Football 10/24/2019 1:35:00 PM by Scott Goode (10/24/19)

No. 18 Harding vs. Northwestern Oklahoma -- GAME NOTES

#18 Harding Bisons (6-1, 6-1) vs. Northwestern Oklahoma (2-5, 2-5)
Oct. 26, 2019 • 4 p.m. • Alva, Okla. • Ranger Field

Game Story
No. 18 Harding travels to Northwestern Oklahoma seeking its seventh straight victory. The Bisons are the GAC leader in scoring defense and total defense and look to put the clamps on a Northwestern Oklahoma offense averaging 14.7 points and 311.4 total yards.

Harding is part of a three-way tie for second place in the GAC, one game back of leader Ouachita Baptist. Northwestern Oklahoma (2-5) has lost three straight and is part of a three-way tie for seventh in the conference.

Harding is ranked No. 18 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Northwestern Oklahoma is not ranked.

Harding's offense has eclipsed the 500-yard plateau in each of the last two games. The Bisons have never had 500 or more total yards in a game in three consecutive games.

Up Next
Harding hosts East Central next Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Senior Day. The Bisons lead the series with the Tigers 14-3 and have won the last seven. Harding has won all nine meetings in Searcy.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his third season as head coach at Harding. He has a 26-8 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.

Matt Walter is in his fifth season at Northwestern Oklahoma and has an 18-33 record. He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma in 2000.

Series History
Harding and Northwestern Okla. are meeting for the 13th time with the Bisons leading the series 10-2. Harding has won eight straight, including the last three in Alva.

Harding Series Records
Team
Points - 69, 2013
Rushing - 454, 2013
Passing - 238, 2013
Total - 692, 2013
Individual
Rushing - 167, Michael Latu, 2015
Passing - 186, Jacob Moore, 2013
Receiving - 110, Alex Rachal, 2013
Tackles - 8, four times, last by Daylon Markham and DeAndre Baines, 2015

Home/Road Records
Harding is 2-1 on the road this season, 15-4 on the road under Simmons and 21-5 on the road in the last three-plus seasons. The Bisons have won 12 of their last 13 GAC road games. NWOSU is 11-14 at home since joining the GAC in 2015.

Last Meeting
Sophomore quarterback Preston Paden scored three of Harding's five rushing touchdowns, and the Bisons held Northwestern Oklahoma to only 47 rushing yards in a 38-7 Homecoming victory over the Rangers last season at First Security Stadium.

Taylor Bissell (3 carries, 82 yards) and Cole Chancey (15 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD) led the Harding attack.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding's special teams rankings in the GAC: Net Punting (1st, 41.94), Kickoff Returns (2nd, 24.15), Punt Return Defense (2nd, 1.50), Kickoff Return Defense (3rd, 17.52), and Punt Returns (4th, 12.55).

Senior Jacory Nichols enters the game as the GAC's leader in combined kick return yardage with 433 yards. He has 233 yards on kickoffs and 200 on punts. Nichols ranks second in the GAC and sixth in D2 with 15.4 yards per punt return.

Harding's defense has held six consecutive opponents and 13 of its last 14 foes to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Harding's defense also has a streak of 17 games in which it has not allowed a play from scrimmage of 50 yards or more.

Junior fullback Cole Chancey has 3,073 career rushing yards, good for third at HU. and only 82 yards behind Romo Westbrook (2011-14) for second. Among active juniors in D2, Chancey ranks second in career yards and tied for first in career rushing TD (35).

Harding rushed for 492 yards against Oklahoma Baptist and 478 yards against Southwestern Oklahoma. The Bisons last rushed for more than 450 yards in three consecutive games in 2014 (SNU, 462; SAU, 500; UAM, 454).

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 59-6 in the first quarter in 2019. Northwestern Oklahoma has been outscored 31-6 in the first quarter and has not scored in the first quarter in its last three games.

Harding has converted 14 fourth downs in 2019 and is one of two teams (Minnesota State) that have not allowed a fourth down conversion.

A Quick Look at Northwestern Oklahoma
Northwestern Oklahoma is in its fifth season in Division II and has a 18-33 record during that span. The Rangers' last winning season was 2010 when the team was 8-3.

Northwestern Oklahoma's defense has forced a GAC-high 16 turnovers in 2019. The Rangers have scored only two TD in 18 red zone trips and only one first-quarter TD.

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Cole Chancey: 135 rushes, 775 yards (2nd GAC/11th D2), 6 TD (7th GAC); Tristan Tucker: 52 rushes, 516 yards (6th GAC), 8 TD (3rd GAC/17th D2)
Passing - Preston Paden: 8-17, 222 yards, 3 TD
Receiving - Taylor Bissell: 3 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Chris Wein: 36 tackles; Dylan Hendricks: 5.0 TFL

NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
Rushing - Jacob Peyton: 80 rushes, 375 yards (15th GAC), 1 TD; Calion Baker: 51 rushes, 301 yards
Passing - Trent Easley: 106-201, 1,311 yards (4th GAC), 8 TD (5th GAC)
Receiving - Gavin Garner: 25 receptions, 414 yards (7th GAC), 1 TD; Kentrez Bell: 14 receptions, 308 yards, 3 TD
Defense - Maurice Wright: 65 tackles (1st GAC/14th D2); James Ellis: 65 tackles (5th GAC), 4.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks; Christopher Fuz: 2 INT

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#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

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

#25 Chris Wein: LB; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

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

#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

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

#25 Chris Wein
: 6' 1"; Junior
: LB