No. 3 Harding vs. No. 6 Central Mo. -- GAME NOTES

#3 Harding Bisons (11-0) vs. #6 Central Missouri Mules (11-1)
Nov. 25, 2023 • 1 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Starting 11 for Harding vs. Central Missouri
Below are 11 Facts and Stats about this week's game. You can read the full game notes by clicking on the link.

The No. 3-ranked Harding Bisons, riding a 15-game winning streak, host No. 6 Central Missouri Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 1 p.m.
KEY STAT: Harding's 58-man roster for this game has a combined 39 games of postseason experience ... five players on the roster played in HU's 2019 playoff game: Ahmad Butler, Cooper Carroll, Nathaniel Wallace, Roland Wallace and Hunter Willis, who started at left guard.
Harding, the No. 1 seed in Super Region 3, is making its eighth playoff appearance ... the Bisons have six of the eight playoffs wins ever by Great American Conference teams ... Saturday's game is HU's fourth second-round playoff game (also in 2016, 2017 and 2021).
HU's current 15-game winning streak is the longest in program history ... during the streak, HU has outscored its opponents 744-191, an average of 49.6-12.7 ... HU has won seven straight home games.
HU has scored more points in every quarter (1st-133, 2nd-170, 3rd-145, 4th-120) than its opponents have scored total (102).
This will be the fourth meeting between HU and Central Missouri with the Bisons leading 2-1 ... HU won the last meeting 48-31 in the first round of the 2016 D2 Playoffs ... the first two meetings came in 1967 in Searcy (HU won 27-13) and in 1968 in Warrensburg (UCM won 35-0).
Harding has 4,639 rushing yards, 4th in an HU single season, and needs 361 yards for 5,000 and 433 yards for 3rd (5,071, 2021) ... HU has a school-record and NCAA-leading 62 rushing TD (Southern Ark. 2nd w/ 41) ... HU's 7.26 yards per rush leads D2 and would be a school record ... HU's 421.9 rush yards per game leads D2 and would be a school record, eclipsing the previous record of 390.1 yards per game in 2021.
HU's offense leads D2 in 3rd Down Conversions at 59.3%, converting 64 of 108 ... the Bisons are 2nd in D2 in 3rd Down Conversions Defense at 22.8%, allowing only 31 of 136 ... HU has also converted 7 of 9 4th Downs.
HU leads D2 with seven defensive TDs, two fumble return TDs and a school-record tying five interception return TDs ... HU's defense leads D2 with 117 first downs allowed, 42 rushing (t-1st) and 58 passing (t-2nd).
HU leads D2 in total defense with 206.4 yards allowed per game, the lowest figure since HU allowed 184.9 yards per game in 1966 ... HU is 2nd in D2 in scoring defense with 9.3 points allowed, the fewest since HU allowed 8.7 points per game in 1962.
OPPONENT WATCH: UCM QB Zach Zebrowski leads D2 with 4,732 passing yards and 56 TD, completing 68.6% of his passes and averaging 394.3 passing yards per game ... WR Arkell Smith leads D2 with 1,275 receiving yards and is 4th with 15 receiving TD ... RB Marcellous Hawkins ranks 5th in D2 with 18 rushing TD.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#5 Ahmad Butler: DB; 5' 10"; Senior

#33 Cooper Carroll: DB; 6' 1"; Senior

#32 Nathaniel Wallace: DL; 6' 2"; Senior

#8 Roland Wallace: WR; 6' 2"; Senior

#74 Hunter Willis: OL; 6' 2"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Ahmad Butler
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DB

#33 Cooper Carroll
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DB

#32 Nathaniel Wallace
: 6' 2"; Senior
: DL

#8 Roland Wallace
: 6' 2"; Senior
: WR

#74 Hunter Willis
: 6' 2"; Senior
: OL