Football 9/19/2019 1:42:00 PM by Scott Goode (9/19/19)

No. 23 Harding Football vs. Southern Arkansas -- GAME NOTES

Harding Bisons (1-1, 1-1) vs. Southern Ark. Muleriders (2-0, 2-0)
Sept. 21, 2019 • 6 p.m. • Magnolia, Ark. • Wilkins Stadium

Game Story
Harding, who has won 10 of its last 11 Great American Conference road games, takes on Southern Arkansas, whose 17-game home winning streak is the longest in Division II. The Muleriders's last home loss was a 70-42 defeat to Harding on Sept. 19, 2015. Kickoff at Wilkins Stadium is at 6 p.m.

Harding junior cornerback Cory Batie had two interceptions last week against Arkansas-Monticello and earned GAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Harding is ranked No. 23 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Southern Arkansas is not ranked but received four votes.

Harding was picked second in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The coaches selected Southern Arkansas third in the 12-team conference.

Harding's 2019 captains are LB Chris Wein, DL Ben Trotter, OL Mills Bryant, OL Braden Hood, and DB Jacory Nichols.

Up Next
Harding will play its fourth straight in-state opponent Saturday at home against Henderson State. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 6 p.m. The Reddies lead the series 33-21-1, but the Bisons hold a 13-12-1 advantage in Searcy.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his third season as head coach at Harding. He has a 21-8 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.

Bill Koepple is in his 11th season at Southern Arkansas and has a 59-50 record. His teams have had four straight winning seasons and six in the last seven years. Keopple is a 1982 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas.

Series History
Harding and Southern Arkansas are meeting for the 56th time with the series tied 27-27-1 overall. The Bisons hold a 14-12 advantage in Magnolia, winning seven of the last eight.

Harding Series Records
Team
Points - 70, 2015
Rushing - 566, 2015
Passing - 384, 2008
Total - 625, 2015
Individual
Rushing - 194, Charles Jones, 1969
Passing - 384, David Knighton, 2008
Receiving - 177, Mike Alexander, 1987
Tackles - 20, Tim Polk, 2003

Home/Road Records
Harding is 0-1 on the road this season, 13-4 on the road under Simmons and 19-5 on the road in the last three-plus seasons. The Bisons have won 10 of their last 11 GAC road games. Southern Arkansas has won 17 straight home games, the longest active streak in Division II.

Last Meeting
In a game delayed until Sunday due to a lightning storm, Southern Arkansas scored on two fumble recoveries, including one late in the fourth quarter, to defeat No. 7 Harding 28-23 on Sept. 9, 2018, at First Security Stadium.

Harding led 17-7 at halftime, but Southern Arkansas constructed two long scoring drives, an 89-yard drive late in the third quarter and a 78-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Both drives ended with touchdown passes from quarterback Barrett Renner.

The second touchdown pass gave Southern Arkansas a 21-17 lead with 7:53 left in the game. Harding advanced to the SAU 42 on its next drive, but Southern Arkansas's Malik Preston forced his third fumble of the game, and DaVondrick Lison recovered the fumble and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. The score gave Southern Arkansas a 28-17 lead with 53 seconds remaining.

Streaks, Trends and Records
Harding ranked second in NCAA Division II in rushing last season at 341.1 yards per game. The Bisons have finished in the top three nationally in each of the last six seasons and led Division II in rushing in 2016 at 362.8 yards per game.

Harding led Division II last season in scoring defense with 11.3 points allowed. It was the second time in the last three seasons Harding finished in the top five (also fifth in 2016 with 15.2 points allowed). HU is allowing 8.0 points per game this season.

Harding led Division II last season in time of possession at 36 minutes, 2 seconds per game. The Bisons have won the TOP battle in 29 consecutive games and 41 times in its last 43 games. Six times during that stretch, the Bisons have had 40+ minutes.

Junior fullback Cole Chancey has 2,466 career rushing yards, good for sixth at HU. He needs 18 yards to pass Chris Pierson (2,483, 1996-97) for fifth. Chancey needs four rushing TD to match Alan Dixon (34, 1970-73) for second at Harding.

Harding has scored 323 rushing touchdowns in the last six-plus seasons and allowed 62. The Bisons have rushed for 26,945 yards and allowed 6,385 yards in that time.

Harding has outscored its opponents 254-79 in the first quarter of games over the last two-plus seasons, including 21-3 in 2019.

A Quick Look at Southern Arkansas
Southern Arkansas was 8-4 last season and lost 30-25 to Missouri Western in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas. The Muleriders have had a .500 record or better in each of the last seven seasons after suffering six losing seasons from 2006-11.

Through the first two games, Southern Arkansas has scored on all seven of its trips to the red zone, coming away with three TD and four field goals.

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Tristan Tucker: 17 rushes, 192 yards, 2 TD; Cole Chancey: 38 rushes, 168 yards, 1 TD
Passing - Preston Paden: 2-6, 96 yards, 1 TD
Receiving - Bobby Green: 1 reception, 85 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Cory Batie: 17 tackles, 2 INT, 2 PBU; Shedrick Robinson: 1.0 sack

SOUTHERN ARK.
Rushing - Kor'Davion Washington: 28 rushes, 189 yards, 1 TD
Passing - Hayden Mallory: 31-48, 436 yards, 3 TD
Receiving - Jared Lancaster: 8 receptions, 170 yards, 2 TD
Defense - Lorenzo Watkins: 12 tackles; Antonio Washington: 3.5 TFL; Shakey Robinson: 1 INT

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Players Mentioned

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

#58 Mills Bryant: OL; 6' 1"; Sophomore

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

#14 Bobby Green: WR; 6' 2"; Junior

#51 Braden Hood: OL; 6' 0"; Junior

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

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

#9 Shedrick Robinson: LB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#89 Ben Trotter: DL; 6' 6"; Junior

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

Players Mentioned

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

#58 Mills Bryant
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: OL

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

#14 Bobby Green
: 6' 2"; Junior
: WR

#51 Braden Hood
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OL

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

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

#9 Shedrick Robinson
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: LB

#89 Ben Trotter
: 6' 6"; Junior
: DL

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