GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The first 2020 Football Championship Subdivision Preseason Top 25 Poll is out, and the Furman Paladins are among the selections.

HERO Sports tabbed Furman 14th in its first poll of the year.  The Paladins are the top Southern Conference school in the poll, joined by The Citadel, which is ranked 21st.

The announcement release from HERO Sports had the following say about the Paladins:

"There's just something about this Furman team that seems tough in 2020. The run game is solidly intact and this program seems primed to take the next step in the postseason. The Paladins are the team to watch in the SoCon this year."

Furman is coming off an 8-5 campaign in 2019 that saw it post a 6-2 SoCon slate en route to an at-large berth to the FCS playoffs.

Head coach Clay Hendrix, who begins his fourth season at the program's helm this fall, is set to welcome back 14 starters and 47 letterman.  Eight starters on offense and six defensive starters comprise the group of returning regulars.  A total of 27 players in the program count career starting experience.

The Paladins are tentatively scheduled to report for preseason camp on Aug. 6 in advance of the season opener at home versus Wofford on Sept. 5.

2020 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll

RK TEAM
1) North Dakota State
2) South Dakota State
3) Northern Iowa
4) Sacramento State
5) James Madison
6) Weber State
7) Montana
8) Villanova
9) Montana State
10) Central Arkansas
11) Kennesaw State
12)) Illinois State
13 Austin Peay
14) FURMAN
15) Delaware
16) Princeton
17) New Hampshire
18) Eastern Washington
19) North Carolina A&T
20) Florida A&M
21) The Citadel
22) Southern Illinois
23) Sam Houston State
24) Albany
25) Yale

Also receiving votes (alphabetical):
Alcorn State, Chattanooga, Dartmouth, Elon, Nicholls, Portland State, SEMO, UT Martin, Wofford