GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Deep South's oldest football rivalry will be renewed this Saturday when the Furman Paladins play host to the Wofford Terriers in a 2:00 p.m. Southern Conference clash at Paladin Stadium.

The contest, sponsored by BMW and the highlight Furman's Family Weekend, will mark the 100th football meeting between the Upstate South Carolina schools, who played the first football game in state history on Dec. 14, 1889, in Spartanburg. Furman leads the all-time series 56-36-7 and owns a 35-12-5 record against Wofford in Greenville. The Paladins sport a 13-4-1 worksheet versus the Terriers at Paladin Stadium but dropped the last meeting  there, 19-13, in 2024.  Wofford has claimed the last three clashes, including last year's 31-13 verdict in Spartanburg.

The Paladins (2-3, 1-0 SoCon) and Terriers (2-3, 1-2 SoCon) are coming off losses.  Furman dropped a 19-13 road decision to 19th-ranked Richmond last Saturday while Wofford fell to Tennessee Tech, 42-38, in Spartanburg.

A win by Furman on Saturday would back up a Sept. 12, 20-13 road triumph over two-time defending SoCon champion Mercer and keep the Paladins squarely in the SoCon race.  Nothing would satisfy Wofford more than playing spoiler to that goal while ending their own three-game losing skid that followed season opening wins over The Citadel (42-14) and Gardner-Webb (17-13).

Eyes will be on head coach Clay Hendrix's squad after the 10th-year head coach handed the Paladins' offensive reins to Dru Dudzik last Sunday.  Dudzik, who coached the Paladin wide receivers his first four years with the program, took over quarterback coaching duties this year.  He's already had to deal with a change in signal caller, with junior Connor Ackerley taking over Jake Garcia, who suffered a shoulder injury against South Carolina State two weeks ago.

Dudzik's task will be to help breathe some life into a Furman offense that has scored six touchdowns in five games and is averaging only 15.0 points per game.

Furman's offensive struggles have been contrasted by solid, oftentimes stellar play by Furman's defense, which registered four takeaways in the loss to Richmond, including an interception at the Spiders' 24-yard line with 2:28 remaining that the Paladin offense turned over on downs four plays later.

Defensive coordinator Chad Byers' troops rank among the best in the FCS in several categories, including third down conversion percentage defense (7th/.265), interceptions (T2nd/8), and turnovers gained (2nd/13), which has contributed significantly in Furman's turnover margin (8th/+1.20).

Furman will look for its experienced and deep defensive front to play a big role on Saturday, led by consensus All-American end Joshua Stoneking (17 tack., 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks), tackle Demetrius Baldwin, Jr. (11 tack., 2 PBU), and bandit Eli Lipscomb (25 tack., 6 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 FR).

The Paladins lost starting inside linebackers Raleigh Herbert and Caleb Ellison to injury in the second half of their victory over Mercer.  While they look to return to action soon, Furman has gotten solid efforts from their replacements, Ryan Earl (29 tack., 2 FRs) and Nick Simmons (14 tack.).

Cornerback Caleb Easterling, who has three interceptions already this season, has emerged as a playmaker in his first full season of action.  Safety Joshua Tarver, a graduate transfer from Yale, claimed his second interception of the season last week against Richmond.

Despite the lack of success in finding the end zone so far this season, Furman has demonstrated a solid kicking game headed up by Nathan Chapman, who has converted 11-of-14 field goal attempts, including eight from 40+ yards — the most by any kicker in both the FCS and FBS.

The Game: Wofford Terriers (2-3, 1-2 SoCon) vs. Furman Paladins (2-3, 1-0 SoCon)
Game Sponsor: BMW
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Site: Greenville, S.C. (Paladin Stadium, on the campus of Furman University)
Kickoff: 2:02 PM ET
TV/Video Stream: Ingle SoCon Game of the Week; ESPN+ (Dave Friedman, pbp), Mark Covert (analyst), Erin Summers (sideline)
TV Affiliates: WYCW -- Greenville/Spartanburg; WCCB -- Charlotte; WFTO -- Birmingham; EFLI -- Chattanooga; WCIV -- Charleston
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: Furman's GameDay Ticket Office opens at Noon, two hours prior to kickoff, at three locations: Defenders Gate, Champions Gate, and East Stands (Visitors) Gate.  All ticket and parking ($20/vehicle) transactions are credit card only.  Fans are asked to have credit cards ready when entering Timmons Arena or Furman Chapel Lots. All major credit cards are accepted, along with Apple and Google pay. Stadium gates open at 12:30 p.m.
Ingles Fan Zone:  The Ingles Fan Zone will serve as the area for all fans to engage in an energetic and fun pre-game atmosphere.  Located adjacent to Paladin Stadium, the Fan Zone will open at 11:00 a.m., three hours prior to kickoff, and feature the live music of "Commodore Fox."  Admission is free.
Wicked Weed End Zone Experience: The Wicked Weed Endzone Experience returns to Paladin Stadium this season, giving fans a lively destination to enjoy on game day. Located at the videoboard end of the stadium, the Fan Zone and biergarten are free and open to all ticketed fans. The area features food trucks, beverages, games and more, providing fans another way to experience the excitement and atmosphere of Furman Football throughout the game.