GREENVILLE, S.C. – Coming off a 45-10, season opening win over Tennessee Tech last Thursday, AFCA/Stats Perform FCS 6th-ranked Furman makes its annual foray into the FBS world this Saturday when it travels to the state capital Columbia to take on the University of South Carolina in a 7:30 p.m. contest at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The game, which marks the 50th football meeting between the two schools, will be carried by the SEC+ Network and also available over the ESPN+ platform.  In addition, it will be aired over flagship The Fan Upstate and its four powerhouse stations: 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, and 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg.  Broadcasts can be secured via Audacy.com, as well as through FurmanPaladins.com.

Fans may also follow the action through StatBroadcast live stats, accessible via FurmanPaladins.com, and receive timely updates through the "X" platform.

South Carolina, which opened its season on Saturday with a 31-17 loss to 22nd-ranked North Carolina in Charlotte, N.C., has won the last two meetings with Furman, the most recent being a 41-10 verdict in 2014.  The Paladins' last win in the series, which began in 1892 (44-0 Furman win) and which USC leads 28-20-1, was a 28-23 verdict rendered during the 1982 season.  That triumph marked the first of four consecutive Furman wins over FBS (known then as I-A) foes under then-Paladin head coach Dick Sheridan.  Current Paladin head coach Clay Hendrix was a freshman offensive guard in Furman's football program in 1982 but did not dress for the game at USC.

Furman recorded its last victory over an FBS foe in 2015, beating UCF, 16-15.  The Paladins dropped a 35-12 verdict against Clemson a year ago despite out-gaining the Tigers in total offense, 386-374.

To have a chance for success on Saturday, Furman will need to continue its trend of forcing and capitalizing on opponent turnovers.  The Paladins racked up six turnovers in the win over Tennessee Tech, recording four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.  Two of the pickoffs were returned for touchdowns — a 43-yarder by All-Southern Conference cornerback Travis Blackshear and 67-yard effort by linebacker Dan Scianna.

The Paladins paced the FCS with 29 takeaways (18 INTs, 11 FRs) in 2022 and now have 35 in their last 14 games, including five "pick-sixes."  Furman is 13-3 in its last 16 outings.

Quarterback Tyler Huff will look to deliver solid play against the Gamecocks after passing for 172 yards (15x27, INT) and rushing for 42 yards against Tennessee Tech.  Huff, a true dual-threat signal caller who passed for 2199 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for a school quarterback record 694 yards and eight scores a year ago in his first campaign with the Paladins, completed 31-of-40 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown versus Clemson in 2022.

Huff will look to utilize a number of experienced receivers against the Gamecocks, including Joshua Harris (48 rec., 667 yds., 5 TDs in '22), Kyndel Dean (44 rec., 407 yds. in '22), and Wayne Anderson, Jr. (39 rec., 396 yds., 2 TDs in '22).  Dean caught five passes for 56 yards and scored on a six-yard run against Tennessee Tech.

Offensive balance, a staple in the Paladins' attack last year, will be a goal versus USC, as Furman boasts one of the top running backs in the FCS in graduate Dominic Roberto, who rushed for 59 yards and a pair of scores in the season opener.  Roberto ran for 1,120 yards an 11 touchdowns a year ago and now ranks 12th on the program's all-time rushing ledger with 2,173 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Paladins will be forced to go awhile longer without their top offensive lineman injured redshirt senior All-American Jacob Johanning whose return date is uncertain. That will put added pressure on veteran tackle Pearson Toomey and center Wyatt Hughes to provide needed stability along the front.

Furman's experienced, blue collar defense includes a front featuring as many as eight players in rotation, led by tackle Matt Sochovka (28 tackles, 3 blocked kicks in '22),  nose guard Xavier Stephens (4.5 sacks in '22, INT vs. Tennessee Tech), and end Jack Barton (30 tackles, 7 TFL, FCS leading 4 blocked kicks in '22).

The Paladin linebacking corps is headed up by Braden Gilby, who counts 33 starts and 265 tackles in his career.

Furman's secondary returned everyone from last season.  The leaders there are All-SoCon free safety Hugh Ryan from Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork H.S.), who was credited with a game high 12 tackles in the Paladins' opener, and Travis Blackshear, owner of 41 starts and 10 interceptions in his Furman tenure.

Special teams, a program strength in 2022 (FCS best 10 blocked kicks), appears to again be set to deliver.  Redshirt junior punter Ryan Leavy topped 50 yards on all four attempts against Tenenssee Tech, and the Paladins boast a pair of proven kickers in Axel Lepvreau and Ian Williams, who have combined to convert 19-of-23 field goal attempts over the last 14 games.