GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman is ranked seventh in this week's AFCA FCS Top 25 Poll, it was announced today.

The Paladins (2-1, 0-0 SoCon) moved up one spot following a 31-28 road triumph over FBS transition foe Kennesaw State on Saturday.

The Paladins are among three Southern Conference teams in this week's poll, joined by Samford (17th) and Mercer (21st).

Reigning national champion South Dakota State is No. 1, followed by North Dakota State and Montana State.  Sacramento State is ranked fourth, William & Mary fifth, and Holy Cross sixth.

Furman returns home this week to kick off Southern Conference play with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against Mercer (2-1, 0-0 SoCon).

The game will be the Nexstar Network SoCon Game of the Week and also streamed via ESPN+

The Paladins were a consensus first place pick in a pair of Southern Conference preseason polls conducted by league coaches and media.

American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll – September 18, 2023
 

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 3	Next Game
1	South Dakota St. (26)	3-0	650	1	D. Drake, 70-7	Sept. 30 vs. No. 14 North Dakota
2	North Dakota St.	3-0	624	2	D. Central Arkansas, 49-31	Sept. 30 vs. South Dakota
3	Montana St.	2-1	580	3	D. Stetson, 57-20	Sept. 23 at No. 8 Weber St.
4	Sacramento St.	3-0	556	6	D. Stanford, 30-23	Sept. 23 at No. 10 Idaho
5	William & Mary	3-0	549	4	D. Charleston Southern, 15-7	Sept. 23 vs. Maine
6	Holy Cross	2-1	531	5	D. Yale, 49-24	Sept. 23 vs. Colgate
7	Furman	2-1	449	8	D. Kennesaw St., 31-28	Sept. 23 vs. No. 21 Mercer
8	Weber St.	2-1	435	7	Lost to Utah, 31-7	Sept. 23 vs. No. 3 Montana St.
9	UIW	2-1	421	9	D. Abilene Christian, 27-20	Sept. 23 vs. North American
10	Idaho	2-1	375	10	Lost to California, 31-17	Sept. 23 vs. No. 4 Sacramento St.
11	Montana	3-0	353	11t	D. Ferris St., 17-10	Sept. 23 at Northern Arizona
12	New Hampshire	2-1	349	11t	D. Dartmouth, 24-7	Sept. 23 at No. 16 Delaware
13	Southern Illinois	3-0	331	18	D. No. 15 Southeast Missouri St., 26-25	Sept. 30 vs. Missouri St.
14	North Dakota	2-1	296	13	Lost to Boise State, 42-18	Sept. 30 at No. 1 South Dakota St.
15	UC Davis	2-1	275	16	D. Southern Utah, 23-21	Sept. 23 vs. Eastern Washington
16	Delaware	2-1	222	19	D. St. Francis (Pa.), 42-14	Sept. 23 vs. No. 12 New Hampshire
17	Samford	1-2	212	14	Lost to Auburn, 45-13	Sept. 23 vs. Chattanooga
18	Rhode Island	2-1	211	20	D. Maine, 34-17	Sept. 23 at Villanova
19	North Carolina Central	2-1	159	17	Lost to UCLA, 59-7	Sept. 23 vs. Mississippi Valley St.
20	Southeast Missouri St.	1-2	153	15	Lost to No. 18 Southern Illinois, 26-25	Sept. 23 at Eastern Kentucky
21	Mercer	2-1	150	21	Idle	Sept. 23 at No. 7 Furman
22	Fordham	2-1	133	22t	Idle	Sept. 23 vs. Stonehill
23	Florida A&M	2-1	121	24	D. West Florida, 31-10	Sept. 23 vs. Alabama St.
24	Youngstown St.	2-1	98	NR	D. Robert Morris (Pa.), 48-28	Sept. 30 at Northern Iowa
25	Harvard	1-0	42	NR	D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 45-13	Sept. 22 vs. Brown

 
Dropped Out: Southeastern Louisiana (22t), Illinois St. (25)
 
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 30; Western Carolina, 26; Princeton, 20; Eastern Washington, 19; Chattanooga, 13; Central Arkansas, 10; Illinois St., 9; Austin Peay, 8; Jackson St., 7; Stephen F. Austin, 7; Yale, 7; Eastern Kentucky, 5; Hampton, 5; Richmond, 4; Villanova, 4; Southeastern Louisiana, 1.