Furman vs. Clemson Game Notes
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman will make the short 30-mile trek to Clemson on Saturday to face the Tigers in the Paladins' 2025 season finale. Kickoff for the CW televised contest in Memorial Stadium is set for 4:30 p.m.
In addition to television, Saturday's game will be aired over Furman flagship The Fan Upstate and its four powerhouse stations: 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, and 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg. The broadcast can also be secured via Audacy.com, as well, as through FurmanPaladins.com, and via Sirrius XM Channel 385.
Fans can also follow the action through Clemson-driven live stats, accessible via FurmanPaladins.com, and receive timely updates through the @FurmanPaladins "X" platform.
Furman is Clemson's oldest football foe, having provided the opposition on Oct. 31, 1896, in Greenville in a game the Tigers won, 14-6. Saturday's game will mark the 59th football meeting in a series Clemson leads 44-10-4. The Tigers won the last clash, 35-12, in 2022 and own a 32-game series winning streak.
Furman (6-5) posted a 32-14 win over VMI on Saturday at Paladin Stadium to complete its Southern Conference schedule with a 4-4 record. The Paladins' six wins represent an improvement over 2024's 3-8 campaign, as do the four SoCon victories that followed the two-win league mark last year.
The Paladins outgained the Tigers 384-376 in total offense in the last meeting, and for that to happen again Furman will need to operate at a high level behind a passing game tied to the arm of quarterback
Trey Hedden. The sophomore from Tampa, Fla., who has passed for 2,788 yards and 16 touchdowns this year, is 172 yards shy of Furman's single season passing standard held by Paladin Hall of Famer Ingle Martin (2,959 yards, 2005).
Hedden's primary target has been true freshman wide receiver
Evan James, who last week caught nine passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns to establish new school freshman standards for receptions (59) and receiving yards (760). His six touchdown grabs this fall is also a Paladin freshman record.
The return of redshirt sophomore wideout
Ja'Keith Hamilton (38 rec., 521 yds., 5 TDs) from injury has also been a plus for the Paldain offense.
Furman enjoyed its best rushing outing of the campaign last Saturday versus VMI, totaling 174 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman
CJ Nettles (357 yds., 4 TDs) and redshirt junior
Ben Croasdale (282 yds., 2 TDs) have helped fill the void following a season ending injury (fractured wrist) sustained by
Gavin Hall in a 24-13 win over The Citadel.
Jayquan Smith has accounted for a team leading six rushing touchdowns.
Looking to slow down Clemson's attack will be the FCS leader in tackles for loss (20.0) and sacks (13.5), redshirt sophomore defensive end
Joshua Stoneking, who also paces Furman with 73 tackles.
The Paladins boast one FCS's top three-way specialists in graduate pre-season All-American
Ian Williams, who has converted 12-of-18 field goals, averaged 44.4 yards per punt, and recorded touchbacks on 45 of his 56 kickoffs this fall.
