When Bison football faced University of North Alabama last fall, they fell short by eight points.
But Harding has a chance to retaliate on Saturday when they take on UNA on the road for their first game of the season. Last season, second-ranked UNA scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, taking away the Bison’s six-point lead.
Harding is 5-7 against UNA, but both teams are expected to be stronger this year. This is especially true for the Bison defense, where seven of its nine returning starters are seniors.
“It’s our first game so we are definitely ready to hit some people that wear a different color than us,” said sophomore slotback Jason Oller. “We understand UNA is a good team but we are confident in what we do and we expect to come back with a victory.”
UNA finished last season with a record of 9-3 and the Bisons went 4-7.
This season the Bisons are aiming to reduce the number of turnovers, as last year that cost the team a number of games.
Junior center Dallon Hudson is confident in the team’s abilities.
“As long as we come out and do what we know we can do, we will come out with a win,” Hudson said. “We have a lot of starters back this year, which will bring a lot of experience to the field.”
However, sophomore fullback Donatella Lucket said the team does not expect to win without a fight.
“We, as a team, pack up and travel to UNA and battle for our brothers and come out of the dog fight with a victory,” Lucket said.
Last season the Bisons went 3-3 in the first season in the Great American Conference. The football team led NCAA Division II with an average 360.9 rushing yards per game last season and led the GAC in both total offense and total defense.
UNA had their season opener last week where they fell 31-30 to Miles College by a two-point conversion in the final 16 seconds of the game.
This is the latest the Bisons have played a season opener since 1985. Their first home game on the new turf is not until Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. against East Central University.
Over the course of the season the Bisons are aiming for a national championship, which Oller said he “really does believe we can achieve.”
Hudson put it simply: “Our goal is to come out and lay it all on the line every game.”
