The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a pair of officially licensed, limited-edition bobbleheads commemorating Harding University’s 2023 NCAA Division 2 football national championship. The bobblehead features Buff the Bison, the school mascot, with the official 2023 Division II Football National Championship logo. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of Harding University.
Proudly wearing the school colors and holding a football with the championship logo, the Buff the Bison bobblehead is giving the No. 1 sign on a base featuring the Harding and championship logos. The bobblehead is available in Harding’s white jersey worn during the championship game and Harding’s black jersey. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,024 and they are available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store and the Harding University bookstore. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in May, are $40 each or $75 for the set of two plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.
In December, the third-ranked Harding Bisons won their first national title in football with a dominating 38-7 victory over top-ranked Colorado School of Mines at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas. It was the 19th victory in a row for Harding, which was playing in the school’s first national championship game in any sport since joining the NCAA in 1997. Colorado School of Mines (14-1) was appearing in the championship game for the second year in a row. After the Orediggers scored the first touchdown of the game, Harding scored 38 unanswered points and coasted to victory.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable,” Harding coach Paul Simmons said on ESPNU after the game. “It’s 100 percent guys that love each other, that believe in the brotherhood, that care deeply, that put themselves behind the needs of everybody else, and just try to honor God.”
After claiming its third outright Great American Conference championship, Harding (15-0) advanced to the Division II title game with playoff victories over Central Missouri (35-34), Grand Valley State (7-6), and Lenoir-Rhyne (55-14). In the victory over Mines, the Bisons rushed for 502 yards as they became the first team in NCAA history to top 6,000 rushing yards in a season. Junior Blake Delacruz led the flexbone offense with 208 yards on 26 carries. Sophomore Braden Jay added 161 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore quarterback Cole Keylon and junior Jhalen Spicer rushed for one TD apiece.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Harding to offer fans the first Harding Bisons bobbleheads which celebrate the football team’s undefeated season and national championship,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Bobbleheads are the ultimate way to celebrate a team’s championship, and these bobbleheads will be the ultimate way for fans of the Bisons to commemorate the Harding football team’s first national championship.”
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Milwaukee, opened to the public in 2019. It produces customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals and teams across the country.
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