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Harding University Athletics

Oklahoma Baptist Story Image
23
Okla. Baptist OKB 1-4 , 1-4
38
Winner Harding HAR 4-1 , 4-1
Okla. Baptist OKB
1-4 , 1-4
23
Final
38
Harding HAR
4-1 , 4-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
OKB Okla. Baptist 0 10 6 7 23
HAR Harding 10 14 14 0 38

Game Recap: Football |

16th-ranked Harding Wins 16th Straight GAC Home Game

SEARCY – Sophomore fullback Will Fitzhugh rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns, the defense scored its first touchdown of the season and 16th-ranked Harding won the field-position battle in a 35-23 victory over Oklahoma Baptist Saturday in Great American Conference play at First Security Stadium.

The win was Harding's 16th straight regular season home victory and pushed the Bisons to 4-1 overall and in conference. Harding defeated Oklahoma Baptist for the seventh consecutive time and is in a two-way tie for second place with Henderson State in the conference standings.

Both of Fitzhugh's touchdowns pushed Harding's advantage back to two scores. He scored from 2 yards out with 7:42 left in the second quarter to give the Bisons a 17-3 lead. His second 2-yard touchdown came with 1:09 left in the third and pushed Harding to a 31-16 advantage.

Harding junior linebacker Zach Strickland intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown 38 seconds later to give the Bisons a 22-point lead at 38-16 and put the game away.

Harding rushed for 299 yards and four touchdowns. Redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Keylon had a 23-yard score in the first quarter, and sophomore fullback Chauncey Martin scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 2-yard run late in the second quarter. Martin's touchdown was set up by a 49-yard pass from Keylon to Roland Wallace, the Bisons' lone completion of the game.

Harding's defense had eight tackles for loss, led by two from senior defensive back Cade Pugh, including a season-high four sacks.

The Bisons' average starting field position was the HU 37-yard line, an average of 13 yards per possession better than Oklahoma Baptist (1-4, 1-4). Three punts from sophomore Ryan Fox that averaged almost 48 yards were key. Two of his punts pinned Oklahoma Baptist inside its own 5-yard line. Harding also had 116 return yards on four kickoffs with Kendale Allen returning three for 96 yards.

Harding had only one turnover in the game, a late fumble. The Bisons ran 290 consecutive plays without a turnover prior to that play.

The Bisons are back on the road next week, taking on Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Oklahoma. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Southern Nazarene is 1-4 overall after a 48-35 loss to Arkansas Tech on Saturday in Russellville, Arkansas.





 
Gallery: (10-1-2022) 2022 Football vs. Oklahoma Baptist



 
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