COMPLETE GAME NOTES

Henderson State and Harding have played some classic games over the past few years and that should be the case again this year as the two remaining unbeaten teams in the Great American Conference face off Saturday at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium with kickoff slated for 2 p.m.       
 
Both teams are ranked in the latest AFCA top 25 with Henderson ranked fifth, while Harding is 16^th.

The game features a Harding team which leads the nation in rushing offense (369.0 yards per game) and total defense (199.0 yards per game), against a Henderson squad that has used a balanced offensive attack along with a defense which leads the league is sacks and tackles for loss.   
           
Last week, Henderson totaled 311 yards passing to beat Arkansas Tech 27-20. The Reddies rank fifth in the GAC in total offense averaging 416.2 yards per contest and third in scoring (36.2 points per game).
 
In his first start at quarterback, Evan Lassiter completed 26-of-37 passes for 311 yards with two touchdown tosses.
 
Andrew Black, who sat out last week due to injury and should return this week, has been a duel threat averaging 199.5 yards passing and 49.5 yards rushing per game as the Reddie quarterback. The sophomore from Tyler, Texas has completed 65.6 percent of his passes (63-of-93) and has carried the ball 37 times for 198 yards.   

The ground game was limited to 43 yards last week against ATU with Jeremy Wilson rushing for 46 yards. Wilson leads Henderson's ground game averaging 73.8 yards per game which ranks ninth in the league.
 
Jaquan Cole follows Wilson averaging 63.5 yards per contest. The 2015 GAC Offensive Player of the Year has 254 total yards on 48 carries for an average of 5.3 yards per attempt.
 
Courtney Whitehead leads the Reddie receivers with 26 catches for 398 yards ranking fourth in the league. Whitehead caught seven passes for 165 yards last week against Arkansas Tech.  

Henderson's defense is second in the league and ranks eighth nationally in turnovers with 15 including eight fumble recoveries. The Reddies have totaled 40 tackles for lost yardage including a league best 17 sacks.
 
The Reddies allow just 328.0 yards and 15.6 points per game, with both ranked second in the GAC.
 
Dondre Wright leads Henderson's defense with 39 tackles after having a season-best 15 stops last week against Arkansas Tech.      

Cameron Sonnier follows with 38 tackles including 6.0 tackles for lost yardage    . Sonnier compiled 10 tackles against the Wonder Boys. 

Sheldon Watson has come up big in the secondary having 26 tackles, three interceptions and a 44-yard scoop-and-score.

Harding is coming off a 24-20 win over Ouachita Baptist last week. Averaging a league best 43.4 points per game, the Bisons have scored 27 touchdowns with the run game.
 
The dangerous rushing attack of the Bisons utilizes numerous running backs and a quarterback led by Park Parish who has totaled 426 yards on 67 attempts while scoring 9 touchdowns. Parish carried the ball 18 times for 146 yards last week against Ouachita and scored on a 75-yard run. Parish has completed 10-of-22 passes for 236 yards.

Michael Latu follows with 346 yards on 66 attempts and 4 scores, while Romar Reades has totaled 243 on 28 carries and 6 touchdowns.
 
Andrew Dather is Harding's primary receiver with 7 receptions for 195 yards.
 
Harding's defense has been equally impressive leading the nation in total defense allowing just 199.0 yards per game. The Bisons have also limited opponents to just 11.0 points per contest which also leads the nation.
 
The Bisons are led by Daylan Skidmore who has 32 tackles on the year. 
Daylon Markham follows with 25 stops and an interception.
 
Corey Bassett is one of the top kick returners in the league averaging 29,9 yard per return including a 100-yard return for a touchdown.   

Tristan Parsley is one of the best punters in the league averaging 41.8 yard per boot.    

Harding and Henderson meet for the 52nd time in a series which dates back to 1926. The Reddies lead the series 32-18-1 including having won five of the last six games against the Bisons. Last year HSU won 22-17 in Searcy.

Coach Scott Maxfield has an 8-3 record against the Bisons. The Reddies hold a 21-5 advantage against Harding in games played in Arkadelphia.
 
 
NOTES:
• The visiting team has won the last five games of the series between Henderson and Harding.
           
• The Reddies have allowed just one rushing touchdown this season, while the Bisons have scored a league-best 27 touchdowns on the ground.
 
• Harding's defense has allowed just one passing touchdown this season.

• The Reddie defense has allowed 500 yards in just five of 62 games played during the GAC era, and only twice has a team rushed for 300 or more yards in a game. Both those games were against Harding.
 
• The team that has committed more turnovers in the game have lost six of the last seven contests.
 
• Henderson place kicker Houston Ray needs just two more field goals to set the HSU career record. Ray has 40 career field goals with the record being 41 by Bo Adkisson from 1974-77.
 
• Henderson State needs just one more victory to record its seventh straight winning season under Coach Scott Maxfield. No other coach in Reddie history has recorded seven consecutive winning seasons.