Football 10/17/2019 2:29:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/17/19)

No. 21 Harding vs. Southwestern Okla. - GAME NOTES

#21 Harding Bisons (5-1, 5-1) vs. Southwestern Oklahoma (2-4, 2-4)
Oct. 19, 2019 • 3 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Harding's rushing offense, ranked No. 3 in Division II, takes on a Southwestern Oklahoma defense ranked 11th in the Great American Conference against the run. The Bulldogs have one of the top passing attacks in the conference, averaging 217.5 yards per game.

Harding, winner of five straight, is part of a three-way tie for second place in the GAC, one game back of leader Ouachita Baptist. Southwestern Oklahoma (2-4) has lost four straight after opening the season with two wins.

Harding is ranked No. 21 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Southwestern Oklahoma is not ranked.

Harding will be playing Southwestern Oklahoma for Homecoming for the third time in the last four seasons. Harding won 42-27 in 2016 and 42-0 in 2017. The Bisons are 40-17-2 (.695) in 59 Homecoming games and have won five straight.

Up Next
Harding makes its longest road trip of the season (485 miles) to Alva, to take on Northwestern Oklahoma. Harding leads the series 10-2 and has won eight straight, including the last three in Alva.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his third season as head coach at Harding. He has a 25-8 overall record and led Harding to the NCAA II Playoffs both seasons, including a spot in the national semifinals in 2017. He is in his 14th season at Harding and had been Harding's defensive coordinator for the previous seven seasons. Simmons was a three-time All-American defensive end and linebacker at Harding from 1992-94.

Chet Pobolish is in his second season at Southwestern Oklahoma and has a 5-12 record. He graduated from Emporia State in 2000.

Series History
Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma are meeting for the 15th time with the Bisons leading the series 9-5. Harding has won the last three overall. The Bisons are 7-2 against the Bulldogs in Searcy and have won five straight.

Harding Series Records
Team
Points - 70, 2011
Rushing - 506, 2016
Passing - 205, 1997
Total - 560, 2016
Individual
Rushing - 184, Lloyd Coakley, 1994
Passing - 204, Luke Cullins, 1999
Receiving - 85, Chris Pierson, 1997
Tackles - 12, three times, last by Sam Blankenship, 2017

Home/Road Records
Harding has won its last six home games, is 10-4 at home under Simmons and 17-4 at home in the last three seasons. Southwestern Oklahoma is 16-31 on the road in the GAC era (since 2011).

Last Meeting
Harding scored touchdowns on each of its first six possessions, including two passing touchdowns, and defeated Southwestern Oklahoma 50-10 last season in Weatherford.

Harding led 36-0 at halftime. The Bisons rushed for 273 yards and had 323 total in the first half. Southwestern had only 12 rushing yards and 12 passing yards for 24 total.

Matt Fuller led Harding with 99 rushing yards, including an 87-yard scamper. Taylor Bissell carried five times for 85 yards, and Cole Chancey scored two rushing TD.

SWOSU's Tyler Marr was 3-of-4 passing for 32 yards and rushed for 23 yards.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding leads the GAC in kickoff returns (24.27 yards) and net punting (41.60). The Bisons are fourth in D2 in punting and fourth in the GAC in punt returns (10.80).

Senior Jacory Nichols enters the game as the GAC's leader in combined kick return yardage with 309 yards. He has 198 yards on kickoffs and 111 on punts. Nichols leads the GAC and ranks 11th in D2 with 13.9 yards per punt return.

Harding's defense has held five consecutive opponents and 12 of its last 13 foes to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Harding's defense also has a streak of 16 games in which it has not allowed a play from scrimmage of 50 yards or more.

Junior fullback Cole Chancey has 2,983 career rushing yards, good for third at HU. Among active juniors in D2, Chancey ranks second in career yards and in career rushing TD (33), trailing only UIndy's Al McKeller (3,074 yards and 35 TD).

Harding rushed for 492 yards and seven TD at Oklahoma Baptist last Saturday. It was the 18th time since 2011 that Harding rushed for more than 400 yards and at least seven TD.

Harding has outscored its opponents 278-82 in the first quarter of games over the last two-plus seasons, including 45-6 in 2019.

Harding has converted 14 fourth downs in 2019, tied for the most in Division II, and is one of three teams that have not allowed a fourth down conversion.

A Quick Look at Southwestern Oklahoma
Southwestern Oklahoma is seeking its first winning season since 2015 when the team went 8-4. Its only other winning season in the GAC era was a 6-5 season in 2013.

Southwestern has lost only one fumble all season, tied for the fewest in the GAC. The Bulldogs are the conference's most penalized team at 9.33 penalties per game.

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Cole Chancey: 120 rushes, 685 yards (2nd GAC/10th D2), 4 TD (7th GAC); Tristan Tucker: 46 rushes, 419 yards (7th GAC), 7 TD (3rd GAC/21st D2)
Passing - Preston Paden: 7-14, 196 yards, 2 TD
Receiving - Taylor Bissell: 2 receptions, 56 yards
Defense - Dylan Hendricks: 33 tackles, 5.0 TFL; Dylan Hampton: 2.5 sacks; Cory Batie, V'Onte Williams: 2 INT (4th GAC)

SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
Rushing - Tyler Marr: 36 rushes, 162 yards, 2 TD; Tristian Houston: 34 rushes, 145 yards, 3 TD
Passing - Tyler Marr: 87-182, 1,276 yards (3rd GAC), 11 TD (3rd GAC)
Receiving - Jared Rayburn: 21 receptions, 409 yards (4th GAC), 5 TD (3rd GAC)
Defense - Braden Sweet: 53 tackles (5th GAC); CJ Jennings: 5.0 TFL; Jalen Carr: 3 INT (1st GAC)

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Players Mentioned

#12 Cory Batie: DB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

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

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

#20 Matt Fuller: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

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

#43 Dylan Hendricks: LB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

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

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

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

#19 Tristan Tucker: RB; 5' 9"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#12 Cory Batie
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: DB

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

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

#20 Matt Fuller
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

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

#43 Dylan Hendricks
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: LB

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

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

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

#19 Tristan Tucker
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: RB