Harding vs. Pittsburg State

• National Champions Return: No. 4 Harding, 2023 NCAA Division II national champions, faces No. 13 Pittsburg State in the NCAA Division II Playoffs' first round.

• Playoff History: Harding makes its ninth playoff appearance, boasting 10 of the 12 playoff wins by Great American Conference teams.

Key Stats

• Rushing Showdown: Harding leads D2 with 421 rushing yards per game, while Pittsburg State's defense allows only 91 rushing yards per game.

• Third-Down Dominance: Harding converts 57% of third downs, while Pittsburg State's defense allows only 33% conversions.

Team Achievements

• Winning Ways: Harding has won 29 of its last 30 games.

• Scoring Record: Harding averages 51.5 points per game, the highest scoring average in program history.

• Rushing Records: Harding has 4,672 rushing yards, fifth-most in an HU single season, and 328 yards from its fifth 5,000-yard rushing season.

Defensive Excellence

• Defensive Rankings: Harding's defense allows only 8.6 points per game, leading D2 with 180.4 total yards allowed per game.

• Passing Defense: Harding's passing defense leads D2 with 104.9 yards allowed per game.

Player Spotlight

• Cole Keylon: QB Cole Keylon boasts a 34-3 record as a starter.

• Braden Jay: SB Braden Jay led the GAC in all-purpose yards (116.73), rush yards (901), and total TD (17).