SEARCY, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas football team traveled to Searcy on Saturday looking to knockoff No. 15-ranked Harding University on their home field, but the road upset in front of Family Day-sized crowd was not to be as SAU fell to Harding by a score of 56-13 at First Security Field.
The Muleriders (2-3, 2-3 GAC) got first crack at an offensive possession as the Bisons (4-0, 4-0 GAC) won the toss, but deferred their option to the second half. SAU, however, was unable to do anything on that opening drive, being forced to go three-and-out. Following the punt, the Bisons would take the ball 53 yards on four plays for the game's first score.
The Bisons' lead would grow to 14-0 three minutes later as Keenan Kellett completed a 64-yard touchdown pass to Donatella Luckett.
Harding would try to pass on their next two offensive possessions, but each pass attempt went into the arms of a Mulerider defensive back as the SAU's defense provided a spark. The Muleriders would pull to with a score, 14-6, with 29 seconds left in the first quarter as they turned the second of those picks into points on a 26-yard touchdown pass from
Si Blackshire to
Aaron Johnson on the first play of that drive.
Blackshire and Johnson would connect again with 1:13 left in the second quarter, this time for a 49-yard score, making it a 28-13 game at the time. The Bisons, however, would answer back quickly to that Mulerider score with a 61-yard touchdown run by Zach Shelly with just 20 seconds left in the half.
The Bisons would go on to shutout the Muleriders in the second half while adding three more touchdowns to their total, bringing the final score to 56-13.
Offensively, the Muleriders would gain 391 yards of total offense with 259 of those yards coming through the air. Blackshire, who accounted for all of the passing yards, would complete 22-of-31 passes including a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Both touchdown grabs were hauled in by Johnson, who finished with 104 yards on four catches.
Luke Lansdell led the defense with 10 total tackles (five assisted, five solo), followed by A,J. Steele with eight (two solo, six assisted). Safeties
James Thurston and DeMario Thomas accounted for the Muleriders forced turnovers as each had an interception.
The Muleriders will now return home for a matchup against Arkansas Tech on Saturday, October 11. Kick-off for that game is slated for 6 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium.
