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Football Scott Goode (12/7/23)

No. 3 Harding vs. No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne -- GAME NOTES

#3 Harding Bisons (13-0) vs. #11 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (13-1)
Dec. 9, 2023 • 11 a.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

Starting 11 for Harding vs. Lenoir-Rhyne
Below are 11 Facts and Stats about this week's game. You can read the full game notes by clicking on the link.
  1. No. 3-ranked Harding Bisons, riding a 17-game winning streak, host No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday in the semifinal round of the Division II Playoffs. Kickoff at First Security Stadium is at 11 a.m. The winner of HU-LRU plays the winner of Colorado-Mines and Kutztown next Saturday at the national championship in McKinney, Texas.
  2. KEY STAT: The game is a matchup of two of the top five teams in Division II in scoring defense -- Harding (2nd, 10.9 points) and Lenoir-Rhyne (4th, 11.8 points).
  3. Harding, the No. 1 seed and winner of Super Region 3, is making its eighth playoff appearance (also 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) ... the Bisons have 8 of the 10 playoff wins ever by GAC teams ... Saturday's game is HU's 2nd semifinal (also 2017).
  4. HU's current 17-game winning streak is the longest in program history ... HU has won nine straight home games, tied for the second longest home winning streak.
  5. With its victories over No. 2 Grand Valley State, No. 5 Ouachita Baptist and No. 6 Central Mo., HU has three wins over top-10 teams for the second time, last in 2017 -- No. 6 UIndy, No. 9 Ashland, and No. 10 Ferris St.
  6. Harding has a school-record 5,228 rushing yards and needs 336 rush yards to break Division II record of 5,563 yards, set by Lenoir-Rhyne in 2013 ... HU has a school-record and NCAA-leading 68 rushing TD ... HU's 6.88 yards per rush leads D2 and would be a school record ... HU's 402.3 rush yards per game leads D2 and would be a school record ... HU led D2 in rushing in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022 and in rushing TD in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 ... HU's 68 rushing TD this season are the most by any D2 team since at least 2008.
  7. HU's offense leads D2 in 3rd Down Conversions at 57.7%, converting 79 of 137 ... the Bisons are 5th in D2 in 3rd Down Conversions Defense at 25.8%, allowing only 41 of 159 ... HU has also converted 11 of 15 4th Downs.
  8. HU leads D2 with seven defensive TDs, two fumble return TDs and a school-record tying five interception return TDs ... HU's defense is 1st among D2 playoff teams with 154 first downs allowed, 53 rushing and 81 passing.
  9. HU ranks 4th in D2 in total defense with 232.8 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 10.9 points allowed, the fewest since HU allowed 8.7 points per game in 1962.
  10. HU leads D2 in time of possession, averaging 35:06 per game ... HU has had 35+ minutes eight times this season, including each of the last six games.
  11. OPPONENT WATCH: LRU PR DeAree Rogers is the only player in D2 with three punt returns for TD this season ... RB Dwayne McGee ranks 7th in D2 with 6.90 yards per carry and 3rd with 1,531 rushing yards ... DL Andre Jefferson ranks 9th in D2 with 0.93 sacks per game.
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