SEARCY — In what was billed as a battle for control atop the Great American Conference and a defensive showcase, the No. 2 Harding Bisons delivered a resounding statement Saturday, dismantling East Central 65-0 at First Security Stadium.

Harding (5-0, 5-0 GAC) completely overwhelmed the league's second-place team (3-2, 3-2 GAC) by dominating in the trenches and eclipsing their own Division II-leading rushing marks. The Bisons, who entered the day averaging nearly 420 rush yards per game, piled up 475 yards on the ground, scoring eight rushing touchdowns in front of 2,025 sun-drenched fans.

The ground attack began explosively as Braden Jay took the team's first play from scrimmage 66 yards for a touchdown. Jay finished with a game-high 138 yards on seven carries and two scores. The performance moved him past Jim Howard for fifth place on Harding's career rushing yardage list. Andrew Miller, who became the 12th Bison with 2,000 career rushing yards last week, added two 1-yard touchdown runs. Christian Franklin also found the end zone twice, accumulating 52 yards, while Da'Shawn Chairs contributed a career-high 89 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.

The defensive side of the ball—a key focus coming into the matchup of the GAC's top two defenses—was equally dominant for the Bisons. Harding's unit, ranked third in Division II in total defense, suffocated the East Central offense, holding the Tigers to a paltry 78 total yards. East Central's rushing game was shut down entirely, netting only three yards on 24 attempts, and the Tigers converted just one of 13 third-down tries.

The Bison defense also provided points directly. Clark Griffin, the NCAA II active career tackles leader, pressured East Central quarterback Sergio Kennedy into an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Ajani Farmer recovered a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. Safety Ty Dugger also notched a 33-yard interception return.

Harding led 23-0 after the first quarter and 37-0 at halftime. They controlled the time of possession 38:36 to 21:24, maintaining their school-record 19-game home winning streak and securing their 25th straight victory against an Oklahoma opponent.

Harding travels to Durant, Oklahoma, on Thursday to take on Southeastern Oklahoma for a 6 p.m. start.