GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Winners of its last two games, Furman will look to extend its mid-season momentum this Saturday when it entertains FCS 14th-ranked East Tennessee State at Paladin Stadium.

The game, which is sponsored by Ingles, will highlight Homecoming Weekend at Furman.  Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.

Saturday's contest will be live streamed via ESPN+ and aired over flagship ESPN Upstate and its four powerhouse stations: 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, and 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg.  The broadcast can also be accessed via Audacy.com, as well as through FurmanPaladins.com.

Fans may also follow the action through StatBroadcast live stats, accessible via FurmanPaladins.com and get timely updates on twitter @PaladinFootball.

For a complete guide to Furman Football Game Day information, fans are encouraged to click HERE.

ETSU (6-1, 3-1 SoCon) headlines a group of five one-loss league teams that also includes Furman (4-2, 2-1 SoCon).  The Buccaneers opened the season with a 23-3 win over Vanderbilt and went on to claim their next five games before coming up short, 21-16, last Saturday at Chattanooga.  The ETSU-Furman winner will stay firmly in the league title race while the loser will face a tough road to remain in championship contention.

The Paladins are hoping series history will lend a hand on Saturday.  Furman, which holds an overall 27-8 lead on ETSU, is 13-1 all-time versus the Buccaneers in Paladin Stadium, having captured a hard-fought 17-10 verdict in 2019.  This past spring head coach Clay Hendrix's squad overcame a 10-0 halftime deficit to edge the Bucs in Johnson City, 17-13, improving to 4-1 versus ETSU since the Bucs resurrected their gridiron program in 2014 following a decade long hiatus.

Success against a veteran, physical ETSU squad will require Furman's best effort of the season, combining flashes of what the Paladins displayed in victories over Wofford (42-20) and The Citadel (24-14).

Fueling Furman's surge has been a running game that has accounted for 494 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two outings.  Two weeks ago against Wofford senior tailback Devin Wynn led the way with a 204-yard, two-touchdown performance that featured a career high 31 carries.  Against The Citadel it was sophomore running back Dominic Roberto who stepped up for the nicked-up Wynn, rushing for 132 yards, highlighted by a 90-yard first quarter touchdown bolt — the second longest run in Furman history.

Helping pave the way for the Paladins' more productive ground attack is an improving offensive line led junior All-SoCon left tackle Anderson Tomlin and sophomore center Evan Jumper, whose 1,351 career plays top the unit.

The big news accompanying Furman's win over Wofford was the emergence of true freshman quarterback Jace Wilson, who passed for 189 yards and a touchdown, while running for another, in the first start of his career. The challenge will be for the Missouri City, Texas, product to deliver a similar type performance against a ETSU squad that tops the SoCon in scoring defense (19.1 ppg) and total defense (341.1 ypg).

Furman's receiving corps features junior All-American tight end Ryan Miller, who played a big role in last season's win over the Bucs in Johnson City.  The Jackson, Tenn., native was one of the few bright spots in the Paladins' passing attack against The Citadel, as he collected a short pass and turned it into a 58-yard first quarter scoring play.  He has 12 touchdown catches among his 57 career receptions.

The Paladins' defense will face a major challenge in ETSU, which boasts a stout offensive line, quality receivers, and two outstanding running backs in Quay Holmes, the SoCon's top rusher (814 yds., 9 TDs), and Jacob Saylors (522 yds., 7 TDs).  Looking to make Saturday difficult for the Bucs will be a Paladin starting defensive front that counts a combined 134 games and 65 starts worth of experience.  Leaders include All-SoCon junior nose guard Cameron Coleman, who is coming off a career high seven-tackle performance versus The Citadel, and senior bandit Adrian Hope, owner of 24.5 career sacks.

The back seven in Furman's defense has delivered solid play this fall.  It's led by junior cornerback Travis Blackshear, who notched his fourth interception of the campaign in the win over The Citadel.  Freshman Micah Johnson has stepped up with solid play after moving into the starting role versus Wofford following a season ending injury to Ivan Yates.

Led by sophomore Hugh Ryan, whose 31 tackles tops Furman, the Paladins sport a number of safeties with proven ability, including senior DiMarcus Clay (48 games, 23 starts, 103 career tackles) and sophomore Kam Brinson, who earned his second start of the season last week and also contributed a key tackle for-loss on Bulldog punter Matt Campbell that set up a Paladin field goal.

One wild card Furman will look to play is senior Elijah McKoy, owner of 28 starts and 256 career tackles.  Last week the versatile defender, who has seen action at four defensive positions during his Paladin tenure, made good on his first start at the spur position, contributing 10 tackles, two tackles for-loss, a sack, and a forced fumble that he recovered to set up Furman's game clinching fourth quarter touchdown.

Saturday's contest will showcase exciting experiences for fans heading to Paladin Stadium, including the Furman Fan Zone, the Wicked Weed Endzone Experience, and beer & wine sales from the concession stands. 
 
The Furman Fan Zone, located adjacent to the Paladin Statue in front of the stadium, will be open to all fans before the game and include live music on the Ingles Concert Stage, food trucks, inflatables, tailgate games, tailgate opportunities, and beer & wine sales. It will be an energetic and fun pre-game atmosphere that fans can enjoy for free. The area opens at 3:00 p.m. and closes 30 minutes before the start of the game. 
 
The Wicked Weed Endzone Experience is slated to open 30 minutes prior to kickoff and is available to all fans free of charge.  It is accessible from both the west and east stands and will feature food sales, as well as the outdoor brewery experience, while offering fans an up-close view of on-field action.

The Game: Furman Paladins (4-2, 2-1 SoCon) vs. FCS No. 14 East Tennessee State Buccaneers (6-1, 3-1 SoCon)
Game Sponsor: Ingles
Date: Saturday, October 23, 2021
Site: Greenville, S.C. (Paladin Stadium, on the campus of Furman University)
Kickoff: 2:05 PM ET
Video Stream: ESPN+ (Bryant Lambert, pbp), Cole Neely (analyst)
Radio: Van Wagner/Furman Sports Network (ESPN Upstate: 97.7 FM/1330 AM, Greenville; 97.1 FM/950 AM, Spartanburg); Audacy.com; FurmanPaladins.com: Dan Scott (pbp), David Cobb (analyst); Marcus McMorris (sideline); Tom Van Hoy (spotter/pre-game & halftime host)
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased at the Timmons Arena Box Office, located in the lobby of Timmons Arena, and at the East Stands Box Office of Paladin Stadium beginning at Noon.  All single game credit card transactions are charged a 2.5 percent convenience fee online, over the phone, or at the box office. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges, no refunds. 

Furman GameDay Schedule Of Events (vs. ETSU)
10:00 AM — Parking Lots Open
11:00 AM — Furman Fan Zone Opens (Live Music Begins at Noon)
Noon — Box Offices Open
12:30 PM — Furman Band & Spirit Perform (Ingles Concert Stage)
12:30 PM — Paladin Stadium Gates Open, Champions Walk Begins
1:30 PM — Furman Fan Zone Closes & Wicked Weed Endzone Experience Opens
2:05 PM — Kickoff