Football 9/8/2026 2:42:00 PM

No. 2 Harding at Southwestern Okla. -- GAME NOTES

#2 Harding Bisons (1-0, 1-0) vs. Southwestern Okla. Bulldogs (0-1, 0-1)
Sept. 10, 2026 • 7 p.m. • Weatherford, Okla. • Flex-Chem Field at Milam Stadium

REMINDER: Live audio links to listen to the Voice of the Bisons Billy Morgan will be available on game day. Locally, the game is broadcast on KVHU-95.3 FM.

THE MATCHUP: Consensus No. 2-ranked Harding (1-0, 1-0 GAC) travels to Weatherford, Oklahoma, for a Thursday night Great American Conference clash against Southwestern Oklahoma State (Sept. 10, 7:00 p.m.) at Flex-Chem Field at Milam Stadium ... marks the first road contest of the Roddy Mote head coaching era and the second straight Thursday night game to open the 2026 season.

HISTORIC OPENER: Harding opened its 75th season of college football in record-shattering fashion on Sept. 3, defeating Northwestern Oklahoma State 76-0 in a contest mutually concluded with 13:15 remaining in the fourth quarter ... the Bisons set school single-game records for total offense (747 yards) and fewest total yards allowed (minus-26 yards).

DEFENSIVE PERFECTION: In Week 1, the Bison defense did not allow a single first down the entire evening—a first in program history ... Harding held NWOSU to minus-31 rushing yards and 5 passing yards on 35 total plays (minus-0.7 yards per play) while racking up 6.0 sacks for minus-54 yards, 9.0 tackles for loss, and forcing 11 punts.

GROUND DOMINANCE: Harding's flexbone attack piled up 608 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 55 carries (11.1 yards per rush) in Week 1 ... senior quarterback Malik Young spearheaded the attack in his first collegiate start, rushing for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries (14.7 ypc) while completing both pass attempts for 80 yards and a score (242 total yards, 4 total TDs).

GAC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kicker Dean Roberts was named the Great American Conference Special Teams Player of the Week following Week 1 ... Roberts went a perfect 10-for-10 on extra points in the season opener against Northwestern Oklahoma State, becoming only the fourth kicker in Harding history to make at least 10 extra points in a single game without a miss.

SERIES HISTORY: 21st meeting between Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma State ... Harding leads the all-time series 15-5 and has won nine consecutive meetings dating back to 2016 ... the Bisons are 4-3 all-time in Weatherford, having won four straight at Milam Stadium (last road loss: 2015).

LAST MEETING (SEPT. 11, 2025): Harding shut out SWOSU 55-0 in Searcy last season ... the Bisons rolled up 476 total yards (436 rushing, six rushing touchdowns) while holding SWOSU to 215 total yards and 0-of-1 in the red zone ... Andrew Miller (85 yards, TD), Braden Jay (91 yards, TD), and Josh Strickland, Jr. (36 yards, 2 TDs) paced the ground game, while the defense capped the shutout with a 30-yard interception return touchdown.

ROAD WINNING STREAK: Harding carries a seven-game road winning streak into Thursday's game, representing the third-longest road winning streak in program history and the fourth-longest active road winning streak in NCAA Division II ... the school record is 11 consecutive road victories, established between Oct. 8, 2022, and Oct. 19, 2024.

CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK: With the Week 1 victory, Harding extended its Great American Conference winning streak to 16 consecutive games ... it stands as the third-longest active conference winning streak in NCAA Division II, trailing only CSU Pueblo (25 games, RMAC) and UIndy (18 games, GLVC).

ROAD WARRIORS IN OKLAHOMA: Harding has won 11 consecutive road games played in the state of Oklahoma, a streak that dates back to the 2021 season.

HOME DOMINANCE EXTENDED: The Week 1 victory pushed Harding's home winning streak at First Security Stadium to 25 games, ranking as the second-longest active home winning streak in Division II behind defending champion Ferris State (29 games).

NATIONAL RECOGNITION & POLL STREAK: Harding remains the consensus No. 2 team in NCAA Division II in both the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and the D2Football.com Top 25 ... the selection marked Harding's 92nd consecutive appearance in the AFCA national top 25 poll, extending one of the longest active streaks in the country.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Braden Jay: RB; 5' 9"; Senior

#8 Andrew Miller: RB; 6' 1"; Fifth Year

#2 Josh Strickland, Jr.: RB; 5' 9"; Fifth Year

#16 Malik Young: QB; 5' 11"; Fifth Year

#37 Dean Roberts: K/P; 5' 10"; 2nd Year

Players Mentioned

#7 Braden Jay
: 5' 9"; Senior
: RB

#8 Andrew Miller
: 6' 1"; Fifth Year
: RB

#2 Josh Strickland, Jr.
: 5' 9"; Fifth Year
: RB

#16 Malik Young
: 5' 11"; Fifth Year
: QB

#37 Dean Roberts
: 5' 10"; 2nd Year
: K/P

Harding University Athletics

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No. 2 Harding at Southwestern Okla. -- GAME NOTES

Players Mentioned

#7 Braden Jay

#8 Andrew Miller

#2 Josh Strickland, Jr.

#16 Malik Young

#37 Dean Roberts

Players Mentioned

#7 Braden Jay

#8 Andrew Miller

#2 Josh Strickland, Jr.

#16 Malik Young

#37 Dean Roberts