SHAWNEE, Okla. — Fifth-year All-American fullback Andrew Miller etched his name at the very top of the Harding record book with three second-quarter touchdowns to become the program's all-time rushing touchdown leader, and the second-ranked Bisons shook off early miscues to pull away for a 48-10 victory over Oklahoma Baptist on a rainy Saturday afternoon before 2,028 fans at Crain Family Stadium at the Hurt Athletic Complex.
With the victory, Harding (9-0, 9-0 Great American Conference) established a new program record with its 12th consecutive road victory, eclipsing the previous mark of 11 set from Oct. 8, 2022, to Oct. 19, 2024.
The triumph also marked the fourth 9-0 start in program history (joining 2016, 2023, and 2025), extended Harding's conference winning streak to 24 games, pushed its winning streak inside the state of Oklahoma to 14 straight games, and improved the Bisons to a perfect 11-0 all-time against Oklahoma Baptist (6-0 in Shawnee).
Miller, who entered Saturday tied with Cole Chancey (66 rushing touchdowns, 2017–21), took sole possession of the Harding career record on an 8-yard touchdown drive, punching in a 6-yard touchdown run with 8:47 remaining in the second quarter for his 67th career score. He added scoring plunges of 2 yards and 1 yard before the halftime horn sounded, pushing his career total to 69 rushing touchdowns—the most among all active college football players across all NCAA divisions.
Miller finished with 92 rushing yards on 17 carries, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season (1,072 yards, 19 touchdowns). In doing so, he became only the third player in Harding history to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, joining Chancey and former teammate Braden Jay. Miller's career rushing total now stands at 4,690 yards, just 424 yards shy of Chancey's all-time rushing yardage mark (5,114).
Despite the lopsided final margin, Harding had to navigate adversity on the wet turf during the opening 15 minutes. Oklahoma Baptist (3-6, 3-6 GAC) recovered fumbled kickoff returns on each of Harding's first two touches, taking over inside the Bison 20-yard line on consecutive possessions.
However, Harding's nationally ranked defense rose to the occasion. Following the opening turnover at the HU 9-yard line, the Bisons forced a loss of six yards and held OBU to a 37-yard field goal by Carter Lowry. After the second fumble handed OKB possession at the HU 18, defensive end Josh Garner and linebacker Carson Dean dropped quarterback Jason Ceniti for a 7-yard sack on third down, pushing the Bison out of field-goal range and forcing a punt after an 18-yard loss.
Harding's offense took over at its own 7-yard line with 10:15 left in the first quarter and methodically seized control. The Bisons marched 93 yards in 14 plays—converting three third downs and chewing up 7:34 of clock—capped by a 4-yard touchdown keeper from fifth-year quarterback Malik Young to give Harding a 6-3 lead with 2:41 left in the frame.
The second quarter belonged entirely to the Bisons, who outscored Oklahoma Baptist 21-0 and outgained the hosts 197-23.
Following an OKBU punt, Harding engineered a seven-play, 90-yard drive highlighted by a 38-yard deep strike from Young to Bodie Neal down to the OKBU 16. On the next snap, Miller broke outside for 10 yards before powering into the end zone from 6 yards out for the record-breaking score, making it 13-3.
After another defensive stop, Harding traveled 59 yards in seven plays. Young ripped off a 21-yard keeper and Jeff Regan dashed 15 yards around the perimeter to set up Miller's second touchdown, a 2-yard dive with 4:09 left before halftime.
With less than two minutes remaining in the half, third-year defensive back Kelon Fountain stepped in front of a Ceniti pass at the HU 35 and returned it 17 yards into OKBU territory. Two plays later, Young found Regan for 21 yards down to the 7-yard line, setting up Miller's third touchdown—a 1-yard plunge with 17 seconds left that gave Harding a commanding 27-3 halftime cushion.
Fifth-year fullback Josh Strickland, Jr. took over in the second half, leading all rushers with 137 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries (12.5 yards per rush). It was his second career 100-yard game. Strickland capped Harding's opening drive of the third quarter with a 17-yard touchdown sprint up the middle to extend the lead to 34-3.
Oklahoma Baptist ended a run of 34 unanswered Bison points late in the third quarter when Ceniti connected with Jacob Trimble on a 19-yard touchdown pass to trim the deficit to 34-10.
Harding answered immediately on its next possession. On 1st-and-22 from the HU 13-yard line following a penalty, Strickland broke through a crease on the right side and sprinted 66 yards down to the OKBU 21. On the very next snap, backup quarterback Camren Cavalier lofted a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mabry Verser in the end zone, pushing the margin to 41-10 with 1:36 left in the third.
Third-year defensive back Connor Dean punctuated the dominant performance on the first snap of the fourth quarter. Facing 3rd-and-29 from the HU 45, Ceniti was pressured and threw over the middle, where Dean intercepted the pass at the HU 15 and raced untouched down the home sideline for an 85-yard pick-six. Dean's 85-yard interception return tied for the sixth-longest interception return for a touchdown in Harding history.
First-year defensive back AJ Brown added Harding's third interception of the day midway through the fourth quarter, picking off backup quarterback Jamion Richardson in the end zone to extinguish an 11-play OBU drive.
Harding's flexbone ground machine racked up 414 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 51 attempts (8.1 yards per carry), while averaging 9.0 yards per play on 494 yards of total offense. Young added 54 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries while completing both of his pass attempts for 59 yards. Cavalier threw for 21 yards and a touchdown while adding 14 rushing yards, and Regan chipped in 40 yards on the ground and 21 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Bisons suffocated Oklahoma Baptist's ground game, limiting the hosts to just 6 net rushing yards on 28 carries (0.2 yards per carry) and recording five sacks for 31 yards. Harding allowed only 230 total yards on 63 plays (3.7 ypp) and forced three interceptions.
Third-year defensive back Ahmad Jenkins paced the defense with six tackles (four solo), while Carson Dean added six tackles and a half-sack. Defensive end Kaden Spencer tallied two tackles for loss, including a 5-yard sack, and Caden Davis, Solza McCullough, and Josh Garner each recorded solo sacks. Jose Lopez contributed three tackles and a half-sack.
Trimble led Oklahoma Baptist with seven receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, while linebacker Jonathan Ferguson paced the OKBU defense with 11 tackles.
Second-ranked Harding returns home to First Security Stadium next Saturday, Nov. 7, hosting Great American Conference foe Southern Nazarene for Homecoming. Kickoff in Searcy is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
