SEARCY, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Football suffered its first setback of the 2016 season as they were defeated by Harding 35-14 after trailing by just seven points at the break in a Great American Conference road tilt inside First Security Stadium on Saturday night in Central Arkansas.
RECORDS
Harding (3-0, 3-0 GAC) | Southern Arkansas (2-1, 2-1 GAC)
SCORING PLAYS
Southern Arkansas 7, Harding 0
2nd Q 11:40 | Michael Nunnery 1-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 13 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:18
Harding 7, Southern Arkansas 7
2nd Q 07:54 | Zach Shelley 34-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 7 plays, 71 yards, TOP 3:48
Harding 14, Southern Arkansas 7
2nd Q 07:02 | Michael Latu 10-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 2 plays, 18 yards, TOP 0:45
Harding 21, Southern Arkansas 7
3rd Q 11:52 | Park Parish 1-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 7 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:59
Harding 28, Southern Arkansas 7
4th Q 14:57 | Michael Latu 10-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 5 plays, 33 yards, TOP 1:51
Harding 28, Southern Arkansas 14
4th Q 05:43 | Will Haines 3-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 7 plays, 38 yards, TOP 2:21
Harding 35, Southern Arkansas 14
4th Q 00:10 | Michael Latu 3-yard RUSH (PAT GOOD) | 7 plays, 39 yards, TOP 2:45
HOW IT HAPPENED
· Southern Arkansas had a chance to break the scoreless tie with 4:14 to play in the opening quarter as a 38-yard field goal attempt from the reigning GAC Special Teams Player of the Week in Bradford Grems missed short and was no good.
· The Muleriders opened scoring with 11:40 remaining in the first half as Michael Nunnery scored from one-yard out, his second rushing touchdown of the season, to cap a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took up 4:18. Nunnery was critical for Southern Arkansas on that scoring drive as he converted two third downs beginning with a five-yard carry on third-and-one, while hauling in a 13-yard pass from Barrett Renner on third-and-twelve. Renner connected with Daven Reese for nine yards on a third-and-five that put the Muleriders in the redzone.
· Harding responded on their next drive as they took 3:48 off of the clock in a seven-play, 71-yard sequence resulting in Zach Shelley scoring from 34 yards out. Before finding the endzone, Harding totaled 33 yards on 14 plays through their first two drives of the game.
· Momentum shifted in favor of the Bisons on the ensuing kickoff as Harding forced a fumble on a Karonce Higgins return setting up their offense inside the redzone at the SAU18.
· Two plays later, Harding took a lead that they would not surrender as they rattled off 21 unanswered points.
· With less than a minute remaining in the second quarter and the Bisons driving, Parish completed a pass to Grant Kimberlin for 25 yards, before SAU's Elgin Moore forced a fumble that was recovered by Q'Niko Thomas to end the HU threat in the first half.
· Harding pushed their lead to two touchdowns as they scored the lone points of the third quarter just over three minutes into the second half on a one-yard tote from Park Parish.
· The Bisons capped a 33-yard drive after forcing a Renner interception with a 10-yard touchdown run by Latu on the first play of the fourth quarter that put HU up 28-7.
· The Muleriders fumbled on their second play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter, but Harding gave it right back by putting the football on the ground two plays later as Kendrix McCann forced a fumble that was recovered by Calvin Lyons.
· SAU would cut their deficit to two scores late in the final quarter as Will Haines carried from three-yards out to pull SAU within 14. On that drive, Haines, who entered at QB for the second-consecutive week, accounted for all 38 yards as he completed a pair of passes for 12 yards and rushed four times for 26 yards.
· The Muleriders attempted an onside kick following the Haines touchdown run and was unsuccessful, but with three timeouts remaining SAU looked to stop the Bisons and get the football back. Facing a 3rd & 8 from the SAU37, the Bisons called on Shelley who carried for 22 yards and a first down and in the process put the game out of reach for SAU, before Latu found the endzone for his third score of the night with ten seconds left giving Harding a 21-point lead and the final score of 35-14.
TURNING POINT
· A Mulerider fumble on the ensuing kickoff following Harding's first points of the game swung the momentum in favor of the Bisons who had a redzone opportunity that they would capitalize on in only 45 seconds as they took a 14-7 lead before increasing their advantage to 28-7 through three quarters of play.
OF NOTE
· It was the first scoreless opening quarter for both teams in the series since a 2009 matchup in Magnolia that resulted in a 26-16 Harding win.
· The teams combined for seven turnovers with SAU committing five as the Bisons turned two of those turnovers into 14 points.
· Harding was 4-of-5 in redzone opportunities, while SAU was 2-of-4 including an interception early in the fourth quarter.
· Attempting just five passes, Harding's flexbone rushed 66 times resulting in a 12-plus minute margin in time of possession that favored the Bisons (36:19 to 23:41).
· Jonathan Weisheit led Southern Arkansas in receiving with six catches for 58 yards; tying his game-high in receptions set in a season-opening win at Southeastern Oklahoma State. He is the third different Mulerider wideout to lead the team in receiving this season.
· Moore led the defense with 11 total tackles, eight unassisted. McCann added ten stops with seven being solo.
UP NEXT
· Southern Arkansas returns home to the friendly confines of Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field for a 6 p.m. GAC kick-off against Arkansas Tech. The Muleriders suffered a 44-21 loss to ATU on the road in Russellville last September.
· Since joining the Great American Conference in 2011, SAU is 18-6 when playing in front of the Wilkins Stadium faithful.
· Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for continuing coverage of Mulerider Football including pre- and post-game updates and the coach's show with Head Coach Bill Keopple.
