CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Devin Wynn rushed for a pair of touchdowns and Furman's defense blanked Western Carolina over the final three quarters as the 14th-ranked Paladins topped the Catamounts, 28-7, in Southern Conference football action Saturday afternoon at soggy E.J. Whitmire Stadium.
 
With the victory Furman, winners of four of its last five games, improved to 5-3 overall and moved back into first place in the SoCon with a 4-1 league record. Western Carolina slipped to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the SoCon.
 
Grayson Atkins connected on two first half field goal attempts, including a school record-tying 55-yard effort and 40-yard boot on the final play of the second period, to help the Paladins take a 13-7 lead at intermission. 

Furman's defense forced three-and-outs on the Catamounts' first two possessions of the second half, and quarterback Darren Grainger connected with Thomas Gordon on a 36-yard catch and run for a touchdown as the Paladins outscored WCU 15-0 in the third quarter to take command.

Furman ran for 296 yards in the contest, getting a 16-carry, game high 87-yard performance from Wynn, whose two-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter put the Paladins up, 10-7.

Corey Watkins contributed 72 rushing yards on seven carries, and Devin Abrams ran for 62 yards. Abrams' 52-yard run helped set up Atkins' 55-yard first quarter field goal, which extended his Furman record for consecutive made field goals to 18 while also matching the school standard recorded by Jon Croft Hollingsworth in a 16-15 Paladin victory over UCF in 2015.

Thomas Gordon had three of Furman's four receptions, accounting for 76 yards and a touchdown — the 11th of his career.

After Western Carolina took a 7-3 first quarter lead, Furman's defense put the clamps of the Catamounts, forcing five punts, a lost possession on downs, and a missed 50-yard field goal attempt.  Western Carolina managed only one first down and 19 total yards in the third quarter, and finished the game with 264 total yards, 79 of which came on the game's final possession against Furman reserves. 
 
Braden Gilby's nine tackles paced the Paladins' defense, which registered nine tackles for-loss and three sacks. Jordan Willis contributed seven stops and a tackle for-loss.

Furman travels to face Chattanooga next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Chattanooga, Tenn.