Harding University’s football coaches and players have not taken a break since July.
The Bisons have been practicing since early August. They have played 13 consecutive weeks. They have been on the road for eight of those games.
And they want more.
“We prepared to play deep into the season,” Harding junior linebacker Sam Blankenship said. “We want to play 16 weeks.”
Harding (10-3) will play Ferris State (11-1) in the NCAA Division II Region 3 final Saturday in Big Rapids, Mich. The winner will advance to the Division II semifinals. Saturday’s game will be the fourth consecutive week the Bisons have been away from home.
“I don’t think any of my coaches have had more than a half day off since late July,” Harding Coach Paul Simmons said. “We’ve all been working 12- and 13-hour days. The winner is going to be the team than can survive the fatigue and stay focused.”
Riding a 10-game winning streak, the Bisons face a Ferris State team that is and is not like Harding.
The Bulldogs, like Harding, have a multitude of offensive weapons and average more than 400 yards a game, but Ferris State employs a totally different style of attack.
“There’s no one guy who they hang their hat on,” Simmons said. “But they are a lot different from us.”
Indianapolis and Ashland — Harding’s first- and second-round opponents respectively — were physical and resembled teams from the Big Ten.
Bulldogs quarterbacks Travis Russell and Reggie Bell have combined to throw for 2,364 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Bell, a 6-4 senior, was the starter in last week’s 31-21 victory over regional top seed Fort Hays State, but has seen action in only seven games this season because of injuries.
Ferris State has three running backs with 500 or more yards this season. Leading back Jahaan Brown, a 6-1 senior, has 648 yards.
Junior Malik Taylor is the Bulldogs’ top receiver with a team-high 56 receptions and 849 yards.
Ferris State, Simmons said, is unlike many of the programs from the Midwest.
“They are a spread-it-out, open-field, speed team,” Simmons said. “We might be happy if it’s 20 degrees because that may slow them down some.”
The weather in Big Rapids, however, is expected to be in the low 40s for Saturday’s game which could mean a fast track.
“That’s a heatwave for that part of the country this time of year,” Simmons said.
Blankenship, who leads the Bisons with 105 tackles and four forced fumbles this season, says his team is embracing another road game.
“It’s such a physical game, but we’re a team of winners,” said Blankenship, a 6-2 junior from Tulsa. “We love that we’re still playing. No one’s thinking about being tired.”
Simmons says fighting fatigue means sacrifice.
“When you have football and full load of classes, your family and girlfriends have to wait,” Simmons said.
“I think sometimes my mom is rooting against us,” Blankenship joked. “She would have liked for me to be home for Thanksgiving. … But you don’t get this opportunity every year. You want to make the most of it.”
KEY STATISTICS
Harding Ferris State
10-3 Record 11-1
10 Winning streak 9
34.6 Points per game 33.0
403.6 Total yds. avg. 440.6
351.2 Rushing yds. avg. 233.8
52.5 Passing yds. avg. 206.8
20.0 Points allowed avg. 15.2
307.0 Total yds.allowed avg. 279.3
110.7 Rushing yds. allowed avg. 102.0
196.3 Passing yds. allowed avg. 177.3
25-12 Fumbles-Lost 25-11
36.9 Punting avg. 41.1
67-634 Penalties-yards 86-782
NCAA Division II playoffs
HARDING AT FERRIS STATE
WHEN 11 a.m. Central, Saturday
SITE Top Taggart Field, Big Rapids, Mich.
COACHES Paul Simmons 10-3 in first season at Harding and overall; Tony Annese 60-13 in sixth season at Ferris State and 90-17 in ninth season overall
RADIO KVHU-FM, 95.3, Searcy