GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman is ranked third in this week's AFCA FCS Top 25 Poll, which was released this morning.

The Paladins (5-1, 3-0 SoCon) moved up one spot following a 27-21 road victory over defending league champion Samford on Saturday and loss by previous third-ranked Idaho, which fell at home to Montana, 23-21, on Saturday.

Reigning national champion South Dakota State remains No. 1 in this week's poll, and Montana State is second.  Sacramento State is fourth behind Furman, followed by Incarnate Word in fifth.

Furman, winners of nine straight SoCon games, its longest streak since recording 13 consecutive victories over a three-season (1988-90) span, leads a contingent of three league teams in this week's poll, which includes Western Carolina (14th) and Chattanooga (20th).

The No. 3 ranking is Furman's highest since the 2006 season.

The Paladins play at Western Carolina this Saturday in a 2:30 p.m. clash at E.J. Whitmire Stadium.

American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll – October 16, 2023
 

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 7	Next Game
1	South Dakota St. (26)	6-0	650	1	D. Northern Iowa, 41-6	Oct. 21 at No. 12 Southern Illinois
2	Montana St.	5-1	623	2	D. Cal Poly, 59-19	Oct. 21 at No. 4 Sacramento St.
3	Furman	5-1	570	4	D. Samford, 27-21	Oct. 21 at No. 14 Western Carolina
4	Sacramento St.	5-1	566	5	D. Northern Colorado, 21-13	Oct. 21 vs. No. 2 Montana St.
5	UIW	5-1	511	6	D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 28-11	Oct. 21 at McNeese
6	Montana	6-1	495	10	D. No. 3 Idaho, 23-21	Oct. 28 vs. Northern Colorado
7	Delaware	5-1	464	8	D. North Carolina A&T, 21-6	Oct. 21 at Hampton
8	Idaho	5-2	418	3	Lost to No. 10 Montana, 23-21	Oct. 28 vs. No. 2 Montana St.
9	North Dakota	4-2	409	15	D. No. 7 North Dakota St., 49-24	Oct. 21 at Northern Iowa
10	North Carolina Central	5-1	408	9	Idle	Oct. 19 at Morgan St.
11	Holy Cross	4-2	365	11	Idle	Oct. 21 vs. Lafayette
12	Southern Illinois	5-1	349	13	D. Murray St., 27-6	Oct. 21 vs. No. 1 South Dakota St.
13	William & Mary	4-2	335	12	Idle	Oct. 21 vs. Towson
14	Western Carolina	5-1	329	14	Idle	Oct. 21 vs. No. 3 Furman
15	North Dakota St.	4-2	320	7	Lost to No. 15 North Dakota, 49-24	Oct. 21 vs. Western Illinois
16	South Dakota	5-1	305	17	D. No. 20t Youngstown St., 34-31	Oct. 21 at Indiana St.
17	Harvard	5-0	234	18	D. Howard, 48-7	Oct. 21 at Princeton
18	Florida A&M	5-1	227	16	Idle	Oct. 21 at Texas Southern
19	UT Martin	5-1	190	19	Idle	Oct. 21 vs. Charleston Southern
20	Chattanooga	5-2	151	20t	D. Mercer, 22-10	Oct. 21 vs. East Tennessee St.
21	Central Arkansas	5-2	120	25	D. Stephen F. Austin, 24-21	Oct. 28 vs. Tarleton
22	New Hampshire	3-3	81	24	D. Albany, 38-31	Oct. 21 at Stony Brook
23	UC Davis	4-3	67	NR	D. No. 23 Weber St., 17-16	Oct. 28 at Northern Arizona
24	Austin Peay	4-2	59	NR	D. Gardner-Webb, 41-14	Oct. 21 at Southern Utah
25	Illinois St.	4-2	58	NR	D. Indiana St., 44-7	Oct. 21 at Youngstown St.

 
Dropped Out: Youngstown St. (20t), Rhode Island (22), Weber St. (23)
 
Others Receiving Votes: Fordham, 47; Villanova, 38; Lafayette, 21; Youngstown St., 17; Eastern Kentucky, 6; Northern Iowa, 6; Rhode Island, 6; Pennsylvania, 2; Albany, 1; Mercer, 1; Portland St., 1.