GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Southern Conference first place and FCS 9th/10th-ranked Furman returns home this Saturday to entertain VMI in a key league matchup for the Paladins, who seek to solidify their position as a contender for the SoCon championship and potential berth into the FCS playoffs, which get underway later this month.
Kickoff for the ESPN+ broadcast event, which will highlight Military Appreciation Day at Paladin Stadium, is set for 1:00 p.m. Furman will also honor its 2019 senior squad members in pregame ceremonies.
Coming off a 35-20 road victory over Chattanooga on Saturday, Furman (6-3, 5-1 SoCon), winners of its last two and five of its last six games, sports a four-game series winning streak against VMI (4-5, 3-3 SoCon), having extended it last year with a 49-13 triumph in Lexington. The Paladins are 27-9 all-time against the Keydets and own a 15-3 worksheet versus VMI in Greenville.
With Furman sporting a half game lead over Wofford in the SoCon standings, the potential exists for the Paladins to the be the first to lay claim to at least a share of the 2019 SoCon title on Saturday with a win over VMI, coupled with a Wofford loss at Mercer. Furman head coach
Clay Hendrix, however, isn't interested in delving into scenario wonderland but rather is focused on VMI, which has fashioned solid improvement this year under fifth year mentor Scott Wachenheim.
The Keydets boast the SoCon's most potent offense (441.2 ypg, 34.7 ppg) fronted by a pair of outstanding juniors in quarterback Reece Udinski and running back Alex Ramsey. Udinski, who averages 292.3 yards per game through the air, fashioned a FCS record streak of 368 pass attempts without an interception before seeing the impressive run halted last week in a 43-35 loss to Western Carolina. Ramsey, meanwhile, provides meat to the Keydets' ground attack, evidenced in his SoCon leading 1,078 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns this year — six of which he registered in a 48-41 overtime win over Samford on Oct. 12.
The main targets of Udinski's aerials are the league's top two receivers, sophomore Jakob Herres (49 rec., 753 yds., 5 TDs) and freshman Leroy Thomas (46 rec., 526 yds., 3 TDs), as well as Ramsey (41 rec., 291 yds.) and senior Javeon Lara (39 rec., 540 yds., 5 TDs).
VMI's struggles have primarily been on defense, especially in slowing down opposing passing games (259.6 ypg allowed), but the Keydets have proven capable of applying the brakes to opponents, as The Citadel found out via a 34-21 loss to VMI in Charleston on Oct. 5.
Furman hopes some of its well-earned road mojo, which has helped fueled a six-game road SoCon winning streak (the program's longest in 30 years), makes its way onto the Paladin Stadium playing field on Saturday.
The Paladins shook off a rough start at Chattanooga, overcoming a 9-0 second quarter deficit to post the 35-20 victory behind the strong work of redshirt freshman quarterback
Hamp Sisson. After entering the game in the second period, he engineered five touchdown drives in the Paladins' final seven possessions, rushing for 52 yards and a score and completing 9-of-14 passes for 99 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown toss to tight end
Ryan Miller.
Sisson, who on Wednesday was named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week, got some significant help from another redshirt freshman, running back
Devin Abrams, who ran for a season high 118 yards and two touchdowns.
The Paladins enter the game ranked fifth in the FCS in rushing offense (280.8 ypg) and a solid 419.0 yards per game in total offense. Junior tailback
Devin Wynn (880 yards, 7.1 ypc, 9 TDs this season) leads Furman's ground game and with 1,655 career yards and is just 44 yards shy of cracking the school's Top 20 in career rushing.
Furman's blue collar defense continues to produce consistent efforts under first-year coordinator
Duane Vaughn. The SoCon leader in scoring defense (19.2 ppg), the Paladins have posted three second half shutouts this fall and surrendered only seven points to Chattanooga over the final two periods.
Senior spur
Jordan Willis (62 tackles) and redshirt freshman linebacker
Braden Gilby (60 tackles) rank 1-2 in tackles for the Paladins. After a stretch of four straight games without a sack, redshirt sophomore bandit
Adrian Hope has notched takedowns in the last two games to give him 18.5 for his career, good for fourth in program history.
One big story out of Furman this week is
Grayson Atkins didn't win SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors, an award he has captured six times over the last two campaigns. He could have made it seven for his work versus Chattanooga, which featured a 48.8 punting average on four attempts, and four touchbacks on six kickoffs. His 62-yard third quarter punt to the UTC 2 proved to be huge as it flipped the field and led to a Mocs' punt to the their 32, where on the next play Sisson connected with Miller on a touchdown strike that put Furman in control in the second half.
The Game: FCS No. 9/No. 10 Furman Paladins (6-3, 5-1 SoCon) vs. VMI Keydets (4-5, 3-3 SoCon)
Game Sponsor: Pepsi
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019
Site: Greenville, S.C. (Paladin Stadium, on the campus of Furman University)
Kickoff: 1:05 PM ET
Video Stream: ESPN+ (Bob Mihalic (pbp), Sam Wyche (analyst)
Radio: Van Wagner/Furman Sports Network (Fox Sports 1440; SidearmSports @FurmanPaladins.com, TuneIn.com):
Dan Scott (pbp), David Cobb (analyst); Marcus McMorris (sideline)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast, accessible thru FurmanPaladins.com
Tickets: $20 Available (FurmanPaladins.com); Children 38 inches and shorter admitted free; Timmons Arena, East Stands
Box Offices Open: 11:00 AM
Gates Open: 11:30 AM
Paladin Regiment March/Concert (Timmons Arena to PAC Circle): 11:40 AM
Champions Walk (Paladin Stadium): 12:04 PM
Paladins Beer Garden at Champions Grove Opens: 1:00 PM
