27 Nov 2024 No. 4 Harding vs. No. 5 Grand Valley State on Saturday

Posted at 3:02 PMh in Sports by

MICHIGAN — #4 Harding Bisons (11-1) will play #5 Grand Valley State (11-1) at 12 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Allendale, Mich., at Lubbers Stadium.

Starting 11 for Harding vs. Grand Valley St.

  • Rankings: No. 4-ranked Harding Bisons face off against No. 5 Grand Valley State in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
  • Playoff Experience: Harding is making its ninth playoff appearance, boasting 11 of the 13 playoff wins ever by Great American Conference teams.
  • Defensive Dominance: Harding’s defense leads Division II, allowing only 8.2 points per game and 177.8 total yards per game.
  • Offensive Powerhouse: Harding leads Division II with 51.9 points per game, the highest scoring average in program history.
  • Rushing Record: Harding has 5,190 rushing yards, second-most in an HU single season, and leads D2 with 65 rushing TD.
  • Passing Improvement: Harding’s 914 passing yards are the most since 2014, and 13 passing TD are the most since 2012.
  • Key Players: QB Cole Keylon is 35-3 as a starter, while RB Braden Jay leads the GAC with 970 rush yards.
  • Grand Valley State: The Lakers rank sixth in D2 on 3rd-down conversion defense, allowing only 27.2% conversions.
  • Series History: Harding leads the series 1-0, with a win in the 2023 playoffs.
  • Defensive Standouts: DL Dre Hall ranks 6th in HU career TFL (31.5) and 2nd in HU career sacks (24.0), while DL Gage Price ranks 3rd in GAC sacks (6.5) and 4th in GAC TFL (14.0).
  • LB Clark Griffin’s Impact: LB Clark Griffin ranks 7th in GAC tackles (92, 7.7 per game) and 6th at HU with 258 career tackles.