Six Straight Starts: The No. 2-ranked Harding Bisons are aiming for a 6-0 start for the third consecutive year and the fifth time in program history. A win on Thursday in Durant would put the 2025 Bisons in elite company with the 2002, 2016, 2023, and 2024 squads.

Top-Tier Defensive Showdown: This contest features a matchup of two of the top 20 defenses in Division II football. Harding leads the nation in total defense, allowing a stingy 195.4 total yards per game, while Southeastern Oklahoma ranks a respectable 20th, giving up 292.4 yards per game. HU has already held two opponents under 100 total yards this season.

Untouched Halves: Harding's defense is the only NCAA team that has not allowed a single point in the first half through its first five games this season. On the flip side, the Bisons' offense is tied for third among five-game teams with 28 total touchdowns and averages 24.8 points in the first half alone.

Oklahoma Dominance: Harding carries a streak of 25 consecutive wins against Oklahoma opponents. The Bisons' last loss to an Oklahoma school came against Southeastern Oklahoma in 2021. HU leads the all-time series 27-8 and has won 12 of 19 meetings in Durant, including six of the last seven trips.

Quarterback Wins Record Watch: QB Cole Keylon will make his 46th career start, holding a phenomenal 41-4 record as a starter, making him the winningest quarterback in GAC history. He needs just one rushing or passing touchdown to tie Park Parish for third on Harding's career total touchdowns list (55).

Braden Jay Closing on 3K: Slotback Braden Jay, the NCAA's active career leader in yards per rush (12.6), is just 63 yards shy of becoming the fifth Harding player to eclipse 3,000 career rushing yards. Jay leads the GAC with 489 rush yards and 8 rushing touchdowns this season and was dominant vs. SE last year, scoring three second-quarter TDs.

Keylon and Miller Career Milestones: Keylon (2,178 yards) and Fullback Andrew Miller (2,029 yards) rank 11th and 12th, respectively, on Harding's career rushing yards list. Miller, who leads the GAC in yards per rush (7.17), is also 8th in school history with 27 career rushing touchdowns.

The Tackling King: Linebacker Clark Griffin is the NCAA Division II active career leader with 323 total tackles. He needs just 8 tackles to surpass Tim Polk for the most tackles in Harding's NCAA era history and is also only 2.0 tackles for loss away from moving into second place on HU's all-time TFL list.

Dominant Recent History: Harding has scored 30 or more points in 11 of the last 12 meetings against Southeastern Oklahoma. Last year, HU won 56-14 in Searcy, highlighted by three first-half interceptions from Darion Dunlap-Johnson.

Elite Scoring and Efficiency: Harding ranks 5th in D2 in scoring offense (44.8 points per game) and features an incredibly efficient defense that is second in the nation in yards allowed per play (3.43) and leads D2 with only 3 total touchdowns allowed all season.

Special Teams Streaks: Kicker Magnus Lepak is perfect on all 26 PAT attempts this season, and his 38 points lead all GAC kickers. Punter Luke Mammana ranks second in HU history in career yards per punt (41.4) and was key in last year's SE matchup, landing three of four punts inside the 20-yard line.