DURANT, Okla. – College football's top rushing team was on display again Saturday as the 16th-ranked Harding Bisons rushed for 462 yards and five touchdowns in a 35-14 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma in Great American Conference action at Paul Laird Field.
The victory was the ninth straight for Harding, who improved to 9-1 overall and in the GAC. It was also Harding's ninth straight win over Southeastern Oklahoma, who lost its eighth straight and fell to 1-9.
With the game tied 14-14 at halftime, Harding took the lead for good with an eight-play, 71-yard drive to open the second half that ended with a 1-yard TD run from Cole Chancey.
Harding's defense forced a punt and a missed field goal on Southeastern's two third-quarter drives and took a 28-14 lead on a 38-yard TD run from quarterback Preston Paden.
Slot back Taylor Bissell scored Harding's last TD midway through the fourth quarter on a 10-yard run. Bissell rushed for a career-high 162 yards on seven carries with two TD. It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.
Chancey also eclipsed the 100-yard barrier, rushing for 120 yards on 25 carries. He passed Southeastern's Devlon Wortham for third in GAC history in career rushing yards at 3,515. Chancey also has 1,217 rushing yards in 2019 to become the first Harding player ever with two 1,200-yard rushing seasons.
Paden, who did not attempt a pass in the game, carried 14 times for 93 yards and a TD.
Harding has now rushed for more than 400 yards and four or more TD in five straight games for the first time in program history.
Southeastern quarterback Daulton Hatley completed 15 of 29 passes for 147 yards and a TD.
Harding, ranked No. 4 in the latest NCAA Super Region Three rankings, plays its final regular season game Saturday at Arkansas Tech.