Late touchdowns give Southern Nazarene victory over Harding
Harding Sports
Scott Goode, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
SEARCY – Southern Nazarene scored two touchdowns in the final 49 seconds Saturday to erase a 13-point Harding lead and defeat the Bisons, 28-27, in Great American Conference action at First Security Stadium.
Harding dropped to 0-3 overall and in the GAC. Southern Nazarene is 2-1 overall and in the GAC.
A pair of Tristan Parsley fourth-quarter field goals, the second coming from 22 yards out with 3:57 left in the game gave Harding a 27-14 lead.
Junior quarterback Jackson Hopking entered the game for Southern Nazarene on its next drive, filling in for injured starter Jacob Spady. Hopking directed an 11-play, 83-yard drive and connected with sophomore wide receiver Zach Walker on a 16-yard touchdown pass to cut Harding’s lead to 27-21 with 49 seconds left.
Southern Nazarene recovered kicker Carlos Anguiano’s ensuing on-side kick, a slow roller covered by Reid Roelofs just after it reached the required 10 yards.
Southern Nazarene took over at their own 46 with 46 seconds left. Following a pass interference penalty, Hopking threw a pass to the near sideline that was deflected by wide receiver Reese Carlson into the hands of Roelofs, who raced 39 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 29 seconds remaining. Anguiano made the extra point to set the final margin.
Harding led 14-0 at halftime on an 18-yard first-quarter touchdown run from freshman fullback Cole Chancey and a 1-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Terrence Dinglein the second quarter.
Southern Nazarene scored on its opening drive of the second half. Spady capped a 65-yard drive with a 15-yard scoring run.
Harding went ahead 21-7 on Dingle’s second rushing touchdown, a 4-yard run with 5:39 left in the third.
A Harding miscue, a high snap on a punt that resulted in a 41-yard loss, set up Southern Nazarene’s next score. Roelofs caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Spady for his first of two touchdowns with 22 seconds left in the third quarter. Harding led 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.
Terrence Dingle rushed for 121 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.
Freshman Cole Chancey started a fullback and rushed for 95 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown.
Harding rushed for 338 yards on 58 carries. It was the 50th time in Harding’s last 51 games that the Bisons have rushed for more than 200 yards in a game.
Sophomore Jacory Nichols started a safety and led Harding with six tackles.
Senior slot back Zach Shelley rushed for 66 yards and became the seventh Bison to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a career.
The loss was the first for Harding in six meetings with Southern Nazarene. Southern Nazarene won on the road in Arkansas for the first time in its last 15 games.
Harding will go on the road for the second time this season, taking on Oklahoma Baptist Saturday at noon in Shawnee, Oklahoma.