ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Off its biggest win of the season after upsetting then-No. 12 Harding, Henderson State will look to keep riding that momentum when it returns to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GeoSurfaces Field to face Arkansas Tech Saturday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. for Homecoming Weekend.
 
STORYLINES: SETTING THE SCENE
Henderson returns to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium off its biggest win of the season, defeating No. 12 Harding 15-14. The Reddies have responded to both of its losses in 2022 with wins as they still have not lost back-to-back games since 2018. HSU will now look for its fourth consecutive victory over Arkansas Tech.
 
In what will be the 98th meeting all-time between Henderson and ATU, the series leans the Reddies' way, 48-45-4. The last time Tech beat HSU was 2017 while the last three meetings have all been decided by seven points or less. Saturday will mark just the fourth matchup in Arkadelphia between these two programs since 2011.
 
REDDIES REPORT: OFFENSE
Andrew Edwards took over the starting quarterback position at Harding and did just enough in a defensive battle to lead HSU to victory. The redshirt freshman completed 16-of-27 passes for 181 yards and the only touchdown for the Reddies on the afternoon. Edwards is now fourth in the league with 12 touchdowns while playing one less game than the other passing leaders.
 
Texas A&M-Commerce transfer Matt Childers was the recipient of the lone touchdown from Edwards, finishing his afternoon with four catches for 30 yards and the score. Childers is now tied for second on the team with two trips to the endzone and 15 receptions for 166 yards on the season after not seeing any receptions in the first two contests.  
 
Running back Korien Burrell led the rushing attack against Harding with 55 yards on the ground while also seeing 17 yards on two receptions for 72 total yards. Burrell paces the Reddie runners with 588 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the season. After finding the endzone five times through the first two games, the Beaumont, Texas native has not hit paydirt since.
 
After combining for only 25 points in the last two games, Henderson's offensive numbers have taken a bit of a dip as the Reddies' passing offense currently stands as the representing unit for offensive coordinator Hayden Hawk's offense at fifth in the GAC with 230.4 yards per game. HSU quarterbacks have thrown for 15 touchdowns, which is third in the league.
 
When Henderson is throwing the ball, they are operating as the third most efficient passing offense in the GAC. Between Edwards and Landon Ledbetter, HSU has completed 62.7 percent of its passes, which is 18th in Division II. Edwards himself has completed 65.2 percent of his throws, which ranks 11th in the nation.   
 
REDDIES REPORT: DEFENSE – SPECIAL TEAMS
Henderson and its GAC-second-ranked rush defense had its best showing of the season against Harding, holding the Bisons to their second lowest scoring output (14) and second fewest rushing yards (236) of the year. The Reddie defense also forced HU to put the ball on the turf five times, three of which were collected by HSU.
 
Catrell Wallace was the recipient on two of those fumble recoveries while also forcing a fumble. The freshman played his best game since becoming a Reddie, earning himself the Great American Conference's Defensive Player of the Week honor with five tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
 
As an entire unit, the Reddies logged six tackles for loss and one sack. Coming into the contest, Harding with their triple-option offense had only allowed one sack all season. Six tackles for loss is the most Harding has allowed in a regular season home loss since Sept. 9, 2018.
 
Darrick Rose Jr. picked off Harding quarterback Cole Keylon in the endzone Saturday afternoon in what was the Bisons' first thrown interception this season. Rose leads the team on the year with two interceptions and six pass break-ups to along with his 22 tackles and one tackle for loss.
 
After giving up over 300 yards through the air in four straight contests, the HSU secondary has held back-to-back opponents under the 300 mark, including 58 yards to Harding. The Reddies are ninth in the GAC in defensive passing efficiency and are fifth with five interceptions.
 
Kicker Tristan Heaton was named the GAC Special Teams Player of the Week after a single-game career high three made field goals Saturday, including the 46-yarder that wound up being the game winner with 6:40 remaining in regulation. Heaton was responsible for nine of HSU's 15 points against the Bisons.
 
Of the four turnovers HSU forced, there was arguably none bigger than the one that came on special teams when Harding's Kendale Allen muffed a punt with just over two minutes remaining in regulation to give HSU the ball for the final time. Allen, who came into the showdown with the fourth best return yard average in all of Division II, was held to just 43 kickoff return yards on two returns and five punt return yards.      
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
Arkansas Tech comes into Saturday's game off a loss at home to Southern Arkansas, 49-33. Prior to that, however, ATU did string together back-to-back victories over Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene, 34-13 and 48-35, respectively. In their most recent loss to SAU, Tech gave up 580 yards of offense, including 335 on the ground.
 
Southern Arkansas logged six rushing touchdowns on the afternoon, three of which came from running back Jariq Scales. The running back who inflicted the most damage on Tech's side was senior Devontae Dean as he ran for 102 yards. Three of the Wonder Boys' four touchdowns came on the ground.
 
Arkansas Tech's offense is fueled by its running game as ATU is sixth in the GAC with 219.7 rushing yards per game while it is only 10th in passing offense at 165.7 yards per contest. Defensively, the Wonder Boys are eighth in the conference at stopping the run (236.1 yards per game) and 10th in pass defense (223.6 ypg).
 
Individually, the aforementioned Dean is seventh in the league with 84.6 yards per outing while quarterback Jack Grissom, who has only played in five games, is ninth with 584 passing yards. Redshirt sophomore running back Deon Simmons has followed up Dean's 76 carries with 63 of his own, spelling the lead back to the tune of 373 yards on the season.
 
Tech is led on the defensive front and secondary side of the ball by a trio of seniors. Defensive back Tyrus Fort leads unit with 50 total tackles and three pass break-ups while linebacker Victor Hill leads the entire GAC with five and a half sacks to go along with eight tackles for loss. Fort's secondary mate Jordan Furtch holds the team lead with two interceptions.
 
Arkansas Tech boasts one of the best kickers in the conference in senior Jesus Zizumbo. Zizumbo is one of two kickers across the GAC to be perfect on PATs and is 7-of-8 on field-goals with his one miss coming on a 56-yarder against Southern Nazarene. The Springdale, Arkansas native holds a season-long of 52 and is perfect on kicks inside 50 yards.
 
THE COACHING MATCHUP
With the win over Harding in Searcy, HSU head coach Scott Maxfield continued his streak of having never lost more than two true road games in a single season since taking over the Reddie football program. Maxfield has been just as dominant at home, having only lost once inside Carpenter-Haygood Stadium since the end of the 2018 season.
 
Arkansas Tech head coach Kyle Shipp, who was the assistant head coach at Arkansas-Monticello for three years, is coaching in his fourth year and third season for the Wonder Boys. Shipp has accumulated a 7-15 record in that time, having improved his team's record each year, going from 3-8 in 2019 to 4-7 in 2021, but he is 0-2 against the Reddies.
 
THE LAST MEETING
Henderson St. edged out Arkansas Tech in Russellville in overtime, 41-38. After HSU held a 20-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Wonder Boys won the final period 21-15 to send the game into extra time. After Tech notched a 24-yard field goal on their first possession of overtime, the Reddies took two plays to score the game-winning touchdown to improve to 7-1.
 
The HSU offense exploded for 634 total yards that day, including 522 through the air. Xavier Malone had a career-high 200 yards on nine receptions and one touchdown. Former-Reddie L'Liott Curry was just as lethal, going for 193 yards on 11 catches, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
 
Henderson overcame two turnovers and a halftime deficit that October day. Jacob Greenfield tied the team-lead with 10 tackles, followed by Deldric Shields with five. The HSU secondary held Tech to just 248 yards through the air.

IMPORTANT GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Several different parking options are available for game day. CADC SCAT buses will be staged at the corner of 12th and Wilson streets two hours prior to kickoff, allowing fans to use the parking lots around Henderson's main campus. The free shuttles will travel down 12th street and drop fans off in two locations: the front of the Wells Center on M.H. Russell Drive, for those who wish to partake in pregame activities, and at the main gate to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GeoSurfaces Field. The shuttles will also run up to an hour after the game ends, allowing fans to board at the main gate as they exit and ride back to their cars on campus.

The two other available public parking lots are the Formby Center lot, located directly in front of the Formby Athletic Complex and next to the Reddie Villas, and the South Wells Center lot, located directly in front of the Duke Wells Center.

For Reddie Club members, Red and Gray reserved lots are located directly behind the main stands and above Clyde Berry Field. These lots require your Reddie Club parking passes. Handicapped parking is also available in the Red and Gray lot directly behind the main stands.

Ticket windows at the stadium open two hours before game time. Tickets can also be purchased digitally at hsusports.com/tickets. For more information on buying tickets online, CLICK HERE. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children. Children five years of age or younger are allowed free admission. All students, faculty or staff with a valid Henderson State ID will be admitted for free, as will children five years old and younger.
 
HOMECOMING INFORMATION
Saturday's game is Homecoming for Henderson State and there will be several events for alumni and students alike to participate in during the week in the lead up to Saturday's 2 p.m. kickoff.

Thursday. Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. is Heart and Key's Homecoming pep rally in front of Arkansas Hall, which is open to students and the public. During the pep rally, the Top-10 candidates for the Homecoming Court will be revealed. At 8 p.m. is the annual bonfire on the Garrison Quad which will feature food and music.

Leading up to kickoff, Sodexo will be serving a Tailgate Menu for Homecoming around Wells from 10:30-1:30 p.m. Cost is $10 per person with taxes included. The menu consists of grilled chicken breast, hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans and more! In addition, three inflatables will be available in the east Wells parking lot for children as a part of pregame festivities, as well as other yard games.

The presentation of the 2022 Homecoming Court will take place on GeoSurfaces Field in Carpenter-Haygood Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. before kickoff.

WHERE TO LISTEN
The game will be broadcast and available by the Henderson State Sports Network on KDEL 100.9 FM and KVRC 1240 AM in Arkadelphia, KWPS 99.7 FM in Hot Springs, KYXK 106.7 FM in Gurdon, and KZYP 104.1 FM/1310 AM in Malvern. Coverage begins one hour prior to kickoff.