GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman is ranked sixth in the first AFCA FCS Top 26 Poll of the regular season, it was announced today.

The Paladins (1-0) held on to their preseason No. 6 ranking following a season opening, 45-10 win over Tennessee Tech last Thursday.

Samford is seventh and Mercer 24th in this week's poll, giving the Southern Conference three teams in the Top 25.

Reigning national champion South Dakota State is No. 1, followed by North Dakota State and Montana State.  William & Mary is ranked fourth, and Holy Cross rounds out the top five in the poll.

Also ranked sixth in the Stats Perform FCS Poll, which was released on Monday, Furman plays at South Carolina this Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. SEC+ Network/ESPN+ contest.

The Paladins racked up six turnovers (4 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries), its most since 2009, in the win over Tennessee Tech.  Included in the tally were "pick-six" returns covering 43 and 67 yards by cornerback Travis Blackshear and linebacker Dan Scianna, respectively.

Now 13-3 in its last 16 games, Furman fashioned a 10-3 campaign a year ago that featured seven consecutive wins en route to an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, where the Paladins  claimed a 31-6 first round home win over Coastal Athletic Association member Elon.

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 5, 2023
 

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 1	Next Game
1	South Dakota St. (25)	1-0	625	1	D. Western Oregon, 45-7	Sept. 9 vs. No. 3 Montana St.
2	North Dakota St.	1-0	599	2	D. Eastern Washington, 35-10	Sept. 9 vs. Maine
3	Montana St.	1-0	573	3	D. Utah Tech, 63-20	Sept. 9 at No. 1 South Dakota St.
4	William & Mary	1-0	524	4	D. Campbell, 34-24	Sept. 9 vs. Wofford
5	Holy Cross	1-0	503	5	D. Merrimack, 42-20	Sept. 9 at Boston College
6	Furman	1-0	500	6	D. Tennessee Tech, 45-10	Sept. 9 at South Carolina
7	Samford	1-0	449	9	D. Shorter, 69-14	Sept. 9 at Western Carolina
8	Sacramento St.	1-0	444	8	D. Nicholls, 38-24	Sept. 9 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
9	Weber St.	1-0	388	10	D. Central Washington, 35-10	Sept. 9 at No. 20 Northern Iowa
10	UIW	0-1	376	7	Lost to UTEP, 28-14	Sept. 9 at Northern Colorado
11	New Hampshire	1-0	346	12	D. Stonehill, 51-17	Sept. 9 at Central Michigan
12	Idaho	1-0	334	13	D. Lamar, 42-17	Sept. 9 at Nevada
13	Montana	1-0	293	14	D. Butler, 35-20	Sept. 9 at Utah Tech
14	UC Davis	1-0	286	17	D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 48-10	Sept. 9 at Oregon St.
15	North Dakota	1-0	258	18	D. Drake, 55-7	Sept. 9 vs. Northern Arizona
16	Southeast Missouri St.	0-1	238	11	Lost to Kansas St., 45-0	Sept. 9 vs. Lindenwood
17	Southeastern Louisiana	0-1	224	15	Lost to Mississippi St., 48-7	Sept. 9 at South Alabama
18	North Carolina Central	1-0	191	19	D. Winston-Salem St., 47-21	Sept. 9 at North Carolina A&T
19	Delaware	1-0	181	21	D. Stony Brook, 37-13	Sept. 9 at Penn St.
20	Northern Iowa	0-1	127	20	Lost to Iowa St., 30-9	Sept. 9 vs. No. 9 Weber St.
21	Florida A&M	1-0	124	25	D. Jackson St., 28-10	Sept. 9 at South Florida
22	Rhode Island	0-1	65	23	Lost to Georgia St., 42-35	Sept. 8 vs. Stony Brook
23	Southern Illinois	1-0	64	NR	D. Austin Peay, 49-23	Sept. 9 at Northern Illinois
24	Mercer	1-1	62	22	Lost to Mississippi, 73-7	Sept. 9 vs. Morehead St.
25	Youngstown St.	1-0	58	NR	D. Valparaiso, 52-10	Sept. 9 at Ohio St.

 
Dropped Out: Richmond (16), Gardner-Webb (24)
 
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 50; Fordham, 41; Gardner-Webb, 32; Yale, 30; Illinois St., 21; St. Thomas (Minn.), 19; Central Arkansas, 16; North Carolina A&T, 14; Eastern Kentucky, 12; Morgan St., 12; Northern Arizona, 12; Princeton, 11; Harvard, 7; Jackson St., 5; Elon, 4; Hampton, 4; Campbell, 1; Southern Utah, 1; Stephen F. Austin, 1.