#17 Harding (7-2) at SWOSU (3-6)

Weatherford, Okla. | 2:00 pm

Flex-Chem Field at Milam Stadium

swosuathletics.com/coverage

For Complete Game Notes, Click HERE (pdf)

GAME PREVIEW

• SWOSU Football will play host to #17 Harding on Saturday, looking to snap a four-game losing streak
• The Bulldogs will need to get ready to stop the run when the third-ranked rushing attack in all of DII comes to Weatherford. Harding is averaging 313 ypg on the ground, operating out of their typical flexbone offense
• The Dawg Defense needs to prep for a battle in the trenches. SWOSU's allowing 256 rushing ypg, ranked 10th in the league, through nine games. They have, however, shown they can do it after holding Arkansas-Monticello to under 100 yards rushing back in week five as the first team (then) to do so
• Meanwhile, the Bulldog offense will need to be up to the task when they face a Harding defense ranked first in the GAC in yardage and second in scoring
• In the GAC era, SWOSU is 2-8 against the Bisons but both wins have come in Weatherford

 
THE OPPONENT - HARDING

• Harding sits 7-2 on the year in second place in the conference standings after being picked as preseason champs
• Their two losses have come to Ouachita and Henderson State by a combined nine points
• HU leads all of D2 in third down conversion percentage at 58%
• Expect a lot of names running the ball on Saturday. Six Bisons have had at least 40 carries this season led by Cole Keylon (108 rushes, 528 yards) and Jhalen Spicer (44 rushes, 492 yards)
• 10 different players have scored rushing TDs
• Their 39 penalties this season is tied for seventh fewest in D2 (405 yards)
• The Bisons have made the postseason in every season since 2015
• Offense: Flexbone
• Defense: 4-2-5

 
OFFENSIVE NOTES

• The Bulldog offense is led by quarterback Tylan Morton who ranks second in the GAC in total individual offense by averaging 254 yards passing and another 34 yards rushing per game
• Through the air, Morton and the offense sits second in the league in passing. His favorite targets? Deshon Moreaux for the big play, and Isreal Watson for quick yardage
• Moreaux ranks fifth in the league in receiving yards, 623, followed directly by Watson on the list in sixth with 614 yards. Moreaux (41) has done it with 20 fewer catches than Watson's 61. The two have five TDs apiece this season
• Wide Receiver Cameron Hairston is the biggest play threat. He only has 16 grabs this season, but leads the receiving core with 16.63 yards per catch
• Seven different Bulldogs have caught TD passes from Morton
• Last week, Morton finished 20-37 with one interception. It was his first game since Week 1 against Henderson State not throwing for a touchdown pass
• On the ground, the Dawgs have been streaky. Last week, SWOSU managed only 87 yards rushing as a team. They've been held under 100 yards four times this season. Last week did however snap a 2-game streak of rushing for at least 240 yards they had strung together prior
• Last week, running back Dexter Brown got 19 touches for 32 yards and a score. Gerald Palmer ran the ball nine times for 44 yards and two scores
• Palmer leads the team with 481 yards this year. Brown has 230 yards. Troy Henderson, who has not played in two weeks due to injury, has 330 yards

 
OFFENSIVE CONFERENCE RANKINGS THROUGH NINE GAMES
30.1 points per game (6th in GAC)
403.3 yards per game (8th)
149.6 yards rushing per game (10th)
253.8 yards passing per game (2nd)
36.1% (53-147) 3rd down conversions (10th)
62.5% (20-32) 4th down conversions (3rd)
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES

• Last week's positives on defense came from being opportunistic. The Bulldogs won the turnover battle 3-1 which included two turnovers in the red zone, both in the end zone to prevent Arkansas Tech scores
• SWOSU has won the turnover battle five times this season and is +4 in turnover margin (15-11)
• Three different defenders have two interceptions on the year: Ashton Hamby, Derrius Franklin, and Treymon Fullwood who joined this list after adding an INT last week
• SWOSU's 23 sacks leads the league, led by Rece Wilhelm with 5.5 (ranked 6th in GAC). Wilhelm has not recorded a sack the past two games
• Richard Silva leads the conference with 1.17 tackles for loss per game
• Keldric Martin added nine tackles last week against Tech and now has 78 on the year, ranking him third in the conference
• Shane Andrews had himself a week last Saturday. He led the team in tackles (10) and grabbed his first INT of the season, while also forcing two fumbles

DEFENSIVE CONFERENCE RANKINGS THROUGH NINE GAMES
37.6 points per game (9th in GAC)
476.0 yards per game (12th)
256.1 rushing yards per game (10th)
219.9 passing yards per game (9th)
39.0% (48-123) opponent 3rd down conversions (4th)
65.0% (13-20) opponent 4th down conversions (9th)
 
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• Jaren Van Winkle sits third in the GAC in made field goals. He is 10-13 on the year as one of three players with 10+ makes. His longest is 35 yards this season
• He has not attempted in a field goal the past two games
• Van Winkle is 6th in punting in the GAC, averaging 39.7 yards per punt