It is not every season that football fans in Monticello, Arkansas get to see the defending Division II National Champions take the field.
It is not every season that the defending National Champions step on the field to face the UAM Boll Weevils.
That is what took place on Thursday, September 19, at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium when the defending Division II National Champions and currently ranked #1 Division II team in the country, the Harding Bison, stepped on the field to face the Weevils.
The Weevils won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the ball to get the contest underway.
Royal Williams would get the Weevils started with an 18-yard return to give UAM possession at their own 20.
After gaining a first down, the Weevils would be forced to punt on the opening possession, giving Harding possession at their own 35 after the Tanner Steenbock punt went out of bounds.
Harding would get their first score of the contest on their opening possession on a 37-yard run by Braden Jay.
After the extra point, Harding led 7-0 with 8:36 on the clock.
Harding would get touchback on the kickoff and after one run play by UAM’s Demilon Brown that gained two yards, Brown would be intercepted by Harding’s Ty Dugger at the UAM 39.
The Bison would get a six-yard pickup on the first play before Blake Delacruz broke free on the next play for a 33-yard touchdown run.
With 6:56 remaining in the quarter, the Bison led 14-0 after the extra point.
UAM would begin their next drive at their own 25 after a second touchback by the Harding kicker.
On third and 14, Brown would connect with Isaiah Cross for a 19-yard pickup and a first down to the UAM 39.
Brown’s next pass would be intercepted by Dugger for the second time in the contest with Dugger returning the ball 43 yards for the defensive score.
After the extra point, the Bison extended their lead to 21-0 with 5:39 remaining in the first quarter.
The Weevils would be forced to punt on the next drive with Harding beginning their drive at their own 30.
The Bison would find the endzone in one play after quarterback Cole Keylon connected with Jay on a 30-yard touchdown pass.
With 3:36 on the clock, Harding extended the lead to 28-0 after the extra point.
After another forced punt by the Harding defense, the Bison would start their next drive at the Harding 21 after a 52-yard punt by Steenbock.
Harding would pick up 11 yards on their first rush to the Harding 32 but a 15-yard penalty against the Weevils would move the ball to the Harding 47.
On the next play, Keylon would connect with Dane Romberger on a 53-yard score with 27 seconds remaining in the first quarter, extending the lead to 35-0 after the extra point.
UAM would be forced to punt on their drive that carried over from the first quarter.
Harding would get their fifth consecutive touchdown on their first drive of the second quarter after a one-yard run by Andrew Miller.
With the extra point, the Bison had extended their lead to 42-0.
It would be the only score of the quarter with Harding heading into the halftime break leading 42-0.
Both teams would start the second half of play, forcing the offenses to punt.
UAM would get on the board in the third quarter on their second possession of the quarter.
UAM would begin their drive on the Harding five yard line after the Weevils’ Theron Bellard recovered a Bison fumble at the Harding 40 yard line and returned the ball 35 yards before being tackled at the five.
After two runs for no gain and an incomplete pass, the Weevils elected to send the field goal unit out for the 22-yard attempt.
With a good snap from Ryan Williams, kicker Dylan Duhon would send the ball flying from the hands of holder Caden Middleton through the uprights to cut the Bison lead to 42-3 with 6:36 remaining in the quarter.
It would be the only UAM points of the contest.
Harding continued to add points to their total with a 69-yard run in the third quarter by Andrew Miller and a 27-yard touchdown run by Josh Strickland Jr. to increase the lead to 56-3 heading into the fourth quarter.
Harding’s final score of the contest would come in the fourth quarter with a four-yard run by Jimmy Citty with 4:14 remaining in the contest to put the final score on the scoreboard of 63-3 after the extra point.
For UAM, the Weevils fall to 2-1 on the season with Harding improving to 3-0.
Demilon Brown was 9 of 20 for 79 yards and three interceptions. Brown also had 10 net rushing yards.
Leading the way on the ground for the Weevils with 73 yards on 17 carries.
Isaiah Cross and Anthony Dansby led the Weevils in receiving with 32 yards each.
Royal Williams had three kickoff returns for 57 yards.
Williams did have a 95-yard touchdown return that was negated due to a Weevil penalty.
The Weevils will travel to Arkadelphia on Saturday, September 28, to face the #16 ranked Ouachita Baptist Tigers.
Ouachita Baptist is ranked #16 nationally by the AFCA D2 Coaches Poll as well as the D2Football.com Top 25 poll.
Ouachita Baptist is one of the Weevils’ oldest opponents with the first contest between the two schools dating back to November 7, 1913 with the Weevils winning that contest 28-0.
The two schools have met a total of 87 times with Ouachita leading the series 49-37 with one contest being played to a tie, a 0-0 contest held in Monticello on October 6, 1933.
Ouachita Baptist currently are on a six game win streak against the Weevils with the last win by UAM coming October 22, 2016 with a 34-16 win at Monticello.
The Tigers and the Weevils are set to kickoff Saturday at 6 pm in Arkadelphia.
