Harding storms back, falls two points short

Ferris State hit Harding University with a 21-point first-half flurry Saturday afternoon in Big Rapids, Mich., and it turned out to be enough for the Bulldogs to eliminate the Bisons from the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Just enough.

Ferris State (12-0) walked off with 21-19 victory over Harding in front of 1,317 spectators at Top Taggart Field.

“What a war of a game,” Bulldogs Coach Tony Annese said.

Ferris State ran out the game’s final 2:59, its longest possession of the second half, after gaining its only first down of the second half.

“The scoreboard says 2119,” Harding Coach Paul Simmons said. “I don’t think we got beat. We just ran out of time.”

Harding (9-3) used its final timeout with 2:02 to play after Ferris State quarterback Jayru Campbell lunged for a first down at the Harding 39, but it never got the ball back.

“We took survive and advance to a whole different level,” Annese said.

Harding was outgained 174-90 in the first half, threw its first interception of the season and had breakdowns in the kicking game that led to two of Ferris State’s three first-half scores.

Simmons said he issued a halftime challenge to the Bisons.

“I said, ‘Guys, we’re going to figure out what we’re about based on what we do when things look really bad,’ ” Simmons said. “I did not know if we could get back in the football game.”

Campbell came into the game averaging 320.9 yards in total offense but finished with 111 — 85 passing and 26 rushing — for Ferris State.

He accounted for 2 touchdowns, throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Campbell and diving in from the 1 to give Ferris State a seemingly secure 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Harding got back in the game by revving up its Flexbone offense and flexing its muscles on defense.

The Bisons forced the Bulldogs to go 3-and-out on four of their first five second-half possessions, and recovered a Campbell fumble after a sack on a fifth possession. But Harding could not overcome mistakes on special teams.

There was a 14-yard punt and a blocked punt that led to 14 second-quarter Ferris State points. There was also a missed field goal and a missed extra point in the second half that cost Harding four points.

The Bisons finally scored on their second possession of the second half — on Taylor Bissell’s 5-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

“We found our groove,” Bissell said. “We sat down and figured it.”

But kicker Cameron Scott — working without regular holder Kohl Blickenstaff, who suffered a first-half concussion — missed the extra point after missing a field goal at the end of the first second-half drive. Ferris State held a 21-6 edge with 14:55 to play.

“There are so many plays that are going to haunt us for a long, long time,” Simmons said.

The Bisons kept charging, forcing a Campbell fumble after a sack by Devyn Comer on Ferris State’s next possession.

Chris Wein’s fumble return and a Ferris State penalty put Harding at the 1. Fullback Cole Chancey (25-101 rushing) ran it in from there, and it was 21-12 with 13:24 to play.

Simmons elected to go for a two-point conversion, which failed, explaining that the Bisons were going to need a two-point conversion to tie regardless.

“Honestly, there were some issues with the fieldgoal team that were not good,” he said.

Harding’s defense forced another punt, and the Bisons rolled for 53 yards in 9 plays, with Bissell scoring his second touchdown on a 16-yard run with 7:57 to play.

Harding was within a field goal of taking the lead after Scott’s extra point, and the Bisons defense again held on three plays and Harding took over at its 36.

Harding reached midfield in three plays when a 15-yard chop-block penalty pushed the Bisons back to their 35.

Simmons elected to go for it on fourth and 8 at the Ferris State 48. Bissell, who had Harding’s only pass reception, got behind the secondary but couldn’t hold on to Preston Paden’s pass at the Ferris State 20.

“I dropped it, plain and simple,” said Bissell, when asked what happened. “I just dropped it.”