GAME INFORMATION
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ARKANSAS TECH
WONDER BOYS
5-5 (5-5 GAC) |
#17/#17 HARDING
BISONS
8-2 (8-2 GAC) |
Saturday, November 11 | 2 p.m.
First Security Stadium | Searcy, Ark.
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO |Â LISTEN LIVE | ATU NOTES (PDF)Â | HARDING NOTES |
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KICKING OFF
Sitting at 5-5 with one game left to play, the Arkansas Tech football team is in position to do something that it has not since 2017 and that's have a winning season.
The upward trajectory of the program has steadily developed under head coach Kyle Shipp since he took over at his alma mater in 2019. Improving the win total each season, posting a winning season will be a significant accomplishment for his program.
Adding to the inherent motivation that those prospects bring is the chance to snap a five-game losing streak to Harding and deny the Bisons a spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Entering Saturday's game, Harding is ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Super Region 3 Rankings, placing them just outside the playoff picture as the top-seven teams will advance to the tournament.
TECH TIDBITS
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Wonder Boys are averaging 29.8 points per game and 406.6 yards of total offense per game. Their ppg average ranks eighth in the GAC, while their total offense is currently sixth.
Redshirt senior Jack Grissom has become the Wonder Boys starting QB and has made the last six starts. Appearing in eight games total, Grissom has thrown for 1,288 yards on 107-of-163 passing and has five touchdowns.
On the ground, the leading rusher so far has been Devontae Dean. Dean has 822 yards rushing on 126 carries and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry. As a team, the Wonder Boys have 61 rushing touchdowns. Jordan Edington lead the team in that category with six.
In terms of receiving, Tech is led by Joyrion Chase with 37 receptions for 455 yards and three touchdowns. Six other receivers have caught touchdown passes this season with Mason Ross, Matthew Rivera, Travis Tobey, Adam Cousins, Edington and Keon Simmons accounting for the other scores.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Wonder Boys have allowed an average of 446.2 yards of total offense per game by their opponents and 32.5 points per game. The total defense ranks eighth in the GAC, while the scoring defense is seventh.
In terms of takeaways, the Wonder Boys have forced 14 turnovers with six interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
Individually, Matthew Minnix, Tyrus Fort and Christian Cole have over 50 tackles each. Fort and Minnix have 64 stops each to lead the team, while Cole has 51. Victor Hill is the team-leader in tackles for lost yardage (8.0) and sacks (5.5). Jordan Furtch is responsible for three of the team's five INTs.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior kicker Jesus Zizumbo is now the all-time leader in field goals made as pushed past Piotr Styczen (1993-96) on the all-time list following a three FG game against Southwestern Oklahoma. Earlier this year, Zizumbo tied a single-game record for longest field goal as he buried a 52-yard try against Southeastern Oklahoma.
ABOUT HARDING
LAST GAME
The Harding Bisons come into Saturday's game at 8-2 and looking to keep their hopes of a fifth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs alive as they sit eighth in the latest regional rankings.
In their most-recent game, Harding survived a scare from Southwestern Oklahoma. The Bisons found themselves trailing the Bulldogs early in the fourth quarter and put up two scores under the six-minute mark to pull ahead and push past SWOSU.
THE COACH
The Bisons are coached by Paul Simmons, who is in his sixth year as the head coach at Harding. A Harding alum, Simmons has amassed a 49-13 overall record. In each of his first four seasons coached (2020 not played due to COVID), Simmons has led his Bisons to the NCAA Playoffs advancing to the National semifinals in 2017. He has also won at least eight games in all four seasons played.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Bisons feature a flexbone offensive attack. Through 11 games this year, Harding has the fourth-ranked scoring offense in the GAC at 34.6 ppg and the 10th-ranked total offense with an average of 386.2 ypg. Through the air, the Bisons are averaging just 65.9 ypg to rank 12th in the GAC, but on the ground, Harding is averaging 320.3 ypg to rank 1st in the GAC.
The leading rusher thus far has been quarterback Cole Keylon with 623 yards gained and five touchdowns. Jhalen Spicer is the second-leading rusher with 600 yards gained and is second in TDs with eight. The team-leader in rushing scores is Will Fitzhugh with nine.
Rarely passing the ball, the Keylon has completed just under 50% of his attempts and has thrown for 659 yards. He has five passing TDs and two interceptions.
The leading receiver for Harding is Kage Citty with 10 receptions for 335 yards. His three touchdown grabs leads the team.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Bisons base out of the 4-2-5 scheme and currently rank third in scoring defense, allowing 20.8 ppg. Their total defense ranks first in the GAC allowing 309.2 ypg of total offense by their opponents. Through the air, Harding ranks fifth in the GAC with 189.1 ypg. On the ground, the Bisons allow an average of 120.1 ypg and rank first in the GAC.
Individually, Harding has four players with 40 or more and are led in stops by Clark Griffin with 65. Nathaniel Wallace is second on the team in TFLs with 7.0 and is first in sacks with 5.5. The Bisons defense has forced 12 turnovers with seven INTs and five fumble recoveries.
THE SERIES
This will be the 59th meeting all-time between Arkansas Tech and Harding in a series that dates back to 1928. After that initial meeting, the two did not play again until 1960, but played annually as conference foes in the AIC until 1995 when both teams made the jump to NCAA DII. The series renewed for the 1996 and 1997seasons, but it wasn't until 2000 that the two became annual conference rivals once more.
In the time since their transition to DII, Harding leads the series 14-8. Since both teams joined the GAC in 2012, Harding leads 8-1. Overall, Tech leads the series 31-27.
