Harding Bisons dominated the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers 45-7 in Saturday’s game at Rangers Stadium in Alva, Okla.
The Bisons defense not only held the Rangers under double digits with seven points for the second consecutive week, but also took the ball away causing a handful of turnovers that included five interceptions, two by senior Dennis Buckner, returning one for a touchdown.
“I think we came out ready to play and were fired up,” junior Aric Stock said. “We game planned them and knew what they were going to do.”
Stock, who caught one of the five Bison interceptions, picked his first interception on the first drive of the game on the second play.
“We were bringing the blitz, and they brought the running back to my side, and I jumped the slant and there it was,” Stock said.
The Bisons held the Rangers to 35 yards rushing on 35 carries, keeping the rangers in check on the ground with an average of one yard a carry. Harding’s defense has yet to put up a goose egg, or allow no points in a game, but it isn’t for a lack of trying.
“It doesn’t feel as good as it should,” Stock said. “We want goose eggs, we want to put zeros up on the scoreboard.”
With the Bisons going into the bye week giving up just 13 points in the first two games, Stock said they need to come out fired up, ticked off and ready to play Southern Nazarene University in two weeks.
The Bisons offense gained a total of 425 yards of offense and 310 of those yards came from rushing led by sophomore Zach Shelley. Shelley gained 87 yards on four carries and scored two touchdowns. Harding scored on their first play from scrimmage with a 16-yard run by senior Romo Westbrook, but struggled scoring on their next five offensive possessions.
“I don’t think it was our focus that contributed to the slow start,” offensive coordinator Matt Underwood said. “Sometimes even really good teams have some difficult times, and I think that’s kind of what happened in the first quarter.”
Underwood said that the Bisons have a solid football team and need to continue to focus on the small details.
Senior Donatella Luckett took over in the second quarter to help the Bisons get out of their rut by scoring two touchdowns to open up a 21-0 lead. Luckett scored on a 45-yard screen pass by senior Keenan Kellett and followed that by an 18-yard run on an end-around for his second touchdown, both happening in the last three minutes in the half.
“It all started with a screen,” Luckett said. “I told myself if I had the opportunity to help my team, I needed to capitalize on it, and that’s what I did.”
Other standouts were Kellett who threw seven for 10, 125 yards and a touchdown, continuing his high completion percentage early this season.
The Bisons head into their bye this week with a 2-0 record and will have two weeks to prepare for Southern Nazarene University on Sept. 27 in Bethany, Okla. Harding beat Nazarene 63-21 in their last meeting in Searcy. The Bisons will not return home until Oct. 4 when they play Southern Arkansas University at First Security Stadium.
