Box Score BOX SCORE

Saturday's game between Henderson State and Harding featured the top scoring team in the nation against the top defense nationally, but it was the Reddie offensive juggernaut that came away with the 38-10 victory in Searcy, Ark to remain unbeaten on the season.

The no. 12-ranked Reddies, 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the Great American Conference, compiled 546 yards of offense including 466 yards through the air, while the Henderson defense limited Harding to just 172 yards rushing, far below its season average of 320 yards per game. Coming into the night's clash of the unbeatens, Harding limited their opponents to just 108.80 yards per game passing.

“The tempo of the game was determined by the defense,” said Reddie Head Coach Scott Maxfield. “The offense was able to feed off the defense and move the ball down the field.”

Kevin Rodgers continued his astonishing sophomore season by completing 30 of 44 passes for 466 yards and five touchdowns. The Rockwall, Texas native set a school record for touchdown passes in a season surpassing Nick Hardesty when he threw his third score of the game by connecting on a 26-yard toss to Labroderick Barnett in the third quarter. The five touchdown passes runs his total to 33 on the year and puts him one strike shy of tying the HSU career record.

The Reddies, who won the toss and elected to receive, struck first on their opening possession as Charles Gonsalves booted a 36-yard field goal early in the first period.

The 23^rd-ranked Bisons (5-1 and 4-1) answered as John Gay was true on a 41-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3 with 9:19 left in the first quarter.

Later in the game, wide out Elliot Hebert then helped propel the Reddies to a 17-3 advantage as Rodgers connected with the senior from Scott, La. for a 12-yard score and then a 67-yard strike to stun the Harding faithful.
The Reddies would take that advantage into the locker room.

As the second half began, Gonsalves kicked a pop-up kick which hit the ground and bounced back into the arms of Kenrick Burns and the Reddies took over at the Bison 39-yardline.

Three plays later, the Reddies capitalized on the momentum-shifting turnover as Rodgers connected with Labroderick Barnett for a 26-yard touchdown to make the score 24-3 with 14:11 remaining in the third quarter.

Harding again responded by putting together an 11-play, 78-yard drive capped off by a 1-yard plunge by Ahmad Scott to cut the Reddie lead to 24-10 midway through the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Bisons looked to have the momentum swung in their favor as Robert Jordan mishandled a Nathan Kadlecek punt with Phillip Moon recovering at the Reddie 9.

With their backs against their goal line, the Henderson defense came up big by stuffing the Bisons on a 4th-and-goal play from the 5 as Chuck Obi turned away Jason Oller at the 1, forcing the turnover on downs.

The Reddies then drove the ball 99 yards and capped off the drive with a 26-yard touchdown toss from Rodgers to Darius Davis. That crucial drive was kept alive with the help of a 34-yard reception from Dustin Holland, and a 32-yard reception by Barnett.

Down by three scores, Harding was forced to go to the air, but again the Reddie defense stifled the Bisons as Jeremy Williams intercepted a Keenan Kellett pass at the Henderson 48.

On the ensuing drive, Henderson faced 3^rd-and-8 at midfield, and again it was Holland that came up with a big play running a crossing route and recording a 29-yard reception down to the Bison 21.

Rodgers then threw his fifth touchdown of the game as Davis made an 18-yard reception for his second score of the game.

Holland ended the game with a career-high 164 yards on 10 receptions, while Hebert had 107 yards on 7 catches and a pair of touchdowns. Holland and Hebert going over the century mark in receiving yards in the same game marks the third time this season a pair of Reddie wide outs have reached that total.

The Reddie defense was spectacular all night long as they limited the Bisons to 269 yards of total offense, forcing 10 three-and-outs, and turning away Harding twice in the red zone.
Maxie Graham led the Reddies with 12 tackles including a pair of tackles for lost yardage, while Chuck Obi and Tim Llewellyn had seven tackles each.

“This was a great road win for us,” said Maxfield. “Our offense left a lot of points on the field, but again the defense responded and that was big.”

Maxfield picked up his 75th career coaching win and his 46th victory as head coach of the Reddies.

Henderson returns to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium on Saturday, October 20th for Homecoming against East Central with the opening kickoff set for 3 p.m.