TIME RUNS OUT ON SBU IN SEASON OPENER

August 28, 2004

Box

Bolivar, MO. ... It was a heartbreaker of an outcome for Southwest Baptist University as time ran out on the Bearcats on the Harding one-yard line and no time left on the clock. The Bisons stopped SBU just short of the goal line with under 10 seconds to play in the game and SBU could not get another play off to try and put in the tying touchdown as Harding won, 17-10.

Marco Kirven led the Bearcat offense as he picked up right where he left off of a year ago gaining 180 yards rushing on 28 carries. Quarterback Robert Clardy threw for 157 yards while SBU put up over 400 yards of total offense. Defensively, SBU forced three fumbles and two sacks. Michael Pearl, Ulexis Williams, and Craig Edwards led the team in tackles with eight.

It was a battle from the beginning of the game as both offenses were slow out of the gates and produced five punts in the first quarter.

In Harding's first possession of the game, SBU's Michael Pearl forced the ball out of Reid Smith's hands on the Bison's 31-yard line as the Bearcats took over the ball only 16 seconds into the game. Three plays later, Ryan Smith's 43-yard field goal was just wide right. SBU was in the Bison's territory on all three possessions but didn't get the break they needed to score.

Once again on the first possession of the second quarter, SBU drove into the Bison's territory but yet ended on a third straight punt by Tim Bowers. Starting at their own 35-yard line, Harding's quarterback Adam Lybrand completed two consecutive passes and was now on the Bearcat 46-yard line. The Bison's then ran four straight times to the SBU 13-yard line. After getting stopped on a third and three, Harding's Ben Davis nailed a 28-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Bearcats answered back with a drive of their own. Starting at the their own 29-yard, quarterback Robert Clardy drove SBU to the Harding 27-yard line. Ryan Smith came on to attempt to tie the game at three but the 45-yard field goal fell short as Harding kept the lead.

Harding ran four minutes off the clock on another long drive to the SBU two-yard line. On first and goal, SBU's Brigham Rowe forced a fumble as teammate Donald Williams recovered the ball to stop the Bison threat. The Bearcats then ran the final 2:36 off the clock to go into the locker room only down 3-0.

Opening up the second half with the ball, SBU went 13 yards before they punted the ball away to the Bison 23-yard line. Nine plays later, Harding's Adam Lybrand connected with Heath Adams on a 16-yard pass to extend the lead, 10-0.

With six minutes left in the third quarter, SBU's Terry Jones blocked a punt and SBU took the ball over on the Bison 20-yard line. The Bearcats drove to the 14-yard line but the drive ended on a Dimetric Lyons fumble on the 10-yard line.

SBU threatened at the beginning of the fourth quarter but was denied on a fourth and inches on the goal line as Harding took the ball over with 14:13 left in the game.

A 35-yard punt to the Bison 35-yard line gave SBU yet another opportunity to score. This time the Bearcats responded with a five play drive that ended on a two-yard Clardy run to cut the lead to three, 10-7, with 10:56 on the clock.

Harding put a damper on SBU's spirits as they ran three minutes off the clock and finished the drive on a one-yard touchdown run by the Bison's Lybrand with 7:32 left in the game to push their to 10, 17-7.

At the 4:33 mark, SBU's Ryan Smith hit his first field goal from 23-yards out to cut the lead to seven, 17-10. Smith then recovered his own onside kick at the SBU 46-yard line to give the Bearcats the ball back with 4:33. On a fourth and seven, Clardy's pass fell incomplete as Harding took over on the SBU 48-yard line with 3:15 left to play.

Two plays later, Harding fumbled the ball on the SBU 43-yard line as the Bearcats were given another chance with 3:02 in the game. That chance ended as the time ran out on the Bearcats to tie the game.

The Bearcats will host Western New Mexico University at 6 p.m. at Plaster Stadium on Saturday, September 4 in Bolivar.