GREENVILLE, S.C. — Furman is ranked sixth in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll, which was released today.
The Paladins are the top-ranked Southern Conference team, three spots ahead of No. 9 Samford. Mercer is 20th, giving the SoCon three teams in the poll. Chattanooga received votes, good for 27th.
Reigning national champion South Dakota State is No. 1, followed by North Dakota State and Montana State. William & Mary is ranked fourth, and Holy Cross rounds out the top five.
Click here for a link to the full preseason poll.
Furman is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw it post seven consecutive wins en route to an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, where the Paladins claimed a 31-6 first round home win over Coastal Athletic Association member Elon. The Paladins finished 2022 a consensus 10th in AFCA and Stats Perform polls.
Furman, a consensus first place pick in a pair of recently announced Southern Conference preseason polls conducted by league coaches and media, returns 20 starters, including eight regulars on offense, 10 on defense, and the squad’s two primary specialists.
The Paladins kick off the 2023 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 31, entertaining Tennessee Tech in a 7:00 p.m. contest at Paladin Stadium.
