GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman head football coach Clay Hendrix today announced the addition of games against both South Carolina State and Richmond for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Furman will play host to South Carolina State in 2026 and take on the Bulldogs in Orangeburg in 2027.

Furman is scheduled to travel to Richmond in 2026 before welcoming the Spiders to Paladin Stadium in 2027.

"These are great regional rivalry games against outstanding institutions we should be playing," said Hendrix.  "We've had some tremendous games against S.C. State over the years, and Furman and Richmond have both won national (FCS) championships -- an achievement that's very rare among private schools."

Furman and S.C. State last played in 2015 in a contest the Paladins won, 17-3, in Greenville.  The two Palmetto state programs have met 17 times over the years in a series Furman leads 12-5.

The Paladins and Spiders, for many years former Southern Conference rivals, last clashed on the football field in 2004 in FCS (formerly I-AA) football playoff action.  Furman won that contest, at Richmond, 24-20, and has captured the last three encounters.  The Paladins claimed a 31-17 decision over the Spiders in 2003, in Richmond's last visit to Paladin Stadium.

S.C. State is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), while Richmond belongs to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). The Paladins posted a 31-6 win over Elon in FCS first round playoff action in 2022, in their last encounter against a CAA foe.

Furman previously announced a pair of football game versus CAA member William & Mary, including a Sept. 21, 2024, contest in Williamsburg and Sept. 6, 2025, clash in Greenville.  The Paladins are also scheduled to play at new CAA member North Carolina A&T on Sept. 13, 2025.

The Paladins are currently ranked seventh in the nation after opening conference play with a 38-14 win over Mercer at Paladin Stadium.  Next up, the Paladins entertain The Citadel on Oct. 7 for Family Weekend at Furman University.  Tickets for this Palmetto State rivalry, which spans 102 games and dates from 1913, are available by visiting furmanpaladins.com or calling 864-294-3099.