GREENVILLE, S.C. — Furman and Chattanooga, the Southern Conference's two most successful football programs a year ago, are set to clash for the third time in a span of 343 days this Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. contest at Paladin Stadium.
Sponsored by KW Beverage, the Community Day/Extra Yard For Teachers promoted event will be streamed via ESPN+ and 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 can also follow the action through Furman-driven StatBroadcast live stats, accessible via FurmanPaladins.com, and receive timely updates and in-game video highlight clips through both the @FurmanPaladins "X" and Furman Paladin Football Facebook platforms.
Furman (2-3, 1-0 SoCon), the 2023 SoCon champion, and Chattanooga (1-1, 2-3 SoCon), a FCS at-large playoff qualifier a year ago, squared off twice in 2023 in a pair of high stakes clashes. The Paladins edged the Mocs last November in Chattanooga, 17-14, to claim the program's 15th SoCon championship and beat UTC a month later, 26-7, in FCS second round playoff action in Greenville on the way to a second consecutive 10-3 campaign.
Furman, which has won the last three meetings and six of the last eight battles with Chattanooga, holds a 33-21 edge in the all-time series, though UTC's eight wins in 22 games in Paladin Stadium are the most by any foe.
The Mocs, coming off a 17-10 road league win over East Tennessee State, enter Saturday's fracas ranked 23rd in this week's Stats Perform FCS Poll.
Its SoCon season opener delayed a week after Hurricane Helene caused the postponement of the Paladins' scheduled Sept. 28 contest versus Samford, head coach
Clay Hendrix's troops regrouped to claim a come-from-behind, 17-16 road triumph over The Citadel on Saturday. Trailing 16-3 midway through the fourth quarter, the Paladins, behind the play of true freshman quarterback
Trey Hedden, rallied with 78 and 88-yard touchdown drives over game's final eight minutes to clip the Bulldogs — the game winning score coming on a six-yard strike from Hedden to another true freshman, tight end
Jackson Pryor, with just over a minute remaining. Hedden finished the game hitting on 23-of-33 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns.
While Furman's offense was looking for a pulse for over the game's first three quarters, the Paladin defense overcame a rocky start and a couple of crucial penalties to bottle up the Bulldogs with the game's outcome on the line, limiting The Citadel to no first downs and only nine total yards in the decisive fourth quarter. It should be no surprise the headliners included the unit's most veteran performers — linebacker
Evan DiMaggio (12 tackles, TFL) and bandit
Luke Clark (8 tackles, 3 TFL, Sack, 2 QB Pressures).
Furman's
Ian Williams, who booted four field goals in last year's FCS playoff contest versus UTC, gave the Paladins' their first points against The Citadel with a 26-yard field goal and game winning point with a his PAT.
In en effort to support those impacted by Hurricane Helene, the Furman Paladins, along with Ingles Advantage and Harvest Hope, are asking the Furman Family and community to help fill the Smith Dray Moving Paladin Football equipment truck, located the Ingles Fan Zone at Paladin Stadium, with needed items, beginning at 10:00 Friday. Needed items included travel size toothpaste, toothbrushes, paper towels, beef jerky, buckets, peanut butter, deodorant, rags, canned vegetables, canned meat, dry beans, fruit pouches, pasta, rice, bar soap, gloves, baby food, tampons/pads, bleach, diapers, flashlights, wipes, coolers, bottled water, socks, and batteries. Contributions can also be made Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m.
The Game: Furman Paladins (2-3,1-0 SoCon) vs. Chattanooga Mocs (2-3, 1-1 SoCon)
Game Sponsor: KW Beverage
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
Site: Greenville, S.C. (Paladin Stadium, on the campus of Furman University)
Kickoff: 2:02 PM ET
TV/Video Stream: ESPN+ (Brock Bowling, pbp), Cole Neely (analyst)
Radio: Van Wagner/Furman Sports Network (The Fan Upstate: 97.7 FM/1330 AM, Greenville; 97.1 FM/950 AM, Spartanburg); Audacy.com; FurmanPaladins.com: Dan Scott (pbp), David Cobb (analyst); Tom Van Hoy (spotter/pre-game & halftime host)
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at www.furmanpaladins.com, the Paladin Stadium Box Office, located at the Defenders Gate, and at the East Stands Box Office of Paladin Stadium beginning at Noon. All tickets are mobile and fans should have their cell number ready when purchasing at the stadium. Tickets will be texted to walk-up buyers. Most major credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges. No refunds.
