ARKADELPHIA -- Henderson State was in a giving mood Saturday afternoon at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.
Harding gladly accepted gift after gift after gift.
The Bisons claimed sole possession of the Great American Conference lead with an emphatic 35-3 victory over Henderson in a matchup of nationally ranked NCAA Division II teams.
An announced crowd of 6,026 watched Harding (6-0, 6-0 GAC) race to a 35-0 halftime lead, scoring two defensive touchdowns and two touchdowns in the final five seconds of the second quarter, the last a 27-yard interception return by senior strong safety Scott Middleton on the final play.
"Took advantage of the breaks that they gave us," said Harding Coach Ronnie Huckeba, whose team entered No. 16 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. "I think that's important. The last two minutes of the first half were about as unbelievable as I've ever been associated with -- how fast all that happened."
Middleton's touchdown punctuated a magical first half for the Bisons and a forgettable one for the Reddies (5-1, 5-1), beaten for only the fifth time in 50 GAC games since the league was formed in 2011.
Henderson, the GAC champion in 2012, 2013 and 2015, had five turnovers and was penalized seven times for 40 yards.
Many of the wounds were self-inflicted.
"That was an old-fashioned butt whipping," Henderson Coach Scott Maxfield said. "You turn it over five times in the first half against a good football team, you're not going to be very successful. They've got a good football team. They took advantage of our mistakes."
There were plenty.
Middleton weaved his way across field and into the end zone after sophomore quarterback Andrew Black, who is right-handed, threw awkwardly rolling to his left.
Harding's other defensive touchdown -- a 17-yard fumble return plucked out of the air by senior end Arthur Akers -- came after a botched exchange between Black and freshman tailback Jeremy Wilson.
Akers' touchdown gave Harding a 21-0 lead with 7:23 remaining in the first half.
It grew to 28-0 after the run-oriented Bisons stung the Reddies through the air. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Bobby Green, all alone at the Henderson 20, made the reception from senior quarterback Park Parish to complete the 51-yard score with five seconds remaining in the first half.
Parish, who didn't play in the second half, had given the Bisons a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:36 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bisons had to travel only 12 yards for their second score after recovering a fumbled punt. Senior fullback Michael Latu gave Harding a 14-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run with 10:57 remaining in the first half.
Henderson reached the Harding 18 to open the game, but the drive stalled after a holding penalty. Junior kicker Houston Ray then missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt.
Henderson's only points came on Ray's 31-yard field goal with 9:39 remaining in the third quarter.
Henderson, No. 5 in the AFCA Top 25, was riding a 14-game GAC winning streak.
"It was one of those days things didn't go our way," Maxfield said. "I mean, that's football. That's why the ball is shaped the way it is. At the end of the day, Harding probably caused some of that."
Henderson finished with a 308-295 advantage in total offense.
Black rushed 10 times for 28 yards and completed 9 of 18 passes for 72 yards. He was intercepted three times. Junior Evan Lassiter completed 17 of 27 passes for 163 yards in the second half for Henderson.
Latu ran 14 times for 63 yards for Harding, and Parish ran 7 times for 29 yards and completed 2 of 5 passes for 70 yards.
Harding outgained Henderson 195-121 in the first half.
Sports on 10/09/2016