Harding Uses Dominant Run Game Against Henderson State

September 25, 2023

Behind junior fullback Blake Delacruz, Harding (Ark.) rushed for 353 yards and beat then-No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.), 27-16. Delacruz had a career-high 179 yards and scored three touchdowns in the win. This was the Bisons fifth straight win over Henderson State in Arkadelphia. Harding stays at No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Henderson State fell four spots to No. 24.

The Top 10 remained relatively unchanged this week with every team winning or on an off week. Ferris State (Mich.) was idle and is still the No. 1 while Colorado School of Mines dominated Colorado State-Pueblo, 55-14, and remains No. 2, followed by Pittsburg State (Kan.), Minnesota State, and Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), who round out the Top 5.

There is only one Top 25 matchup this coming weekend and it is a big one in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as No. 4 Minnesota State travels to No. 9 Bemidji State (Minn.). Both teams sit atop the conference standings with identical 4-0 records, with Augustana (S.D.) and No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth waiting in the wings with 3-0 conference marks.

Search:

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 4	Next Game
1	Ferris St. (Mich.) (23)	2-1	715	1	Idle	Sept. 30 vs. Northern Michigan
2	Colorado School of Mines (6)	4-0	702	2	D. Colorado St.-Pueblo, 55-14	Sept. 30 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.)
3	Pittsburg St. (Kan.)	4-0	667	3	D. Nebraska-Kearney, 33-14	Sept. 30 at Northeastern St. (Okla.)
4	Minnesota St.	4-0	614	5	D. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 42-10	Sept. 30 at No. 9 Bemidji St. (Minn.)
5	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	4-0	612	4	D. Arkansas-Monticello, 45-25	Sept. 30 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma St.
6	West Florida	3-1	559	7	D. West Georgia, 49-21	Sept. 30 at North Greenville (S.C.)
7	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	2-1	557	6	Idle	Sept. 30 at Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
8	Delta St. (Miss.)	4-0	526	8	D. Shorter (Ga.), 56-20	Sept. 30 at West Alabama
9	Bemidji St. (Minn.)	4-0	494	9	D. Mary (N.D.), 41-10	Sept. 30 vs. No. 4 Minnesota St.
10	Harding (Ark.)	4-0	468	10	D. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.), 27-16	Sept. 30 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St.
11	Emporia St. (Kan.)	4-0	444	11	D. Central Oklahoma, 38-27	Sept. 30 at Missouri Western St.
12	Slippery Rock (Pa.)	4-0	408	12	D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 35-14	Sept. 30 vs. Indiana (Pa.)
13	Benedict (S.C.)	4-0	367	14	D. Chowan (N.C.), 31-3	Sept. 30 vs. Morehouse (Ga.)
14	Indianapolis (Ind.)	3-0	331	16	D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 35-10	Sept. 30 at Missouri S&T
15	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)	4-0	299	17	D. Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-7	Sept. 30 vs. Virginia-Wise
16	Texas A&M-Kingsville	3-0	290	18	Idle	Sept. 30 at Texas-Permian Basin
17	Western Colorado	4-0	277	19	D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 35-17	Sept. 30 vs. Colorado Mesa
18	Davenport (Mich.)	3-0	201	21	D. William Jewell (Mo.), 55-27	Sept. 30 at Michigan Tech
19	Minnesota-Duluth	4-0	166	23	D. Southwest Minnesota St., 33-0	Sept. 30 vs. Winona St. (Minn.)
20	Angelo St. (Tex.)	2-2	143	22	D. Western New Mexico, 62-9	Sept. 30 at Eastern New Mexico
21	Central Missouri	3-1	113	25	D. Washburn (Kan.), 58-28	Sept. 30 vs. Northwest Missouri St.
22	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	4-0	83	NR	D. North Greenville (S.C.), 28-3	Sept. 30 at Chowan (N.C.)
23	Assumption (Mass.)	2-1	68	24	Idle	Sept. 30 vs. Pace (N.Y.)
24	Henderson St. (Ark.)	3-1	53	20	Lost to No. 10 Harding (Ark.), 27-16	Sept. 30 at Oklahoma Baptist
25	Shepherd (W.Va.)	3-1	52	13	Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 20-3	Sept. 30 vs. Shippensburg (Pa.)

Dropped Out: Virginia Union (15)

Others Receiving Votes: Truman St. (Mo.), 46; Virginia Union, 45; Augustana (S.D.), 33; Tuskegee (Ala.), 25; Tiffin (Ohio), 23; Black Hills St. (S.D.), 11; Virginia St., 10; Indiana (Pa.), 8; Mars Hill (N.C.), 4; Central Washington, 3; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 3; Missouri Western St., 3; Bowie St. (Md.), 2.

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Harding Uses Dominant Run Game Against Henderson State

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