Harding Bisons football
The Harding Bisons football program represents Harding University in college football as a Division II member of the Great American Conference. Harding is located in Searcy, Arkansas. The Bisons are led by head coach Paul Simmons, a former Harding linebacker, with a record of 65–13. They were NCAA Division II national champions in 2023.
| Harding Bisons football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| First season | 1924 | ||
| Athletic director | Jeff Morgan | ||
| Head coach | Paul Simmons 6th season, 65–13 (.833) | ||
| Stadium | First Security Stadium (capacity: 6,500) | ||
| Field surface | FieldTurf | ||
| Location | Searcy, Arkansas | ||
| NCAA division | Division II | ||
| Conference | Great American Conference | ||
| All-time record | 383–309–16 (.552) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 (2023) | ||
| Conference titles | 6 | ||
| Rivalries | Arkansas Tech Henderson State Ouachita Baptist Southern Arkansas | ||
| Colors | Black and gold | ||
| Fight song | Texas Fight | ||
| Mascot | Buff the Bison (mascot) | ||
| Website | hardingsports.com | ||
The 2016 and 2017 seasons were some of the most successful runs in the history of the program. Ronnie Huckeba's 2016 squad, before his retirement from coaching, won the conference title and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The following year under first-year head coach Simmons, the Bisons won three post-season games to make it to the semifinals of the playoffs before losing to Texas A&M-Commerce (the storied football program formerly and widely known as East Texas State, now in the NCAA Division I FCS of NCAA football).
Simmons achieved his first undefeated regular season in 2023, with a mark of 11–0. That team later defeated Lenoir–Rhyne in the NCAA II semifinals to send Harding to its first-ever national championship game. On December 16, Harding defeated Colorado School of Mines to win the 2023 NCAA Division II national championship.
There are 55 former Bison football players who have earned All-American status, either on the NAIA or the NCAA Division II levels.