GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman's football team returns to action this Saturday when it takes on the 18
th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers in a 3:30 p.m. contest at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.
The game will mark only the third meeting between Furman and Tennessee, with the last clash coming in 1942. The Volunteers won that contest, 52-7, in a season that also saw Furman play Virginia Tech, Georgia, Wake Forest, Miami, South Carolina, and Clemson.
Tennessee (0-0) represents the first of four currently ranked foes the Paladins will face in September — a slate that also includes Mercer (Sept. 12), S.C. State (Sept. 19), and Richmond (Sept. 26). S.C. State is Furman's lone September home game.
Last year the Paladins only played one ranked opponent — Mercer.
Furman owns a 6-35-1 record against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opposition since the Southern Conference was reclassified in 1982 to what is now known as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Paladins registered their two most recent wins over FBS foes against UCF (2015) and North Carolina (1999). As a player (1982-85)
Clay Hendrix was a member of Furman teams that posted a 4-1 record against the FBS — the victories coming against South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and N.C. State (twice).
A 20-3 winner in last Thursday's season opener against Anderson at Paladin Stadium, Furman stands a solid probability of playing in front of the largest crowd in program history, with Neyland Stadium boasting a capacity of 101,000. The current attendance standard is 92,554 at LSU in 2013.
Against Tennessee the Paladins will look for a strong performance from their defense, which appears to have the makings of a salty bunch led by an experienced and deep defensive front. 2025 consensus All-America end
Joshua Stoneking (79 tackles, FCS leading 14.5 sacks & 23.5 TFLs last year) is the headliner, and he's already picked up some notable help from sophomore bandit
Eli Lipscomb, who posted six tackles, including three for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery versus Anderson in his first game as a Paladin. Other key performers in the line include nose guard
Caldwell Bussey (sack vs. Anderson) and tackle
Demetrius Baldwin, a preseason All-Southern Conference pick.
Raleigh Herbert, a team captain and preseason All-SoCon selection, anchors what appears to be a solid linebacking corps that also features sophomore
Caleb Ellison, a Murfreesboro, Tenn., product who was among nine Paladins to make their first career start in the season opener.
A significant key to improved defensive play this season rests on the performance of Furman's secondary, which will no doubt be tested on Saturday.
Caleb Easterling (five tackles, forced fumble vs. Anderson) is poised to deliver improved play at cornerback, and at safety the Paladins count a pair of veterans in
AK Burrell and
Billy Lewis to go along with highly regarded freshman Byron Peebles, who shined in his first start (three tackles, two PBUs).
Facing a Southeastern Conference foe is a tall task, and that will no doubt ring true for a Furman offense that sports a number of new cast members this year.
New Paladin signal caller
Jake Garcia (15x28, 183 yds., INT) showed some rust against Anderson, which represented his first game in almost two seasons, but the California native also demonstrated play making ability, evident in his nine rushes for 51 yards.
Furman's ground attack, spearheaded by preseason All-SoCon center
Chris Luna, delivered quality numbers, as reflected in
CJ Nettles' 10 rushes for 99 yards and
Ben Croasdale's 11 carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns. All told the Paladins netted 268 yards on the ground in week one — the highest total since the 2023 season (328 vs. Western Carolina, 29-17 win).
How quickly the Paladin receiving corps can meld with Garcia looms large. Wide receiver
Daniel Haughton, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth, backed up his preseason billing with five catches for 87 yards against Anderson, and
Ethan Harris, Furman's most experienced wideout, had three receptions for 49 yards. The return of tight end
Jackson Pryor (3 rec., 19 yds. vs. Anderson), who missed virtually the entire 2025 campaign due to injury, should be a significant plus for Furman's passing game.
Saturday's contest will be be televised over the SEC+ Network and aired via the 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 live stats, accessible via FurmanPaladins.com, and receive timely updates through the @FurmanPaladins "X" platform and Furman Paladin Football's Facebook page.
