Pitt State @ Harding

[BisonBones]

Hypothesis, can you correlate the rise of Harding to the fall of the Razorbacks? I know that correlation does not equal causation but the hogs have been struggling and the bison have been thriving. Just throwing it out there?

I think there's some increased interest in the state, including the local media, in the Bisons with the Razorbacks being down. It seems especially so when Harding is in the playoffs while the Razorbacks didn't get to a bowl game. I don't think the success on the field of HU has much to do with it, though. It's still a lot of funding from traditional Harding sources, including former players, that goes to the football program and other sports. There's not a lot of recruiting overlap, either.

[Predatory Primates]

How did AR not get a bowl game. They're literally begging teams to play in them.

[BisonBones]

How did AR not get a bowl game. They're literally begging teams to play in them.

They were 2-8. They’d need to have a lot of teams decline before they got to them.

[FoothillBison]

Arkansas has been bad for A LONG time...

[Predatory Primates]

I wasn't convinced by the beating Pitt took from Harding in 2024. Pitt had a lb and 2 offensive linemen playing d line in that game.

This year Pitt was fully healthy up front, and while they got a few stops, they still got beat soundly up front. I'm definitely a believer.

[Bisonfan from FLA]

I wasn't convinced by the beating Pitt took from Harding in 2024. Pitt had a lb and 2 offensive linemen playing d line in that game.

This year Pitt was fully healthy up front, and while they got a few stops, they still got beat soundly up front. I'm definitely a believer.

Now that your impression of Harding this year has changed based on what you have seen, how do you see this matchup in the championship game. Massey and SP+ both have it a close game of 1-3 points with each team picked to win.

The first two meetings between Harding and Ferris was at their field and both games were split with a two point difference in each game. Last year Ferris' coaching staff drew up a good plan to stop Harding on the outside and limit FB play.

[GorillaTeacher]

Now that your impression of Harding this year has changed based on what you have seen, how do you see this matchup in the championship game. Massey and SP+ both have it a close game of 1-3 points with each team picked to win.

The first two meetings between Harding and Ferris was at their field and both games were split with a two point difference in each game. Last year Ferris' coaching staff drew up a good plan to stop Harding on the outside and limit FB play.

I still think the overall athlete is better at Ferris than Harding. Ferris doesn't have Chambliss, but they can still put up points (3 games they put up less than 40 points), and I think that's really the Achilles heel of the HU philosophy. Once a team is able to score against HU efficiently, it puts more pressure on the offense to be productive. I think Ferris has the bodies up front to make this game a long afternoon for the HU offense.

[Predatory Primates]

Now that your impression of Harding this year has changed based on what you have seen, how do you see this matchup in the championship game. Massey and SP+ both have it a close game of 1-3 points with each team picked to win.

The first two meetings between Harding and Ferris was at their field and both games were split with a two point difference in each game. Last year Ferris' coaching staff drew up a good plan to stop Harding on the outside and limit FB play.

I think Ferris gets up early and Harding doesn't quite catch up. I see something like a 2 score Ferris win.

Mainly, I'm hoping for a good game.


One thing Harding does have over Ferris is experience at QB. If they win, I think Keylon will have to improvise to make it happen.

[Bisonfan from FLA]

Good thoughts/comments by both Gorilla Teacher and Predatory Primates.

The observation that Keylon having to take it on his shoulders and control the game is an advantage for Harding. And add to that the way Ferris was able to stop the Bisons last year did not go unnoticed by the Harding staff and I would think they have had this on their mind and working to find an answer.

Ferris being an Achilles Heel over Harding may not be as strong a factor or reality as you state. For years NWMSU was that Achilles Heel philosophy (not saying NWM is anything near to Ferris this year) and it was broken this year, but there is still an axe to grind for Harding. Yes they have risen to national prominence and have won a national title, but there is something within them to move one up just a bit more. One more win and Cole Keylon will stand alone as the QB with the most win in D2 history (maybe even other NCAA levels). After whatever yards rushing they obtain on Saturday, Harding will add to their record setting total yards rushing total (currently at 6,697 yards) and would be 16-0, which is a feat not often seen in college football. There might just that spark/desire/grind to do more than what people think.

This will be a hard fought close game decided in the final minutes, or it could just as well be a large point spread victory by a team, decided before the fourth quarter begins.

Just my 3 1/2 cents worth (I've been collecting pennies since the last printing of them has occurred; thus I have a few more to pass out instead of just 2 cents!)