Bisons fall 22-19 at Henderson State
October 27, 2007
By Amanda Pruitt
Harding Sports Information
ARKADELPHIA — Harding junior quarterback David Knighton passed for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but the Harding Bisons could not hold onto a third-quarter lead, losing to the Henderson State Reddies 22-19 at Carpenter-Haywood Stadium on Saturday. The loss snapped Harding's three-game Gulf South Conference winning streak.
The Bisons (4-4, 3-3 GSC) trailed 14-7 early but rallied with two passing touchdowns from Knighton and led 19-14 with 2:05 remaining in the third quarter. The lead held less than two minutes when Henderson State's Bernard Palmer scored on an 18-yard touchdown run, and the Reddies took the lead for good at 22-19.
Henderson State (5-3, 4-2 GSC) entered the game leading the Gulf South Conference in total defense, averaging 234 yards per game. The Reddies' defense had only given up four passing touchdowns all season before Knighton's three-touchdown performance. Harding compiled 421 yards Saturday.
The Reddies took an early 7-0 lead when Palmer scored on a 4-yard touchdown run on their opening drive of the game.
Harding answered with a five-play, 82-yard drive capped by a 30-yard pass from Knighton to junior Daniel Phipps.
The Bisons collected 165 total yards of offense in the first quarter and quickly surpassed Henderson State's average of 111 passing yards allowed with 14:22 left in the second quarter.
Henderson State took a 14-7 lead with 10:43 left in the second quarter on a 25-yard screen pass from Roch Charpentier to junior Greg Godfrey.
Harding kicker Ryan Ferrell missed a 47-yard field goal attempt in the second, snapping a streak of five straight made field goals. The Bisons later scored when Knighton connected with sophomore Jordan Watson on a 10-yard pass with 25 seconds remaining in the first half. Ferrell's extra point missed wide right, and the Bisons trailed 14-13 at halftime.
Knighton was 20-of-32 for 224 yards and two touchdowns at halftime. The Bisons had 222 passing yards in the first half, exactly twice as many as the Reddies average allowed for the season. He finished the game, completing 30 of 49 passes for 331 and three touchdowns. In the process, Knighton broke Harding's single-season completions record and moved to within one touchdown pass of the school's career touchdown record of 47, held by Freddie Langston.
Harding took a 19-14 lead on their second possession of the second half. The Bisons drove 68 yards on 11 plays, and Knighton tied his own Harding single-season record with his 22 nd touchdown pass on an 8-yard fade to Kurt Adams
Palmer gave Henderson State back in the lead with an 18-yard touchdown run. Garett Manning hit Robert Espinoza for a two-point conversion to put the Reddies ahead 22-19 with seven seconds left in the third quarter.
Harding retook possession after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal at its 7-yard-line with 6:28 left. It looked as if Henderson State had recovered a fumble, but the Reddies were whistled for a defensive holding penalty that kept the Harding drive alive. The drive ended on an interception from Knighton, his first in three games.
Henderson State controlled possession for much of the fourth quarter, keeping the ball for more than 10 minutes. The Reddies ran 22 plays, 19 on the ground.
Palmer finished with 23 carries for 155 for Henderson State.
Senior Ardell Briggs had 10 receptions for 94 yards for Harding. Defensively, junior safety Tracy Brown had two interceptions and 11 tackles.
The Bisons will host their first home game in nearly a month when Arkansas Tech travels to Searcy for Homecoming on Nov. 3. The game will begin at 2 p.m.