Season Opener: Harding opens its 74th season against Northwestern Oklahoma State, marking the first time in program history they've kicked off the season against NWOSU. This is also the fifth consecutive season opener against an Oklahoma opponent.

GAC Dominance: Since 2016, Harding has an impressive 78-10 record in Great American Conference games. This includes five GAC wins by 60 or more points, two of which came against NWOSU in the last two seasons.

National Ranking: The Bisons are ranked No. 2 in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll. This is the ninth time they've been ranked in the preseason poll and the 78th consecutive time they've been ranked overall.

All-Time Series: This is the 18th meeting between the two teams. Harding holds a dominant 15-2 lead in the all-time series and has won the last 13 matchups. A win would be the Bisons' 14th straight against a single opponent, an unprecedented feat for the program.

Last Matchup: In their last meeting in Searcy, Harding defeated NWOSU 62-0. The Bisons' defense scored two touchdowns on interception returns, and the offense rushed for 425 yards, led by running back Andrew Miller's 107 yards. NWOSU was held to just 32 total yards and four first downs.

Cole Keylon: With a career record of 36-4 as a starting quarterback, Cole Keylon needs one more victory to become the winningest quarterback in GAC history. He is also just 60 rushing yards away from becoming the first player in HU history with 2,000 career rushing and passing yards.

Rushing Prowess: Harding has led NCAA Division II in rushing for five consecutive seasons. Over the past 11 seasons, the team has outrushed opponents by more than 21.5 miles.

Team Captains: Harding has selected six team captains for the 2025 season: Defensive back Ty Dugger, quarterback Cole Keylon, offensive lineman Mike Ericson, running back Christian Franklin, wide receiver Darius Brown, and linebacker Clark Griffin.

Key Offensive Players: All-GAC fullback Andrew Miller returns after leading the team with 1,086 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns last season. Senior Braden Jay, the all-time HU leader in yards per rush (12.1), is just 36 yards away from moving into seventh place on the career rushing list.

Key Defensive Players: Defensive back Ty Dugger, a 2024 Second Team All-America selection, leads the team with seven career interceptions. Linebacker Clark Griffin, a First Team AP All-America selection, is just five tackles away from third place on the Bisons' all-time tackles list in the NCAA era.

Road Wins: Harding has won 11 straight road games in Oklahoma, a streak that dates back to 2021.