The Furman Paladins football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Furman University located in the state of South Carolina. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The school's first football team was fielded in 1889. The 1902 team won a state championship. The team plays its home games at the 16,000 seat Paladin Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina.

The 1988 Furman Paladins football team, coached by Jimmy Satterfield, won the NCAA Division I Football Championship. Clay Hendrix, who was a member of that championship team, has served as the team's head coach since 2017.

History Classifications 1937–1942: NCAA College Division 1946–1957: NCAA University Division 1958–1972: NCAA College Division 1973–1977: NCAA Division I 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships 1889–1896: Independent 1897–1899: No football team 1900–1901: Independent 1902: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1903–1912: No football team 1913–1914: Independent 1915–1929: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1930–1931: Independent 1932–1935: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1936–present: Southern Conference

Championships National championships 1988 Jimmy Satterfield NCAA Division I-AA 13–2 W 17–12 Georgia Southern

Conference championships The Paladins have won 15 conference titles, all in the Southern Conference, with seven shared and eight outright. 1978† Southern Conference Dick Sheridan 8–3 4–1 1980 9–1–1 7–0 1981 8–3 5–2 1982 9–3 6–1 1983 10–2–1 6–0–1 1985 12–2 6–0 1988† Jimmy Satterfield 13–2 6–1 1989 12–2 7–0 1990 9–4 6–1 1999† Bobby Johnson 9–3 7–1 2001† 12–3 7–1 2004† Bobby Lamb 10–3 6–1 2013† Bruce Fowler 8–6 6–2 2018† Clay Hendrix 6–4 6–2 2023 10-3 7–1

Postseason NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs The Paladins have appeared in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs 20 times with a record of 21–19. They were national champions in 1988 and runner-up in 1985 and 2001.

1982 First Round South Carolina State L 0–17 1983 QuarterfinalsSemifinals Boston UniversityWestern Carolina W 35–16L 7–14 1985 QuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Game Rhode IslandNevadaGeorgia Southern W 59–15W 35–12L 42–44 1986 First Round Eastern Kentucky L 10–231988 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalNational Championship Game DelawareMarshallIdahoGeorgia Southern W 21–7W 13–9W 38–7W 17–12 1989 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals William & MaryYoungstown StateStephen F. Austin W 24–10W 42–23L 19–21 1990 First RoundQuarterfinals Eastern KentuckyNevada W 45–17L 35–42 3OT 1996 First RoundQuarterfinals Northern ArizonaMarshall W 42–31L 0–54 1999 First Round Massachusetts L 23–30 OT 2000 First Round Hofstra L 24–31 2001 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Game WKULehighGeorgia SouthernMontana W 24–20W 34–17W 24–17L 6–13 2002 First Round Villanova L 38–45 2004 First RoundQuarterfinals Jacksonville StateJames Madison W 49–7L 13–14 2005 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals Nicholls StateRichmondAppalachian State W 14–12W 24–20L 23–29 2006 First Round Montana State L 13–31 2013 First RoundSecond Round South Carolina StateNorth Dakota State W 30–20L 7–38 2017 First RoundSecond Round ElonWofford W 28–27L 10–28 2019 First Round Austin Peay L 6–42 2022 First RoundSecond Round ElonIncarnate Word W 31–6L 38–41 2023 Second RoundQuarterfinals ChattanoogaMontana W 26–7L 28–35 OT

Furman vs. in-state NCAA Division I schools School Record Percentage Streak First meeting Last meeting Charleston Southern 2–1 Lost 1 2019 2024 Clemson Tigers 10–43–4 Lost 31 1896 2018 Coastal Carolina 1–7 Lost 6 2006 2016 Presbyterian 42–13–1 Lost 1 1913 2014 South Carolina 20–28–1 Lost 2 1892 2023 South Carolina State 12–5 Won 1 1982 2015 The Citadel 64–37–3 Won 4 1913 2024 Wofford 56–34–7 Lost 1 1889 2023 Total: 199–165–16

Notable former players

Braniff Bonaventure Luther Broughton Ben Browder Sederrik Cunningham Dakota Dozier Jerome Felton Omari Hardwick Clay Hendrix Louis Ivory Stanford Jennings Bob King Bobby Lamb Ingle Martin William Middleton Billy Napier Bear Rinehart Orlando Ruff Terry Smith James H. "Speedy" Speer Ryan Steed David Whitehurst Sam Wyche

Players in the NFL draft Key B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end

YearRoundPick in roundOverall pickPlayerTeamPosition2014437137Dakota DozierJetsT200952138William MiddletonFalconsDB2008511146Jerome FeltonLionsRB2006515148Ingle MartinPackersQB2000414108John Keith49ersDB2000 72208Desmond KitchingsChiefsWR1997525155Luther BroughtonEaglesTE19864890Charles FoxChiefsWR19851019271Dennis WilliamsCardinalsRB19843965Stanford JenningsBengalsRB1984 611151Ernest GibsonPatriotsDB1977811206David WhitehurstPackersQB1970172418Joe BrunsonBearsDT19671017254Lavern BarrsCardinalsDB196371195Olin HillPackersT1962118148Larry Jepson49ersC1962 159205Joe MonteColtsG1957248285Bob JenningsRedskinsC1957 309358Mike ShillLionsT1956227260Johnny PopsonPackersB19545554Bob GriffisBearsG1953299346Bob GriffisGiantsG19516466Ed JasonekCardinalsB1950167203Harry BiermanCardinalsE1950 292367Ed JasonekBulldogsB19495950Tom WhamCardinalsE19433621Dewey ProctorGiantsB1943 4126Ralph HamerLionsB1943 7151Paul SizemoreLionsE1941182162Bill CornwallSteelersT19403419Rhoten ShetleyDodgersBDraftHistory.com

Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of September 16, 2026.

Anderson at South Carolina at Florida at Davidson Davidson at Tennessee at South Carolina State Campbell at Clemson South Carolina State Richmond at Richmond

References

External links