Harding Coach Ronnie Huckeba is going out a winner.
But how big?
Harding is 6-0 for the first time since 2002 and clinched its fifth consecutive winning season heading into Saturday night's home game against Southeastern Oklahoma (4-2).
Harding is riding the wave of one of the biggest victories in school history, 35-3 last week at defending Great American Conference champion and previously unbeaten Henderson State.
Harding, which led 35-0 at halftime, collected six turnovers (five in the first half) and scored two defensive touchdowns.
Huckeba, who will retire from coaching at the end of the season, has the Bisons poised for their first conference championship since 1989.
But any talk of a magical final season, Huckeba said, is simply that in mid-October.
"I don't want to go there, because if you're not magical every week, you're not going to fulfill your dreams," Huckeba said. "You're certainly not guaranteed you're going to get two defensive touchdowns and six turnovers every week. We'd better be ready to play."
Harding zoomed from No. 16 to a program-best No. 8 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll following its victory. Henderson entered the game No. 5.
It was only the third time Harding had beaten an opponent ranked in the top 5 nationally since joining the NCAA in 1997.
Harding beat No. 1 Valdosta State 16-13 in overtime in 2005 and No. 4 Henderson 28-24 in 2014.
But Huckeba said Saturday's game was more reminiscent of a 35-21 home loss to Henderson in 2011.
Harding had rolled up 532 total yards in a 63-14 season-opening victory over Southern Arkansas before losing 4 of 8 fumbles the following week against Henderson.
"We had a good team that year," said Huckeba, Harding's coach since 2007. "We turned it over five or six times and we went in at halftime way behind, very much like this. We couldn't recover, either. It's hard to come back from something like that."
The Bisons, the lone GAC unbeaten, are trying to go 7-0 for the first time in school history.
HENDERSON STATE
Looking to bounce back
For one of the few times since the GAC was formed in 2011, Henderson State Coach Scott Maxfield was discussing a loss immediately following a game.
Henderson, in a matchup of unbeaten league leaders, was beaten 35-3 last week at home by Harding, ending the Reddies' 14-game GAC winning streak.
Harding also beat Henderson on the road in 2014 (28-24), ending the Reddies' 27-game GAC winning streak.
Henderson is 45-5 in GAC play, capturing conference titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Last week's loss was its most lopsided in GAC games.
"We'll move forward from here," Maxfield said. "I mean, one game doesn't define a season. We'll rebound. We lost one game last year and we still got done what we wanted to do. If we can do the same thing, we'll be OK."
The Reddies tumbled from No. 5 to No. 15 in the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 poll following the loss.
Henderson (5-1) hosts Arkansas Monticello (2-4) on Saturday afternoon.
ARKANSAS TECH
Familiar theme
Arkansas Tech recorded one of the more eye-catching GAC victories this fall, beating two-time league champion Ouachita Baptist 49-17 last week on the road.
It was only the second regular-season home loss for the Tigers (3-3) since Cliff Harris Stadium opened in 2014.
Arkansas Tech (3-3) has beaten its three opponents this fall by a combined 85 points. The three losses have been by a combined 18 points.
"A lot of coulda, woulda, shoulda, you know what I mean?" Wonder Boys Coach Raymond Monica said. "The thing about it, the games that we did lose, we were in them with a chance to put more points on the board. We didn't finish. But I give a lot of credit to the team that we were playing, too."
Arkansas Tech was coming off a 27-20 home loss to defending GAC champion Henderson State.
Junior wide receiver Jabyes Cross made his first start at quarterback against the Reddies after junior Ty Reasnor was lost for the season with a broken wrist, Monica said.
Cross, who signed with Florida Atlantic out of Riviera Beach (Fla.) Inlet Grove Community High School, completed 15 of 19 passes for 184 yards and 1 touchdown.
Against Ouachita, Cross ran 8 times for 60 yards and 1 touchdown and completed 12 of 15 passes for 265 yards and 3 touchdowns.
"I thought he played very well," Monica said. "The thing about Jabyes is he can make plays with his feet. He's doing a really good job throwing, at this time."
Arkansas Tech hosts East Central Oklahoma (1-5) on Saturday night.
Extra points
Harding quarterback Park Parish, a senior from Clinton, tied a school record with his 34th career rushing touchdown in last week's 35-3 victory at Henderson State. Alan Dixon had 34 rushing touchdowns in 1970-1973. ... Henderson junior place-kicker Houston Ray tied a school record for career field goals (41) against Harding. Bo Adkisson kicked 41 field goals in 1974-1977. Ray, the GAC career field-goal leader, played at Van Buren as a sophomore and junior in high school before moving to Kentucky. ... Unbeaten Harding leads NCAA Division II in total defense (217.2 yards per game) and scoring defense (9.7 points per game), is second in rushing defense (66.3) and third in rushing offense (343.2).
Sports on 10/14/2016