Henderson State was plagued by five first-half turnovers as the No. 5 Reddies lost to No. 16 Harding 35-3, Saturday at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.

Harding, 6-0 on the season, scored 21 points off of Henderson's turnovers including two defensive scores.

The Reddies began the game moving the ball down field on their opening drive advancing down to the Bisons 18. Penalties would back up the Henderson and Houston Ray was forced to attempt a 39-yard field. Ray's attempt drifted wide left and Harding took over on the 22-yardline.

The Bisons were forced to punt on their first possession and the Reddies would set up shop on their own 13.

The first turnover occurred when Reddie receiver Al Lasker slipped and Tony Becton would pick off Andrew Black's pass at the HSU 47.

The Henderson defense would hold and force a punt by the Bisons. However, Lasker would fumble Tristan Parsley's boot and TJ Winslow recovered the loose ball at the HSU 12.

Park Parish would score four plays later from the 1-yardline to give Harding a 7-0 lead.

Harding opened the second quarter with a long drive and scored on a 2-yard run by Michael Latu.

Midway through the quarter, Black would lose the football attempting to handoff to Jeremy Wilson and Arthur Askers stole the ball and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown to make the score 21-0.

It looked as if that was how the half would end as the Bisons took over with 43 seconds on their own 46.

The Bisons looked as if they were going to run out the clock, but instead Parish caught the Reddie defense off-guard and hit a wide open Bobby Green for a 51-yard score with 5 seconds left.

Henderson would get the ball on its own 27 following the ensuing kickoff. On the final play of the half, a scrambling Black would throw the ball away and it was intercepted by Scott Middleton who then scampered 27 yards to score as time expired.     

The Reddies finally got on the board on the first drive of the second half courtesy of a 31-yard field goal by Ray. The successful kick gave Ray his 41^st career field goal, tying Bo Adkisson for most career field goals in HSU history.

Henderson totaled 25 first downs and 308 yards of offense while Harding compiled 295 yards and managed to collect 13 first downs.

The Reddies would move the ball into the red zone five times but turned the ball over twice and missed a field goal.

Black would finish the game completing 9-of-18 passes for 72 yard while having three interceptions.

Evan Lassiter played the entire second half for Henderson and completed 17-of-27 for 163 yards.

The ground game was limited to just 73 yards, with Black having 10 carries for 28 yards.

Cameron Sonnier led the Reddies defensively with 13 tackles, while Josh Davis had 10.

Henderson will next play host to Arkansas-Monticello Saturday, October 15 for Military Appreciation Day.  Kickoff at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium is slated for 2 p.m.