GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The FCS 24th-ranked Furman Paladins return home this Saturday to face the 16th-ranked South Carolina State Bulldogs in a 7:00 p.m. contest at Paladin Stadium.

The game, sponsored by Patel McDonald's, marks the renewal of a series last active in 2015 and first matchup of two ranked squads in Paladin Stadium since the 2023 season when seventh-ranked Furman knocked off 18th-ranked Chattanooga, 26-7, in FCS second round playoff action.

Furman (2-1) cracked the FCS Top 25 poll on the strength of a 20-13 road victory over defending Southern Conference champion and 14th-ranked Mercer on Saturday.  S.C. State (3-0), meanwhile, continued its early season opponent destruction by blasting Virginia State, 66-0, on Saturday.  The Bulldogs, who have outscored their 2026 foes 184-13, are the third consecutive ranked opponent on Furman's rugged September schedule.

Saturday's contest will be the 18th football meeting between the two programs.  Furman holds a 12-5 in the series, primarily on the strength of an 8-1 worksheet against S.C. State in Greenville.  The Paladins earned a 17-3 win in Paladin Stadium in the last encounter, which was played in a driving rainstorm in 2015.

What is apparent so far this season to Paladin fans is the defense is the team's strength, and that was evident last Saturday in Macon when Furman came through with a stalwart effort that went a long way in helping the Paladins snap Mercer's 12-game SoCon winning streak.  Five takeaways, including four interceptions, four sacks, and stout third down work that saw Furman limit the Bears to just two conversions on 16 attempts (.125), were the indicators of dominance in the victory.

Among the leading defensive headliners was cornerback Caleb Easterling, who was credited with seven tackles, two interceptions, and a pass breakup on the way to earning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors.  Backup bandit Trevor Short also delivered in a big way, registering two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Through three games Furman has tallied eight takeaways after collecting only 11 total a year ago.

Looking to extend Furman's success on Saturday will be a talented and deep defensive front that includes bandit Eli Lipscomb, who has 17 tackles, including a team leading five for loss, two sacks, and two fumble recoveries in three starts, and All-American end Joshua Stoneking, whose abilities, evident in his productive 2025 season (FCS leading 14.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss), will no doubt be on the minds of S.C. State's coaching staff.

The Paladin linebacking corps has gotten solid play from Raleigh Herbert (18 tackles), and Furman's secondary, paced by Easterling and fellow cornerback Jordan Miller, has shown improvement over last year.

There have been flickers of success on offense that Furman will need to turn to fire to become a bonifide SoCon contender.

Ben Croasdale's 47-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the Mercer game proved to be the winning points.  It is tangible evidence of a more productive Paladin ground attack that is averaging approximately 200 yards per game.

Quarterback Jake Garcia's 46-yard touchdown pass to graduate transfer wide receiver Daniel Haughton against Mercer was his first of the season.  Haughton, whose 17 receptions leads the Paladins, has been a quality addition following a fine undergraduate career at Dartmouth.

Furman special teams stepped up several big plays against Mercer — none more important than Yale  graduate transfer Joshua Tarver's 42-yard fourth quarter punt return that set up a Nathan Chapman 43-yard field to tie the game at 13-13.  Chapman, in his season of action, has converted 5-of-8 field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder versus Tennessee.

The contest will be streamed via ESPN+ and 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.  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 through the @FurmanPaladins "X" platform.

The Game: South Carolina State (3-0, AFCA FCS #16) vs. Furman Paladins (2-1, AFCA FCS #24)
Game Sponsor: Patel McDonald's
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Site: Greenville, S.C. (Paladin Stadium, on the campus of Furman University)
Kickoff: 7:02 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: Furman's GameDay Ticket Office opens at 5:00 p.m., 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 5:30 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 4:00 p.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.