ASHLAND — Harding’s improbable run through the Division II playoffs will last at least another week thanks largely to fullback Cole Chancey.
A 5-foot-9, 195-pound freshman, Chancey rushed for 165 yards and four touchdowns as the Bisons stampeded to a 34-24 win over Ashland at AU’s Jack Miller Stadium.
Harding (10-3) won its 10th straight game after starting the season 0-3 and just sneaking into the Super Region 3 playoff field as the No. 7 seed. The Bisons will play at Ferris State in next week’s national quarterfinals. Ferris knocked off top-seeded Fort Hays State 31-21.
“We started out our season as bad as we possibly could have. We were at a broken, desperate point,” Harding coach Paul Simmons said. “At that point we just talked about we’ve got to love each other and hold the rope. … At that point I certainly had no clue that we would be sitting here 10 wins later.
“I’m so thrilled I get to spend one more week, at least, with these young men.”
The Eagles (11-2), who were coming off an emotional win over two-time defending Division II champ Northwest Missouri State, never could get into any sort of rhythm Saturday. AU trailed 24-7 midway through the third quarter and managed just 70 rushing yards all afternoon.
“We just never felt in synch,” AU coach Lee Owens said. “We never felt comfortable.
“We’re not a drop back and throw it every (down) team. Normally when teams get us into that (situation) the ending is not good.”
Harding, meanwhile, had its top-ranked triple-option rushing attack in high gear. The Bisons rumbled for 295 yards on the ground while quarterback Terrence Dingle completed 3 of his 5 passing attempts for 126 yards.
“Their offense is just tough to prepare for and they do a good job with it,” Owens said. “We knew that it would take a while to catch up with the speed and execution and sometimes I thinks that even impacts what we try to do offensively.”
Harding took the opening kickoff and marched 76 yards on seven plays. Chancey capped it with a 17 yard touchdown run.
AU responded with a seven play, 73 yard scoring drive. Quarterback Travis Tarnowski hooked up with wideout Logan Bolin on a 20 yard touchdown pass to make it 7-7 midway through the first quarter.
The Bisons marched 75 yards in 10 plays on their next possession, with Chancey’s 33 yard touchdown run spotting Harding to a 14-7 lead. The Bisons then recovered an onside kick and took a 17-7 lead on Tristan Parsley’s 22 yard field goal.
Harding extended its lead to 24-7 midway through the third quarter on Chancey’s 1 yard plunge with 8:01 remaining.
AU trimmed Harding’s advantage to 24-14 on Luke Ogi’s 5 yard run and had an opportunity to cut into the deficit even further early in the fourth quarter but fullback Mack Mikulski was stopped for no gain on fourth and one from the Harding 49. Two plays later, Chancey broke free on a 47 yard run and the Bisons led 31-14.
A 17 yard touchdown pass from Tarnowski to tight end Michael Schweitzer made it 31-21 with 9:24 remaining and, after AU’s Harrison Hoppel recovered a Chancey fumble, Aidan Simenc booted a 48 yard field goal with 5:23 remaining to make it a one-score game at 31-24.
Harding iced it with a nine play, 71 yard drive that resulted in Parsley’s 21 yard field goal with 1:26 remaining.
“It’s hard for our guys to put this whole thing in perspective, but (the seniors) have been here four years and there’s only twice they’ve walked off that field and not been able to ring the victory bell. … Some day we’ll have a chance to have a little better perspective of what this group did and the big games they won.”
