
Frank Herbert

#21 Frank Herbert

DB
5' 11"
Senior
Daylon Markham

#1 Daylon Markham

DB
5' 10"
Senior
Jacory Nichols

#7 Jacory Nichols

DB
5' 6"
Junior
Preston Paden

#11 Preston Paden

QB
5' 11"
Sophomore
Taylor Bissell

#26 Taylor Bissell

RB
5' 8"
Sophomore
Cameron Scott

#18 Cameron Scott

K/P
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Terrence Dingle

#1 Terrence Dingle

5' 10"
Junior
QB
Sam Blankenship

#42 Sam Blankenship

6' 3"
Senior
LB
Cole Chancey

#34 Cole Chancey

5' 10"
Sophomore
RB
Devyn Comer

#13 Devyn Comer

6' 2"
Senior
DL
Frank Herbert

#21 Frank Herbert

5' 11"
Senior
DB
Daylon Markham

#1 Daylon Markham

5' 10"
Senior
DB
Jacory Nichols

#7 Jacory Nichols

5' 6"
Junior
DB
Preston Paden

#11 Preston Paden

5' 11"
Sophomore
QB
Taylor Bissell

#26 Taylor Bissell

5' 8"
Sophomore
RB
Cameron Scott

#18 Cameron Scott

6' 1"
Junior
K/P
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Phone: 501-279-4760