Football 9/26/2019 9:57:00 AM by Scott Goode (9/26/19)

No. 22 Harding vs. Henderson State -- GAME NOTES

#22 Harding Bisons (2-1, 2-1) vs. Henderson St. Reddies (3-0, 3-0)
Sept. 28, 2019 • 6 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Game Story
Harding, Division II's fifth-ranked rushing offense, hosts Henderson State, Division II's fifth-ranked passing offense Saturday at First Security Stadium. Harding is looking to snap a streak of eight straight wins by the road team in the series. Harding has shutouts in its last two games and leads Division II in scoring defense (5.3 ppg).

Harding has five interceptions in the last two games and has returned them for 248 yards and three TD.

Harding is ranked No. 22 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Henderson State is not ranked but received four votes.

Harding was picked second in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The coaches selected Henderson State fourth in the 12-team conference.

Up Next
Harding will play its second straight home game and first Oklahoma opponent when it hosts Southern Nazarene for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Harding holds a 6-1 series lead and has won two of three in Searcy.

The Coaches
Paul Simmons is in his third season as head coach at Harding. He has a 22-8 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.

Scott Maxfield is in his 15th season at Henderson State and has a 102-54 record. After eight straight winning seasons, Maxfield had his first losing season since 2009 last year. Maxfield is a 1984 graduate of Louisiana Tech.

Series History
Harding and Henderson State are meeting for the 56th time with the Reddies leading the series tied 33-21-1 overall. The Bisons hold a 13-12-1 advantage in Searcy. Since the GAC began, the road team has won eight straight meetings. Henderson State has won the last five in Searcy with Harding's last win coming in 2009.

Harding Series Records
Team
Points - 44, 2014
Rushing - 369, 2013
Passing - 385, 2008
Total - 486, 2013
Individual
Rushing - 180, Alan Dixon, 1971
Passing - 384, David Knighton, 2008
Receiving - 148, Gerald Payne, 2000
Tackles - 14, Kennard Henderson, 2009

Home/Road Records
Harding has won its last four home games, is 8-4 at home under Simmons and 15-4 at home in the last three seasons. Henderson State is 34-2 on the road since 2012.

Last Meeting
No. 7-ranked Harding rushed for 307 yards and scored 21 points off Henderson State turnovers in a 41-17 victory Thursday at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium. It was the season and Great American Conference opener for both teams.

Harding scored 14 points off turnovers in the first half and used a 90-yard drive late in the second quarter to pull out to a 24-7 halftime lead.

Cole Chancey and Tristan Tucker both rushed for 103 yards. Senior defensive end T.J. Winslow had 3.0 sacks and two forced fumbles to lead the Harding defense.

Henderson State quarterback Richard Stammetti, making his first start, completed 21-of-33 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns

Streaks, Trends and Records
Through three games, Harding's defense has allowed only one touchdown and has scored three on interception returns. Harding's three opponents have scored 27 TD, only one coming against Harding. The Bisons are the only team in Division II to have played three games and allowed fewer than three TD.

Harding ranks third in Division II in net punting at 43.44 yards per punt. Eight of Cameron Scott's nine punts have landed inside the 20 and none have been returned.

Before Saturday, Harding last shutout consecutive opponents on Oct. 14, 2017 (Northwestern Okla., 34-0) and Oct. 21, 2017 (Southwestern Okla.). Harding last shutout three straight opponents in 1965 -- Millsaps (14-0), Ozarks (38-0) and Henderson St. (7-0).

The Bisons have won the TOP battle in 30 consecutive games and 42 times in its last 44 games. Six times during that stretch, the Bisons have had 40+ minutes.

Junior fullback Cole Chancey has 2,530 career rushing yards, good for fifth at HU. He needs 160 yards to pass former teammate Zach Shelley for fourth.

Harding has scored 325 rushing touchdowns in the last six-plus seasons and allowed 62. The Bisons have rushed for 27,244 yards and allowed 6,447 yards in that time.

Harding has outscored its opponents 257-79 in the first quarter of games over the last two-plus seasons, including 24-3 in 2019.

A Quick Look at Henderson St.
Henderson St. was 5-6 last season, losing its last three games. The Reddies have opened the 2019 season 3-0 against teams with a combined record of 1-8.

Henderson State's opponents have converted only 9 of 42 third-down opportunites, 21.4%.

Team Leaders
HARDING
Rushing - Tristan Tucker: 24 rushes, 235 yards (3rd GAC), 3 TD (3rd GAC); Cole Chancey: 52 rushes, 232 yards (4th GAC), 1 TD
Passing - Preston Paden: 2-7, 96 yards, 1 TD
Receiving - Bobby Green: 1 reception, 85 yards, 1 TD
Defense - Dylan Hendricks: 20 tackles; Dylan Hampton: 1.5 sacks; Cory Batie: 2 INT (1st GAC)

HENDERSON ST.
Rushing - Logan Moragne: 35 rushes, 251 yards (2nd GAC), 2 TD
Passing - Richard Stammetti: 79-115, 1,000 yards (1st GAC/5th D2), 8 TD (1st GAC/8th D2)
Receiving - L'liott Curry: 25 receptions (2nd GAC/5th D2), 331 yards (1st GAC/12th D2), 5 TD (1st GAC/2nd D2)
Defense - Colby Turner: 26 tackles (5th GAC); Denzel Walter: 4.5 TFL (2nd GAC); Antoine Roshell: 2.0 sk (2nd GAC)

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Players Mentioned

#28 Zach Shelley: RB; 5' 7"; Senior

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

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

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

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

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

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

#18 Cameron Scott: K/P; 6' 1"; Junior

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

#8 T.J. Winslow: DL; 6' 4"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#28 Zach Shelley
: 5' 7"; Senior
: RB

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

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

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

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

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

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

#18 Cameron Scott
: 6' 1"; Junior
: K/P

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

#8 T.J. Winslow
: 6' 4"; Senior
: DL