2023 Harding Bisons football team

2023 Harding Bisons football
NCAA Division II national champion GAC champion
NCAA Division II championship game, W 38–7 vs. Colorado Mines
Conference	Great American Conference
Ranking
AFCA	No. 1
Record	15–0 (11–0 GAC)
Head coach	Paul Simmons (7th season)
Offensive scheme	Flexbone triple option
Defensive coordinator	Roddy Mote (7th season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Luke Tribble (7th season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	First Security Stadium

2023 Great American Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 1 Harding $^		11	–	0					15	–	0
No. 24 Henderson State ^		9	–	2					9	–	3
Ouachita Baptist		9	–	2					9	–	2
Southern Arkansas #		9	–	2					10	–	2
Oklahoma Baptist		6	–	5					6	–	5
Southern Nazarene #		6	–	5					6	–	6
Arkansas Tech		5	–	6					5	–	6
SE Oklahoma State		5	–	6					5	–	6
East Central		3	–	8					3	–	8
Arkansas–Monticello		2	–	9					2	–	9
NW Oklahoma State		1	–	10					1	–	10
SW Oklahoma State		0	–	11					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – bowl participant (Southern Nazarene - Heritage Bowl, Southern Arkansas - Live United Texarkana Bowl) Rankings from AFCA Poll

The 2023 Harding Bisons football team was an American football team that represented Harding University in the Great American Conference (GAC) during the 2023 NCAA Division II football season. In their sixth year under head coach Paul Simmons, the team compiled a perfect 15–0 record (11–0 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 665 to 156, and won the GAC and NCAA Division II championships. The team also set an NCAA record for most rushing yards in a season with 6,161 rushing yards.

The team finished the regular season ranked No. 2 among Division II programs and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they received a bye in the first round and defeated No. 6 Central Missouri (35–34) in the second round, No. 2 Grand Valley State (7–6) in the quarterfinals, and No. 11 Lenoir–Rhyne (55–14) in the semifinals. Through the December 16 victory over Colorado Mines, the Bison have won 18 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in program history. Harding defeated No. 1 Colorado Mines in the Division II national championship game on December 16, 38–7, to win the school's first national championship.

Harding defensive end Nathaniel Wallace was selected as the 2023 GAC Defensive Player of the Year. Paul Simmons was selected as GAC Coach of the Year.

The team played its home games at First Security Stadium in Searcy, Arkansas.

Preseason

The GAC coaches preseason poll was released on August 1, 2023. The Bisons were predicted to finish second in the conference. Ouachita Baptist was favored to win the conference.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 p.m.	at Southern Nazarene	No. 14	SNU Stadium Bethany, OK	W 53–20	1,754
September 9	7:00 p.m.	Oklahoma Baptist	No. 12	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR	W 49–10	2,800
September 16	6:00 p.m.	Arkansas–Monticello	No. 11	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR	W 59–19	3,100
September 23	6:30 p.m.	at No. 20 Henderson State	No. 10	Carpenter–Haygood Stadium Arkadelphia, AR	W 27–16	6,013
September 30	6:00 p.m.	SW Oklahoma State	No. 10	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR	W 64–0	2,300
October 7	4:00 p.m.	at NW Oklahoma State	No. 9	Ranger Field Alva, OK	W 62–0	3,213
October 14	6:00 p.m.	No. 5 Ouachita Baptist	No. 9	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR	W 41–10	5,600
October 21	2:00 p.m.	at Southern Arkansas	No. 6	Memorial Stadium El Dorado, AR	W 54–20	1,196
October 28	2:00 p.m.	at SE Oklahoma State	No. 4	Paul Laird Field Durant, OK	W 55–0	1,178
November 4	3:00 p.m.	East Central	No. 4	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR	W 48–7	5,500
November 11	2:00 p.m.	at Arkansas Tech	No. 3	Thone Stadium Russellville, AR	W 56–0	2,347
November 25	1:00 p.m.	No. 6 Central Missouri*	No. 3	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR (NCAA Division II Second Round)	W 35–34	3,500
December 2	1:00 p.m.	No. 2 Grand Valley State*	No. 3	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)	W 7–6	3,100
December 9	11:00 a.m.	No. 11 Lenoir–Rhyne*	No. 3	First Security Stadium Searcy, AR (NCAA Division II Semifinal)	W 55–14	2,900
December 16	12:00 p.m.	vs. No. 1 Colorado Mines*	No. 3	McKinney ISD Stadium McKinney, TX (NCAA Division II Championship Game)	W 38–7	12,552
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Rankings

See also: 2023 NCAA Division II football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Final
AFCA	14	12	11	10	10	9	9	6	4	4	т 3 (1)	3 (1)	1 (28)
D2Football.com	15	13	12	11	11	9	9	7	5	5	4	4	1

Personnel

2023 Harding Bisons football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 7 Braden Jay So WR 8 Roland Wallace Sr RB 10 Jhalen Spicer Jr QB 12 Tyler Ross So WR 14 Will White So QB 15 Cole Keylon So QB 16 Malik Young  Fr WR 18 Darius Brown So WR 19 Dane Romberger Jr RB 21 Chauncey Martin Jr RB 22 Will Fitzhugh Jr RB 23 Omar Sinclair GS WR 24 Malik Stotts Fr RB 26 Blake Delacruz Jr RB 30 Josh Strickland Jr.  Fr RB 34 Andrew Miller  Fr RB 37 Jimmy Citty Jr RB 37 Josh Evans-Pickens Fr OL 50 Dennis Carroll Sr OL 51 Levi Pate Sr OL 54 Landon Ray Sr OL 56 Jonathan Underwood Jr OL 57 Jake Dugger Jr OL 59 Jake Mitchell So OL 60 Cooper Welch  Fr OL 63 David Gomez So OL 64 Elijah Swindle So OL 65 Adam Fager So OL 66 Dylan Cummings Fr OL 67 Josh Lawrence Fr OL 71 Jacob Formby Fr OL 73 Carter Lees Fr OL 74 Hunter Willis Sr OL 75 Austin Toler Sr OL 77 Cobe Williams Fr OL 78 Dylan Daring So OL 79 Duane Johnson Jr WR 80 Jake Harrell So WR 81 Joseph Alejo Jr. Jr WR 82 Isaac Miller So WR 86 Jackson Richardson  Fr TE 87 Mike Ericson So WR 88 Drew Porter So WR Jarret Atchley Fr WR Brady Barnett Fr OL Josh Cobb Fr QB Jabari Collier Fr OL Matt Colvin Fr OL Vincent Cox Fr OL Michael Esparza Fr RB Brian Furch Fr OL Isaac Gray Fr RB Raymond Hudson Fr RB E. J. Luckett Fr OL Luke McCormick Fr TE Levi Mercer Fr RB Sam Mitchell Fr WR Bodie Neal Fr OL Johnathan Vining Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DB 0 Darion Dunlap-Johnson Jr DB 1 Kendale Allen Jr DB 2 Kyle McDonald Jr LB 3 Cayden Pierce Jr DB 4 Malik Mays GS DB 5 Ahmad Butler Sr DB 6 Travis Greenwalt Jr DL 9 Dre Hall Jr DB 11 Grayson Lewis Fr DB 13 Jeremiah Jordan  Fr DB 16 Deion Campbell Fr DB 17 Cameron Mitchell-Johnson Jr DB 20 Ty Dugger So LB 24 Clark Griffin So LB 25 Travell Wright So DB 27 Luke Martin  Fr DB 28 Oric Walker Jr. Sr DB 29 Troy Wiseman Fr DL 32 Nathaniel Wallace Sr DB 33 Cooper Carroll Sr DB 35 Danny Pierce Jr DB 36 Eli Moore  Fr DB 38 Zac O'Day  Fr LB 40 Mar'Reion Claybrooks  Fr DB 41 Elijah Carlton  Fr LB 41 Jackson Cody Fr LB 42 Kekoa Carroll Jr LB 43 Zach Strickland Sr LB 44 Landen Chaffey So DL 45 Devonte Manning Jr LB 47 Horacio Moronta Jr DB 48 Reese Elrod  Fr LB 52 Jordan Mays  Fr DL 55 Gage Price Jr DL 58 Austin Bailey Jr DL 61 Brock Knapton Fr DL 62 Aldrin Wilson So DL 76 B. J. Burke Sr DL 89 Justin Sobczak  Fr DL 90 Jose Lopez  Fr DL 91 Tirrell Johnson  Fr DL 92 Bryce Rushing Fr DL 93 Tony Agyapong  Fr DL 96 Landon Eades Jr DL 99 Wesley Coleman Jr DL Nii Addy Fr LB Christian Brumley Fr DL Oneal Daniels Fr DL Diego Davis Fr DB Carter Hill Fr LB Kaden Jones Fr DB DeSean Mays Fr LB Tyler Mitchell Fr DB Drew Nelson Fr DL Joseph Oluwayemi Fr DB Matai Thomas Fr DB G'Kyson Wright  Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 39 Magnus Lepak  Fr P 46 Ryan Fox Sr LS 49 Xavier Hylton So LS 53 Chase Whitfield Jr K 84 Grant Ennis Sr K Josiah Linderman Fr	Head coach Paul Simmons Coordinators/assistant coaches Roddy Mote Defensive coordinator/Linebackers Luke Tribble Co-defensive coordinator/Special teams coordinator/Defensive backs Tre'von Biglow Defensive line Sam Blakenship Safeties Kevin Chism Offensive line Matt Middleton Quarterbacks/Fullbacks Matt Underwood Slotbacks/Wide receivers/Director of recruiting Kenny Wheaton Offensive consultant Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: December 17, 2023

Game summaries

At Southern Nazarene

No. 14 Harding Bisons at Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 14 Bisons	14	21	11	7	53
Crimson Storm	0	0	6	14	20

at SNU Stadium, Bethany, Oklahoma

• Date: August 31
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny
• Game attendance: 1,754
• Referee: Dan Wilson
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 8:37. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 6:19. HAR – Blake Delacruz 6-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:02. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 6 yards, 0:03. Second quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 3-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 12:16. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:37. HAR – Braden Jay 26-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Grant Ennis kick), 8:21. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 4 plays, 16 yards, 2:19. HAR – Blake Delacruz 3-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:05. Bisons 35–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:51. Third quarter SNU – Gage Porter 18-yard run (kick failed), 11:41. Bisons 35–6. Drive: 1 play, 18 yards, 0:08. HAR – Cole Keylon 6-yard run (Cole Keylon run), 8:18. Bisons 43–6. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:17. HAR – Grant Ennis 39-yard field goal, 3:11. Bisons 46–6. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 2:25. Fourth quarter SNU – Gage Porter 1-yard run (Kameron Van Prooyen kick), 14:55. Bisons 46–13. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:16. HAR – Josh Strickland Jr. 24-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:28. Bisons 53–13. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 3:19. SNU – Angel Ramirez 6-yard pass from Jarvis Davis (Kameron Van Prooyen kick), 1:30. Bisons 53–20. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:27.

Statistics	HAR	SNU
First downs	19	14
Total yards	322	322
Rushing yards	282	145
Passing yards	40	177
Turnovers	2	6
Time of possession	33:29	26:31

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/3, 40 yards, TD
	Rushing	Braden Jay	4 rushes, 63 yards
	Receiving	Braden Jay	1 reception, 26 yards, TD
Southern Nazarene	Passing	Gage Porter	6/16, 116 yards, 3 INT
	Rushing	Gage Porter	26 rushes, 102 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Andrew Tisdale	2 receptions, 74 yards

Oklahoma Baptist

Oklahoma Baptist Bison at No. 12 Harding Bisons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
OKB Bison	0	10	0	0	10
No. 12 HAR Bisons	14	14	7	14	49

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: September 9
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 76 °F (24 °C)
• Game attendance: 2,800
• Referee: Dewayne Barbee
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Jhalen Spicer 19-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 8:46. Harding 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 6:07. HAR – Cole Keylon 7-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:00. Harding 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:03. Second quarter OKB – Luke Watkins 20-yard field goal, 13:25. Harding 14–3. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:35. HAR – Darius Brown 76-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Grant Ennis kick), 11:39. Harding 21–3. Drive: 3 plays, 90 yards, 1:37. OKB – Nick Harris 29-yard pass from Aidan Thompson (Luke Watkins kick), 7:20. Harding 21–10. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 2:31. HAR – Will White 48-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Grant Ennis kick), 3:55. Harding 28–10. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 3:01. Third quarter HAR – Zach Strickland 72-yard fumble return (Grant Ennis kick), 9:39. Harding 35–10. Fourth quarter HAR – Andrew Miller 55-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 14:00. Harding 42–10. Drive: 1 play, 55 yards, 0:10. HAR – Will White 7-yard pass from Malik Young (Grant Ennis kick), 11:30. Harding 49–10. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 2:15.

Statistics	OKB	HAR
First downs	15	25
Total yards	238	513
Rushing yards	9	382
Passing yards	229	131
Turnovers	3	1
Time of possession	27:32	32:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oklahoma Baptist	Passing	Aidan Thompson	27/44, 229 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	E. J. Moore	6 rushes, 14 yards
	Receiving	Michael Marshall	6 receptions, 63 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/5, 124 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Andrew Miller	5 rushes, 69 yards, TD
	Receiving	Darius Brown	1 reception, 76 yards, TD

Arkansas–Monticello

Arkansas–Monticello Boll Weevils at No. 11 Harding Bisons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Boll Weevils	6	6	0	7	19
No. 11 Bisons	21	14	14	10	59

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: September 16
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Cloudy, 81 °F (27 °C)
• Game attendance: 3,100
• Referee: Chuck Scott
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Braden Jay 14-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 10:19. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 2:38. HAR – Blake Delacruz 8-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:49. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 2:54. UAM – Demauryon 10-yard fumble return (kick failed), 3:40. Bisons 14–6. HAR – Blake Delacruz 2-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 0:49. Bisons 21–6. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 2:42. Second quarter HAR – Jhalen Spicer 24-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:30. Bisons 28–6. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:59. UAM – Arlie Lee 28-yard pass from Demilon Brown (kick blocked), 2:28. Bisons 28–12. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:02. HAR – Blake Delacruz 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 0:47. Bisons 35–12. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 0:58. Third quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:05. Bisons 42–12. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:46. HAR – Devonte Manning 0-yard fumble return (Grant Ennis kick), 10:07. Bisons 49–12. Fourth quarter UAM – Arlie Lee 4-yard run (Dylan Duhon kick), 13:42. Bisons 49–19. Drive: 3 plays, 55 yards, 1:09. HAR – Tyler Ross 32-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 12:46. Bisons 56–19. Drive: 2 plays, 39 yards, 0:47. HAR – Grant Ennis 33-yard field goal, 6:30. Bisons 59–19. Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 3:02.

Statistics	UAM	HAR
First downs	11	24
Total yards	217	463
Rushing yards	34	424
Passing yards	183	39
Turnovers	4	4
Time of possession	26:24	33:36

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Arkansas–Monticello	Passing	Demilon Brown	18/32, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Demilon Brown	12 rushes, 15 yards
	Receiving	Kristian Gammage	3 receptions, 92 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	1/3, 39 yards
	Rushing	Jhalen Spicer	5 rushes, 76 yards, TD
	Receiving	Braden Jay	1 reception, 39 yards

Entering the game, the Boll Weevils had the top offense in the GAC, scoring 53.5 points per game, but here weld to just 217 yards of offense against Harding.

At No. 20 Henderson State

No. 10 Harding Bisons at No. 20 Henderson State Reddies – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 10 Bisons	0	7	13	7	27
No. 20 Reddies	3	6	7	0	16

at Carpenter–Haygood Stadium, Arkadelphia, Arkansas

• Date: September 23
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Cloudy, 89 °F (32 °C)
• Game attendance: 6,013
• Referee: Michael Catton
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HSU – Kolby King 38-yard field goal, 8:00. Reddies 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:13. Second quarter HSU – Timieone 8-yard pass from Andrew Edwards (kick failed), 4:32. Reddies 9–0. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 2:10. HAR – Braden Jay 37-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:46. Reddies 9–7. Drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 2:39. Third quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 2-yard run (run failed), 8:22. Bisons 13–9. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:38. HSU – Jaquarion Turner 1-yard run (Kolby King kick), 6:03. Reddies 16–13. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 2:13. HAR – Blake Delacruz 53-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 4:31. Bisons 20–16. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:24. Fourth quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 12-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 4:56. Bisons 27–16. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 7:33.

Statistics	HAR	HSU
First downs	22	11
Total yards	363	244
Rushing yards	353	54
Passing yards	10	190
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	39:53	19:57

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	1/4, 10 yards
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	31 rushes, 179 yards, 3 TD
	Receiving	Dane Romberger	1 reception, 10 yards
Henderson State	Passing	Andrew Edwards	15/28, 190 yards, TD
	Rushing	Andrew Edwards	6 rushes, 24 yards
	Receiving	Timieone Jackson	7 receptions, 96 yards, TD

Southwestern Oklahoma State

Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs at No. 10 Harding Bisons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	0	0	0	0
No. 10 Bisons	7	21	20	16	64

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: September 30
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 88 °F (31 °C)
• Game attendance: 2,300
• Referee: Brad Frisby
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Roland Wallce 11-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Magnus Lepak kick), 6:15. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 7:10. Second quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 6-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 9:55. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 4:03. HAR – Omar Sinclair 18-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 4:27. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:44. HAR – Will White 50-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Magnus Lepak kick), 2:28. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 1 play, 50 yards, 0:08. Third quarter HAR – Malik Young 9-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 9:57. Bisons 35–0. Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 4:53. HAR – Andrew Miller 32-yard run (kick failed), 6:10. Bisons 41–0. Drive: 3 plays, 44 yards, 1:24. HAR – Kekoa Carroll 30-yard interception return (Magnus Lepak kick), 5:12. Bisons 48–0. Fourth quarter HAR – Magnus Lepak 24-yard field goal, 13:46. Bisons 51–0. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:41. HAR – Darion Dunlap-Johnson 23-yard interception return (kick failed), 13:37. Bisons 57–0. HAR – Andrew Miller 81-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 8:00. Bisons 64–0. Drive: 2 plays, 85 yards, 0:52.

Statistics	SWO	HAR
First downs	4	25
Total yards	79	587
Rushing yards	29	462
Passing yards	50	125
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	24:38	35:22

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
SW Oklahoma State	Passing	Sean Shelby	5/9, 26 yards, 2 INT
	Rushing	Troy Henderson	5 rushes, 16 yards
	Receiving	Elijah Reed	3 receptions, 29 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	5/6, 125 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Andrew Miller	7 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Will White	1 reception, 50 yards, TD

Quarterback Cole Keylon completed five passes, each going to a different receiver.

At Northwestern Oklahoma State

No. 9 Harding Bisons at Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 9 Bisons	14	28	7	13	62
Rangers	0	0	0	0	0

at Ranger Field, Alva, Oklahoma

• Date: October 7
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 68 °F (20 °C)
• Game attendance: 3,213
• Referee: Dan Wilson
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 10-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 10:55. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 3:59. HAR – Darius Brown 34-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Magnus Lepak kick), 8:18. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 2 plays, 46 yards, 0:49. Second quarter HAR – Braden Jay 37-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 14:51. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:08. HAR – Blake Delacruz 1-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 11:00. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:59. HAR – Chauncey Martin 23-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 6:51. Bisons 35–0. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 1:24. HAR – Malik Young 2-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 0:23. Bisons 42–0. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:55. Third quarter HAR – Josh Strickland Jr. 6-yard run (Magnus Lepak kick), 6:02. Bisons 49–0. Drive: 4 plays, 48 yards, 1:56. Fourth quarter HAR – Oric Walker Jr. 99-yard interception return (Magnus Lepak kick), 7:20. Bisons 56–0. HAR – Travis Greenwalt 51-yard interception return (kick blocked), 5:08. Bisons 62–0.

Statistics	HAR	NWO
First downs	21	6
Total yards	414	108
Rushing yards	380	63
Passing yards	34	45
Turnovers	0	4
Time of possession	22:09	37:51

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	1/2, 34 yards, TD
	Rushing	Cole Keylon	7 rushes, 90 yards, TD
	Receiving	Darius Brown	1 reception, 34 yards, TD
NW Oklahoma State	Passing	Caleb Deal	11/20, 45 yards, 4 INT
	Rushing	Jashaun Foster	8 rushes, 27 yards
	Receiving	Chancelor Gill	4 receptions, 21 yards

No. 5 Ouachita Baptist

No. 5 Ouachita Baptist Tigers at No. 9 Harding Bisons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 5 Tigers	0	3	7	0	10
No. 9 Bisons	7	3	10	21	41

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: October 14
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 64 °F (18 °C)
• Game attendance: 5,600
• Referee: Darin Lair
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Roland Wallace 22-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 2:07. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:10. Second quarter OUA – Gabe Goodman 45-yard field goal, 8:23. Bisons 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 36 yards, 2:16. HAR – Grant Ennis 26-yard field goal, 0:00. Bisons 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 2:10. Third quarter OUA – Riley Harms 2-yard run (Gabe Goodman kick), 10:39. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:21. HAR – Grant Ennis 34-yard field goal, 4:40. Bisons 13–10. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 5:50. HAR – Omar Sinclair 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 2:12. Bisons 20–10. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 1:32. Fourth quarter HAR – Braden Jay 9-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:13. Bisons 27–10. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 2:47. HAR – Blake Delacruz 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:41. Bisons 34–10. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 4:20. HAR – Braden Jay 54-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 0:37. Bisons 41–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:23.

Statistics	OUA	HAR
First downs	14	22
Total yards	234	427
Rushing yards	155	427
Passing yards	79	0
Turnovers	1	2
Time of possession	26:35	33:25

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ouachita Baptist	Passing	Riley Harms	13/27, 79 yards
	Rushing	Kendel Givens	23 rushes, 146 yards
	Receiving	Connor Flannigan	8 receptions, 38 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	0/1, 0 yards, INT
	Rushing	Braden Jay	10 rushes, 131 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	None

The no. 9 Bisons downed the no. 5 Tigers, handing Oauchita Baptist its first loss of the season.

At Southern Arkansas

No. 6 Harding Bisons at Southern Arkansas Muleriders – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 6 Bisons	14	10	21	9	54
Muleriders	7	0	7	6	20

at Memorial Stadium, El Dorado, Arkansas

• Date: October 21
• Game time: 2:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Sunny, 86 °F (30 °C)
• Game attendance: 1,196
• Referee: Dewayne Barbee
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 6-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 10:42. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:18. SAU – Kadyn Roach 73-yard run (Hayden Nitz kick), 4:08. Tied 7–7. Drive: 1 play, 73 yards, 0:10. HAR – Will Fitzhugh 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:18. Bisons 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:50. Second quarter HAR – Jhalen Spicer 7-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 8:08. Bisons 21–7. Drive: 13 plays, 99 yards, 6:59. HAR – Grant Ennis 35-yard field goal, 0:00. Bisons 24–7. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 2:55. Third quarter SAU – Jariq Scales 28-yard run (Hayden Nitz kick), 12:15. Bisons 24–14. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 2:45. HAR – Braden Jay 66-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:12. Bisons 31–14. Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 0:57. HAR – Blake Delacruz 24-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 7:27. Bisons 38–14. Drive: 4 plays, 72 yards, 2:24. HAR – Andrew Miller 5-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 0:53. Bisons 45–14. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 4:49. Fourth quarter SAU – Matthew Witten 30-yard pass from O. B. Jones (kick blocked), 12:54. Bisons 45–20. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 2:52. HAR – Ahmad Butler 89-yard PAT return, 12:54. Bisons 47–20. HAR – Will Fitzhugh 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 7:56. Bisons 54–20. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:50.

Statistics	HAR	SAU
First downs	29	19
Total yards	653	4462
Rushing yards	631	264
Passing yards	22	198
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	36:09	23:51

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/6, 22 yards
	Rushing	Braden Jay	8 rushes, 202 yards, TD
	Receiving	Braden Jay	2 receptions, 22 yards
Southern Arkansas	Passing	O. B. Jones	15/23, 169 yards, TD
	Rushing	Kadyn Roach	4 rushes, 94 yards, TD
	Receiving	Jakarion Lockett	4 receptions, 65 yards

At Southeastern Oklahoma State

No. 4 Harding Bisons at Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 4 Bisons	21	10	14	10	55
Savage Storm	0	0	0	0	0

at Paul Laird Field, Durant, Oklahoma

• Date: October 28
• Game time: 2:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Rain, 54 °F (12 °C)
• Game attendance: 1,178
• Referee: Michael Catton
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Braden Jay 29-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 9:07. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:57. HAR – Blake Delacruz 6-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:37. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 2:27. HAR – Chauncey Martin 5-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:20. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:19. Second quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 6:56. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:51. HAR – Grant Ennis 41-yard field goal, 0:00. Bisons 31–0. Drive: 6 plays, 9 yards, 1:16. Third quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 12:31. Bisons 38–0. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 2:22. HAR – Will Fitzhugh 26-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 9:04. Bisons 45–0. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 2:02. Fourth quarter HAR – Grant Ennis 28-yard field goal, 13:27. Bisons 48–0. Drive: 5 plays, -1 yards, 2:13. HAR – Chauncey Martin 28-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 6:22. Bisons 55–0. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 4:06.

Statistics	HAR	SOU
First downs	27	8
Total yards	502	141
Rushing yards	436	45
Passing yards	66	96
Turnovers	1	5
Time of possession	36:39	23:21

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	1/2, 39 yards
	Rushing	Braden Jay	6 rushes, 70 yards, TD
	Receiving	Darius Brown	1 reception, 39 yards
SE Oklahoma State	Passing	Weston Conaway	13/22, 71 yards, 3 INT
	Rushing	D. J. Brown	9 rushes, 42 yards
	Receiving	Duce Pittman	2 receptions, 23 yards

East Central

East Central Tigers at No. 4 Harding Bisons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	0	0	7	7
No. 4 Bisons	7	14	21	6	48

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: November 4
• Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)
• Game attendance: 5,500
• Referee: Darin Lair
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 5-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 7:16. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 5:25. Second quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 3-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 14:54. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 5:28. HAR – Cole Keylon 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:26. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 8:17. Third quarter HAR – Braden Jay 27-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 9:58. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 9 plays, 92 yards, 4:58. HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 7:20. Bisons 35–0. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:45. HAR – Omar Sinclair 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:27. Bisons 42–0. Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 2:48. Fourth quarter HAR – Myron Mason 10-yard run (kick failed), 10:58. Bisons 48–0. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 6:31. ECU – Jace Wyatt 5-yard pass from Traair Edwards (Tommy Yousey kick), 5:44. Bisons 48–7. Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 5:14.

Statistics	ECU	HAR
First downs	7	30
Total yards	134	528
Rushing yards	22	528
Passing yards	112	0
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	20:24	39:36

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
East Central	Passing	Traair Edwards	7/11, 69 yards, TD
	Rushing	David Hall	7 rushes, 13 yards
	Receiving	Hayden Stewart	3 receptions, 34 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	0/2, 0 yards
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	18 rushes, 112 yards, TD
	Receiving	None

The Tigers were held to just 134 yards of total offense while Harding only attempted two passes, both of which were incomplete.

At Arkansas Tech

No. 3 Harding Bisons at Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 3 Bisons	14	28	7	7	56
Wonder Boys	0	0	0	0	0

at Simmons Bank Field, Russellville, Arkansas

• Date: November 11
• Game time: 2:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
• Game attendance: 2,347
• Referee: Frank Wittenberg
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Zach Strickland 26-yard interception return (Grant Ennis kick), 10:58. Bisons 7–0. HAR – Chauncey Martin 9-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:18. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:49. Second quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 7-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 10:20. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 15 plays,66 yards, 7:51. HAR – Cole Keylon 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:31. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 4 plays, 15 yards, 2:15. HAR – Ty Dugger 64-yard punt return (Grant Ennis kick), 2:38. Bisons 35–0. HAR – Braden Jay 44-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Grant Ennis kick), 0:00. Bisons 42–0. Drive: 3 plays, 48 yards, 1:05. Third quarter HAR – Jhalen Spicer 3-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:39. Bisons 49–0. Drive: 6 plays, 85 yards, 3:10. Fourth quarter HAR – Andrew Miller 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 6:12. Bisons 56–0. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 4:08.

Statistics	HAR	ATU
First downs	20	8
Total yards	418	91
Rushing yards	333	-27
Passing yards	85	118
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	38:41	21:19

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/3, 85 yards, TD
	Rushing	Andrew Miller	11 rushes, 80 yards, TD
	Receiving	Braden Jay	1 reception, 44 yards, TD
Arkansas Tech	Passing	Taye Gatewood	10/20, 70 yards, INT
	Rushing	Deuce Wise	6 rushes, 6 yards
	Receiving	Joyrion Chase	2 receptions, 31 yards

No. 6 Central Missouri (NCAA Division II Second Round)

No. 6 Central Missouri Mules at No. 3 Harding Bisons (NCAA Division II Second Round) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 6 Mules	7	7	7	13	34
No. 3 Bisons	7	14	7	7	35

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: November 25
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Cloudy, 50 °F (10 °C)
• Game attendance: 3,500
• Referee: Craig Demaree
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter UCM – Zion Perry 30-yard pass from Zach Zebrowski (Luke Dobson kick), 11:21. Mules 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:39. HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 2:56. Tied 7–7. Drive: 14 plays, 68 yards, 8:18. Second quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:53. Bisons 14–7. Drive: 16 plays, 95 yards, 9:26. UCM – Arkell Smith 5-yard pass from Zach Zebrowski (Luke Dobson kick), 3:17. Tied 14–14. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 2:36. HAR – Chauncey Martin 38-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:08. Bisons 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 1:56. Third quarter HAR – Chauncey Martin 89-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 4:16. Bisons 28–14. Drive: 3 plays, 94 yards, 1:20. UCM – Michael Fitzgerald 28-yard pass from Zach Zebrowski (Luke Dobson kick), 0:49. Bisons 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:14. Fourth quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 12-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 6:52. Bisons 35–21. Drive: 16 plays, 69 yards, 8:49. UCM – Arkell Smith 87-yard pass from Zach Zebrowski (Luke Dobson kick), 5:58. Bisons 35–28. Drive: 3 plays, 95 yards, 0:43. UCM – Arkell Smith 6-yard pass from Zach Zebrowski (kick blocked), 0:22. Bisons 35–34. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 2:42.

Statistics	UCM	HAR
First downs	27	20
Total yards	534	418
Rushing yards	109	384
Passing yards	425	34
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	24:18	35:42

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Central Missouri	Passing	Zach Zebrowski	34/44, 425 yards, 5 TD
	Rushing	Zach Zebrowski	16 rushes, 94 yards
	Receiving	Arkell Smith	9 receptions, 150 yards, 3 TD
Harding	Passing	Zach Strickland	1/1, 26 yards
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	34 rushes, 154 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Ty Dugger	1 reception, 26 yards

The Mules scored a touchdown with less than 30 seconds in regulation, needing an extra point to tie the game and potentially send it into overtime. However, Harding defensive lineman Gage Price blocked the game-tying PAT, securing the 35–34 victory for the Bisons.

No. 2 Grand Valley State (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)

No. 2 Grand Valley State Lakers at No. 3 Harding Bisons (NCAA Division II Quarterfinals) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 2 Lakers	0	6	0	0	6
No. 3 Bisons	0	0	0	7	7

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: December 2
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Cloudy, 53 °F (12 °C)
• Game attendance: 3,100
• Referee: Cecil Harrison
• Box score, Recap

Game information
First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter GVS – Josh Gorball 48-yard field goal, 13:12. Lakers 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 50 yards, 6:03. GVS – Josh Gorball 27-yard field goal, 0:00. Lakers 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 1:05. Third quarter No scoring plays Fourth quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:52. Bisons 7–6. Drive: 15 plays, 73 yards, 8:59.

Statistics	GVS	HAR
First downs	10	15
Total yards	222	225
Rushing yards	62	205
Passing yards	160	20
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	19:31	39:14

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Grand Valley State	Passing	Cade Peterson	10/19, 123 yards
	Rushing	Khalil Eichelberger	2 rushes, 31 yards
	Receiving	Darrell Johnson	5 receptions, 63 yards
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	1/3, 20 yards
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	28 rushes, 70 yards
	Receiving	Braden Jay	1 reception, 20 yards

In the quarterfinal round of the NCAA division II playoffs, Harding hosted no. 2 Grand Valley State from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Lakers entered the game with one of the best defenses in all of division II, holding opponents to an average of 17 points per game. The Lakers' defense held the Bisons scoreless for just over 56 minutes of game time before Harding quarterback Cole Keylon scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown.

No. 11 Lenoir–Rhyne (NCAA Division II Semifinals)

No. 11 Lenoir–Rhyne Bears at No. 3 Harding Bisons (NCAA Division II Semifinals) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 11 Bears	0	7	0	7	14
No. 3 Bisons	14	20	14	7	55

at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas

• Date: December 9
• Game time: 11:00 a.m. CST
• Game weather: Cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)
• Game attendance: 2,900
• Referee: Chris Glass
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 8:48. Bisons 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 36 yards, 4:51. HAR – Blake Delacruz 9-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 5:20. Bisons 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 54 yards, 3:28. Second quarter HAR – Blake Delacruz 4-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 9:29. Bisons 21–0. Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 4:14. HAR – Braden Jay 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 1:34. Bisons 28–0. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 5:39. LRU – Zyheir Dillard 5-yard run (Jake Brown kick), 0:14. Bisons 28–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 1:20. HAR – Braden Jay 89-yard kickoff return (kick failed), 0:04. Bisons 34–7. Third quarter HAR – Roland Wallace 65-yard pass from Cole Keylon (Grant Ennis kick), 12:26. Bisons 41–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:28. HAR – Chauncey Martin 17-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 4:57. Bisons 48–7. Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 3:58. Fourth quarter HAR – Andrew Miller 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 9:10. Bisons 55–7. Drive: 6 plays, 24 yards, 3:25. LRU – Deondre Lester 52-yard pass from Jalen Ferguson (Jake Brown kick), 6:45. Bisons 55–14. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:25.

Statistics	LRU	HAR
First downs	14	26
Total yards	336	500
Rushing yards	-3	431
Passing yards	339	69
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	19:17	40:43

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Lenoir–Rhyne	Passing	Sean White	23/33, 270 yards, INT
	Rushing	Deondre Lester	1 rush, 12 yards
	Receiving	Deondre Lester	8 receptions, 139 yards, TD
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/3, 69 yards, TD
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	21 rushes, 147 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Roland Wallace	1 reception, 65 yards, TD

Vs. No. 1 Colorado Mines (NCAA Division II Championship Game)

See also: 2023 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team

No. 3 Harding Bisons vs. No. 1 Colorado Mines Orediggers (NCAA Division II Championship Game) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 3 Bisons	7	14	10	7	38
No. 1 Orediggers	7	0	0	0	7

at McKinney ISD Stadium, McKinney, Texas

• Date: December 16
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Sunny, 53 °F (12 °C)
• Game attendance: 12,552
• Referee: Bryan Earl
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter CSM – Noah Roper 2-yard pass from John Matocha (Jacob Click kick), 9:06. Orediggers 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:54. HAR – Jhalen Spicer 10-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 3:49. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:14. Second quarter HAR – Braden Jay 10-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 4:30. Bisons 14–7. Drive: 17 plays, 74 yards, 10:23. HAR – Braden Jay 9-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 0:33. Bisons 21–7. Drive: 6 plays, 90 yards, 2:05. Third quarter HAR – Braden Jay 73-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 12:58. Bisons 28–7. Drive: 4 plays, 87 yards, 1:59. HAR – Grant Ennis 32-yard field goal, 4:11. Bisons 31–7. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 6:07. Fourth quarter HAR – Cole Keylon 1-yard run (Grant Ennis kick), 11:58. Bisons 38–7. Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 4:17.

Statistics	HAR	CSM
First downs	21	18
Total yards	548	341
Rushing yards	502	71
Passing yards	46	270
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	36:10	23:50

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Harding	Passing	Cole Keylon	2/2, 46 yards
	Rushing	Blake Delacruz	27 rushes, 212 yards
	Receiving	Roland Wallace	2 receptions, 46 yards
Colorado Mines	Passing	John Matocha	24/33, 270 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	Landon Walker	6 rushes, 56 yards
	Receiving	Max McLeod	14 receptions, 153

Statistical accomplishments

On offense, Harding prioritizes the run game, averaging over 400 rushing yards per game. In a game against Southern Arkansas on October 21, the team rushed for 631 yards and had two players (Braden Jay and Blake Delacruz) each tally over 200 rushing yards.

On defense, the team has recorded four shutouts and has allowed per-game averages of 10.92 points, 74.2 rushing yards, and 158.62 passing yards.

The team's individual statistical leaders include:

• Blake Delacruz with 1,149 rushing yards and 114 points scored;
• Cole Keylon with 546 passing yards;
• Braden Jay with seven receptions for 164 yards;

Harding became the first team in NCAA history to rush for over 6,000 yards in a single season.