Tech vs. Harding Notes - "House M.D." Edition

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football team returns to Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field for the final contest of the 2017 regular season this Saturday and the stakes could not be higher - win, and the Wonder Boys claim no less than a share of the Great American Conference championship and a likely berth to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Standing across the line of scrimmage from the Wonder Boys (8-2, 8-2 GAC) will be the league's hottest team, the Harding Bisons (7-3, 7-3) - a team that can also claim a share of the league title Saturday with a win and a loss by Ouachita Baptist to Henderson State in the Battle of the Ravine, and with a win would likely leapfrog the Wonder Boys into the No. 7 position for the final Super Region 3 playoff position.

Tech enters the regular season finale on a four-game win streak, picking up a 48-10 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma this past weekend. The Tech rushing corps, led by a 230 yard performance by Braden Stringer, racked up 390 yards on the ground against the Savage Storm. Meanwhile, Harding's triple option attack has racked up a Division II-best 361.0 yards per game on the ground this year.

It has been a tale of two seasons for the Bisons, who dropped the season opener to traditional powerhouse Henderson State and fell to preseason favorite Southern Arkansas in the first two contests, before being upset 28-27 by Southern Nazarene in week three.

Since then, however, the Bisons hit the "reset" key and have been an entirely different team, with just UAM in week five (56-46) and Ouachita in week six (31-28) playing within 10 points of Harding. 

The Bisons defense pitched back-to-back shutouts in wins over Northwestern and Southwestern Oklahoma and allowed just three points to Southeastern Oklahoma two weeks ago, before East Central was able to hit double figures in Harding's 44-13 win last week. Meanwhile, the Bisons have not scored under 30 points since beginning their seven-game win streak. 

Kickoff from Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field is set for 2 p.m., with the game broadcast live locally on 102.3-FM (KCJC) in Russellville. Live audio, video, and statistics will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.