No. 10 Harding vs. Southwestern Okla. -- GAME NOTES

#10 Harding Bisons (4-0, 4-0) vs. Southwestern Okla. Bulldogs (0-4, 0-4)
Sept. 30, 2023 • 6 p.m. • Searcy, Ark. • First Security Stadium

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

Harding enters the game with an eight-game winning streak, currently the longest winning streak in Divison II.
KEY STAT: Through four games, Harding has the top defense in the GAC, allowing only 255.2 yards per game. Southwestern Okla. has struggled offensively, ranking last in the conference with 193.8 yards per game.
This will be the 18th meeting between HU and SWOSU with the Bisons leading 12-5 ... Harding has won the last six straight overall and the last seven in Searcy ... SWOSU's last win came in 2015, 21-13 in Weatherford ... SWOSU's last win in Searcy was 31-22 in 1999.
Harding overcame a two-point deficit with 11:23 left in the fourth quarter and defeated Southwestern Oklahoma 37-29 last season in Weatherford ... Jhalen Spicer rushed for 108 yards on seven carries and two TD, and the Bisons rushed for 385 yards and five TD as a team ... Dre Hall had two sacks for the HU defense.
Harding is ranked No. 10 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll ... Harding has appeared in 56 consecutive AFCA polls ... Harding is 11th in the D2Football.com poll and No. 5 at MassingRatings.com.
Harding's current eight-game winning streak is tied for the sixth-longest in program history ... the Bisons last had a nine-game winning streak or longer from Sept. 18-Nov. 27, 2021 ... the longest winning streak in program history was 13 games from Sept. 3-Dec. 3, 2016.
Harding has moved into the top 20 nationally in third-down conversion defense ... the Bisons are 19th at 28.3% ... HU held Henderson State to only 2 of 11 on third down and have not given up more than five third-down conversions in five straight games dating to the final game of the 2022 season.
Harding fullback Blake Delacruz ranks 7th in the GAC with 303 rushing yards and 2nd with 10 rushing TD ... rushed for a career-high 179 yards on 31 carries and 3 TD at Henderson State, earning GAC Player of the Week honors ... tied for 8th at HU with 21 career rush TD.
Harding return specialist Kendale Allen ranks 5th in GSC with 241 combined return yards, 3rd in kickoff return avg. (25.8) and 5th in punt return avg. (7.0) ... ranks 2nd at HU in kickoff return avg. (28.16) and 5th in kickoff return yards (1,042) ... needs 16 kickoff return yards to move into 3rd at HU in career kick return yards ... ranks 9th among active D2 players with 1,227 combined return yards.
Harding kicker Grant Ennis leads all active D2 players and holds HU career record with 186 career PATs ... ranks 2nd at HU in PAT kick pct. (96.4) and field goal pct. (72.7) ... 4th in career points scored (258) and 8th in career field goals (24)
OPPONENT WATCH: Southwestern Oklahoma enters having lost its last five road games ... junior linebacker Logan Monroe leads the GAC with 10.0 tackles per game and is fifth with 1.2 TFL per game ... junior wide receiver Taylor Tosches has eight receptions for 177 yards and leads the GAC with 22.12 yards per catch.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Kendale Allen: DB; 5' 9"; Junior

#26 Blake Delacruz: RB; 5' 8"; Junior

#84 Grant Ennis: K; 5' 11"; Senior

#9 Dre Hall: DL; 6' 1"; Junior

#10 Jhalen Spicer: RB; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#1 Kendale Allen
: 5' 9"; Junior
: DB

#26 Blake Delacruz
: 5' 8"; Junior
: RB

#84 Grant Ennis
: 5' 11"; Senior
: K

#9 Dre Hall
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DL

#10 Jhalen Spicer
: 5' 8"; Junior
: RB