GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Coming off a 20-13 Southern Conference road victory over defending league champion Mercer on Saturday, Furman is ranked 24th in this week's AFCA FCS Top 25 Poll, which was announced today.

The Paladins (2-1, 1-0 SoCon) are among three SoCon teams ranked this week, joining Tennessee Tech (10th) and Mercer (22nd).  Furman's Saturday opponent, South Carolina State (3-0), is 16th in the poll.

Mercer was ranked 14th on Saturday when the Paladins defeated the Bears in Macon, Ga.  The triumph halted Mercer's 12-game SoCon winning streak.

Kickoff for Saturday's game versus S.C. State is set for 7:00 p.m. at Paladin Stadium.

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll – September 14, 2026
                                                  

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 2	Next Game
1	Montana St. (26)	3-0	650	1	D. Nevada, 20-7	Sept. 19 vs. Central Connecticut St.
2	Montana	3-0	601	2	D. Utah Tech, 35-14	Sept. 19 at Oregon St.
3	South Dakota St.	2-1	595	3	D. New Haven, 57-14	Sept. 19 vs. No. 9 Youngstown St.
4	Illinois St.	3-0	578	4	D. Northern Illinois, 28-24	Sept. 19 vs. Eastern Illinois
5	Tarleton St.	3-0	552	5	D. McNeese, 27-24	Sept. 19 vs. Merrimack
6	North Dakota	3-0	483	7	D. Portland St., 47-23	Sept. 19 at Nebraska
7	Lehigh	3-0	473	8	D. No. 16 William & Mary, 44-20	Sept. 19 vs. Dartmouth
8	Stephen F. Austin	3-0	432	9	D. No. 25 ACU, 26-7	Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M
9	Youngstown St.	2-1	405	10	D. Duquesne, 70-13	Sept. 19 at No. 3 South Dakota St.
10	Tennessee Tech	3-0	393	11	D. Samford, 45-19	Sept. 26 at Wofford
11	UC Davis	2-1	389	6	Lost to SMU, 56-10	Sept. 19 vs. Stetson
12	South Dakota	3-0	370	12	D. Eastern Washington, 41-23	Sept. 19 at Boise St.
13	Rhode Island	2-1	331	13	D. Elon, 31-10	Sept. 19 at Stony Brook
14	Austin Peay	2-1	317	15	D. Morehead St., 63-7	Sept. 19 at No. 17 West Florida
15	Lamar	2-1	268	17	D. Idaho, 23-17	Sept. 26 at Nicholls
16	South Carolina St.	3-0	194	20	D. Virginia St., 66-0	Sept. 19 at No. 24 Furman
17	West Florida	2-0	178	22	Idle	Sept. 19 vs. No. 14 Austin Peay
18	Idaho St.	3-0	177	24	D. San Diego, 59-17	Sept. 26 at Southern Utah
19	Northern Arizona	2-1	174	23	D. UIW, 38-28	Sept. 19 at Utah Tech
20	Yale	0-0	160	19	Idle	Sept. 19 at Holy Cross
21	William & Mary	2-1	103	16	Lost to No. 8 Lehigh, 44-20	Sept. 19 vs. Fordham
22	Mercer	2-1	93	14	Lost to Furman, 20-13	Sept. 19 at Georgia Tech
23	Villanova	1-2	83	18	Lost to Louisville, 59-13	Sept. 19 at LIU
24	Furman	2-1	74	NR	D. No. 14 Mercer, 20-13	Sept. 19 vs. No. 16 South Carolina St.
25	Southern Illinois	2-1	70	NR	D. Southeast Missouri St., 34-20	Sept. 19 at Illinois