The 2025 Harding Bisons football team represented Harding University in the 2025 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Great American Conference (GAC). The Bisons were led by ninth-year head coach Paul Simmons and played their home games at First Security Stadium in Searcy, Arkansas.
The team entered the 2025 season as the 2024 GAC co-champions. They were undefeated in the 2025 regular season, winning the GAC conference outright.
In the NCAA Division II playoffs, Harding defeated Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State and UT–Permian Basin, on the way to the program's third playoff semifinals. Against UTPB, the Bisons' rushed for 389 yards, pushing their season total to 6,308 yards and eclipsing the all-division college football record of 6,160 yards set by the 2023 Harding squad. The Bisons also broke their own single-season record for rushing touchdowns, scoring four times on the ground to bring their season total to 80. In the semifinals, the Bisons defeated Kutztown to reach Harding's second national championship game in history. The next week, Harding lost to Ferris State 21–42.
On January 6, 2026, Coach Paul Simmons was promoted to the newly created position of general manager of the Bisons football program, and longtime assistant and defensive coordinator Roddy Mote was promoted to head coach.
Preseason The GAC released its preseason prediction poll on August 5, 2025. Harding was the preseason favorite to win the conference and received 9 of the 12 first-place votes, with Ouachita Baptist receiving the other 3 votes.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries At Northwestern Oklahoma State
Statistics HARNWO First downs 26 3 Total yards 547 66 Rushing yards 484 27 Passing yards 63 39 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 34:48 25:12 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/3, 63 yards, TD Rushing Andrew Miller 12 rushes, 94 yards, TD Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 32 yardsNW Oklahoma State Passing Gunner McElroy 5/9, 42 yards Rushing Caleb Deal 5 rushes, 17 yards Receiving Ivory Wilright 2 receptions, 27 yards
Southwestern Oklahoma State
Statistics SWOHAR First downs 12 25 Total yards 215 476 Rushing yards 103 436 Passing yards 112 40 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:02 27:58 Team Category Player StatisticsSW Oklahoma State Passing M. J. Rivers 18/27, 112 yards, INT Rushing M. J. Rivers 15 rushes, 59 yards Receiving Bodie Boydstun 3 receptions, 51 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/4, 40 yards Rushing Braden Jay 3 rushes, 91 yards, TD Receiving Christian Franklin 1 reception, 29 yards
At Southern Arkansas
Statistics HARSAU First downs 21 22 Total yards 433 333 Rushing yards 433 119 Passing yards 0 214 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 28:19 31:41 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 0/4, 0 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 15 rushes, 137 yards Receiving None Southern Arkansas Passing Adam Parker 11/22, 113 yards, INT Rushing Hezekiah Harris 15 rushes, 64 yards Receiving DeAndra Burns Jr. 4 receptions, 84 yards, TD
Ouachita Baptist
Statistics OBUHAR First downs 13 19 Total yards 285 336 Rushing yards 99 326 Passing yards 186 10 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 24:31 35:29 Team Category Player StatisticsOuachita Baptist Passing Nate TenBarge 14/21, 181 yards Rushing Tre Nichols 6 rushes, 44 yards Receiving Justice Hill 2 receptions, 54 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 1/2, 10 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 22 rushes, 119 yards, TD Receiving Andrew Miller 1 reception, 10 yards
East Central
Statistics ECUHAR First downs 6 27 Total yards 78 484 Rushing yards 3 475 Passing yards 75 9 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 21:24 38:36 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Sergio Kennedy 8/21, 58 yards, INT Rushing Austin Bowen 5 rushes, 25 yards Receiving Jacob Martin 2 receptions, 15 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/4, 9 yards Rushing Braden Jay 7 rushes, 138 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ben Boehm 1 reception, 8 yards
At Southeastern Oklahoma State
Statistics HARSOU First downs 19 15 Total yards 444 277 Rushing yards 401 182 Passing yards 43 95 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 25:39 34:21 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/2, 41 yards Rushing Braden Jay 8 rushes, 180 yards, 2 TD Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 29 yardsSE Oklahoma State Passing Levay Duncan 4/14, 89 yards, 2 INT Rushing Levay Duncan 12 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Kobe Jennings 2 receptions, 76 yards
At Henderson State
Statistics HARHSU First downs 10 20 Total yards 365 300 Rushing yards 338 90 Passing yards 27 210 Turnovers 1 5 Time of possession 27:56 32:04 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/2, 27 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 21 rushes, 298 yards, 4 TD Receiving Braden Jay 1 reception, 24 yardsHenderson State Passing Andrew Edwards 24/34, 210 yards, TD, INT Rushing Frederick O'Donald 8 rushes, 40 yards Receiving Cayden Davis 7 receptions, 94 yards, TD
Arkansas–Monticello
Statistics UAMHAR First downs 16 24 Total yards 165 600 Rushing yards 17 590 Passing yards 148 10 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 29:25 30:35 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas–Monticello Passing Tavion Faulk 14/28, 148 yards, INT Rushing Isaiah Broadway 5 rushes, 18 yards Receiving T. J. Fields 4 receptions, 49 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 1/4, 10 yards Rushing Josh Strickland Jr. 7 rushes, 152 yards, TD Receiving Andrew Miller 1 reception, 10 yards
Oklahoma Baptist
Statistics OKBHAR First downs 13 36 Total yards 224 654 Rushing yards 93 506 Passing yards 131 148 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 23:38 36:22 Team Category Player StatisticsOklahoma Baptist Passing Brady Bricker 9/34, 73 yards, 2 INT Rushing Caden Peevey 3 rushes, 45 yards Receiving Garrett Vaughn 4 receptions, 32 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 4/5, 148 yards, TD Rushing Andrew Miller 17 rushes, 143 yards, 3 TD Receiving Braden Jay 2 receptions, 87 yards, TD
At Southern Nazarene
Statistics HARSNU First downs 20 18 Total yards 586 285 Rushing yards 504 236 Passing yards 82 49 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:19 30:41 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 6/8, 82 yards, INT Rushing Andrew Miller 11 rushes, 109 yards, TD Receiving Bodie Neal 4 receptions, 72 yardsSouthern Nazarene Passing Jaxon Worley 2/8, 30 yards, TD Rushing Kaden Manuel 20 rushes, 89 yards, TD Receiving Davon Sparks 2 receptions, 26 yards, TD
At Arkansas Tech
Statistics HARATU First downs 26 15 Total yards 569 320 Rushing yards 569 97 Passing yards 0 223 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 33:40 26:20 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Braden Jay 0/1, 0 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 24 rushes, 203 yards, 3 TD Receiving None Arkansas Tech Passing Carter Hensley 19/33, 223 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Bryson Roland 14 rushes, 80 yards Receiving Jared Long 6 receptions, 96 yards, TD
No. 14 Northwest Missouri State (NCAA Division II First Round)
Statistics NWMHAR First downs 15 31 Total yards 332 475 Rushing yards 253 427 Passing yards 79 48 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 16:43 43:17 Team Category Player StatisticsNW Missouri State Passing Chris Ruhnke 7/15, 75 yards, INT Rushing Quincy Torry 8 rushes, 116 yards, TD Receiving Trevor Spady 1 reception, 20 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylan 2/2, 48 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 33 rushes, 195 yards, TD Receiving Brady Barnett 2 receptions, 48 yards
No. 6 Pittsburg State (NCAA Division II Second Round)
Statistics PSUHAR First downs 11 24 Total yards 236 456 Rushing yards 119 430 Passing yards 117 26 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 21:08 38:52 Team Category Player StatisticsPittsburg State Passing Jackson Berry 10/21, 117 yards, 2 TD Rushing Zahmari Palode-Gary 6 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Jaelon Travis 2 receptions, 44 yardsHarding Passing Cole Keylon 1/3, 26 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 26 rushes, 172 yards, 3 TD Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 26 yards
No. 10 UT Permian Basin (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)
Statistics UTPBHAR First downs 24 20 Total yards 364 396 Rushing yards 52 389 Passing yards 312 7 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 24:13 35:47 Team Category Player StatisticsUT Permian Basin Passing Kanon Gibson 30/41, 321 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Kanon Gibson 13 rushes, 38 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jace Wyatt 4 receptions, 85 yards, TDHarding Passing Cole Keylon 1/3, 7 yards Rushing Cole Keylon 17 rushes, 148 yards, TD Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 7 yards
At No. 3 Kutztown (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
Statistics HARKTZ First downs 18 23 Total yards 409 453 Rushing yards 389 208 Passing yards 20 245 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 25:52 34:08 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylon 1/1, 20 yards Rushing Andrew Miller 23 rushes, 157 yards, 4 TD Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 20 yardsKutztown Passing Judd Novak 20/37, 245 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Judd Novak 13 rushes, 137 yards, TD Receiving Rich Paczewski 6 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD
Vs. No. 1 Ferris State (NCAA Division II Championship Game)
Statistics HARFSU First downs 18 26 Total yards 326 587 Rushing yards 246 363 Passing yards 80 224 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 27:01 28:28 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylon 3/5, 80 yards, TD Rushing Christian Franklin 9 rushes, 76 yards Receiving Brady Barnett 1 reception, 42 yardsFerris State Passing Wyatt Bower 10/16, 177 yards, 2 TD Rushing Chase Carter 7 rushes, 111 yards, TD Receiving Carson Gulker 3 receptions, 52 yards, TD
Personnel
References