Furman And Georgia Southern Tangle One More Time

Furman and Georgia Southern Meet For The Final Time On Saturday, With The Eagles Holding A 16-8 All-Time Series Edge, Including Having Won Three-Straight Against The Paladins.

GREENVILLE, S.C.–It’s a rivalry that began on the penultimate stage, and on Saturday, that rivalry, at least as we know, will come to an end when Furman kicks off against Georgia Southern at Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro.

Georgia Southern and Furman first met in the national championship games in 1985 and ’88. The Eagles claimed a memorable 44-42 come-from-behind title win, led by the great Tracy Ham, while Furman returned the favor in ’88, with a dominating defensive effort that smothered Raymond Gross and a potent Eagle ground game en route to a 17-12 win.

Georgia Southern, which joined the Southern Conference in 1993, is playing its final season inside the Southern Conference before moving on to the Sun Belt Conference next season.

The Eagles have won 10 Southern Conference titles and have claimed an FCS standard six FCS national titles (1985, ’86, ’89, ’90, 99′ and 2000). The Eagles have made national title appearances in ’88 and ’98, but dropped games to Furman (17-12) and UMass (55-43).

The Paladins and Eagles will be meeting each other on the gridiron for the 25th time, with the Eagles holding a 16-8 all-time advantage, including having claimed three-straight in the series, and four of the last five between the two. The Eagles went to Greenville and claimed a 38-17 win over the Paladins last season.

Georgia Southern Legendary Coach Erk Russell Was The First Coach Of The Program After It Was Resurrected Following A 41-Year Hiatus In 1982, Winning Three Of Georgia Southern’s Six National Titles Before Retiring In 1990.

The last time Furman visited Statesboro, which was Bruce Fowler’s first season as the head coach, the Paladins were 50-20 losers to the Eagles, in what was the largest margin of defeat in the series for the Paladins. The last Furman win in the series also came in Statesboro back in 2009, which saw the Paladins post a 30-22 win.

Georgia Southern is a place remembered for such legends as Erk Russell, who was responsible for helping the program re-introduce football in 43 years, when the Georgia Southern took the field for the first time on Sept. 11, 1982, as the Eagles beat Central Florida 16-9.

Three years later, Russell had the Eagles raising the first of what would become six national titles, including three under the former Georgia defensive coordinator’s direction.

The Eagles finished out their official FCS tenure last season, as the program is ineligible for the Southern Conference and FCS titles this season, due to added scholarships in order to become fully eligible for Sun Belt play in the fall of 2014.

Georgia Southern, who is now under the direction of Jeff Monken, finished out FCS play by making to the semifinal round of the FCS playoffs in three-straight seasons, losing to the eventual national title winner in two of those semifinal appearances.

Under the direction of Monken, the Eagles have posted a a 34-15 record and a pair of shared Southern Conference titles in 2011 and ’12. Last season, the rivalry between the Eagles and Paladins got interesting late in the game when Georgia Southern to go “one more time.”

The Eagles would tack on a somewhat controversial score late in the football game. With just 20 seconds remaining in the game, and instead of taking a knee, the Eagles’ Swope found the end zone from a yard out, giving the Eagles a 36-17 lead. While the Eagles could have been forgiven for scoring the touchdown, the Eagles rubbed salt in Furman’s wounds, as Georgia Southern’s Swope converted on a two-point play, rather than opting for the PAT, setting the final scoreline, at 38-17.

This set up some heated words between coaching staffs after the game, with no doubt Paladin head coach Bruce Fowler and his staff needing some answers after the final horn sounded. Georgia Southern head coach Jeff Monken did issue an apology in his post-game press conference outside the visitor’s locker room at Paladin Stadium, saying to the effect that what was done was not directed in anyway at Furman and its coaching staff, but rather poor judgement of timing in the game on his part.

He admittedly told the press that he was not aware that there was only 20 seconds remaining on the game clock, and thought Furman might have enough time to mount another offensive drive.

Most would think that will provide some added incentive when the Paladins and Eagles head to Statesboro for the final SoCon meeting between the two, and each of the past two meetings have seen Furman get blown out, giving up 50 and 38 points to a potent Georgia Southern offense while not being able to generate any kind of offensive rhythm in either of those matchups.

It  would be hard to imagine Saturday’s matchup being much closer, and perhaps even resulting in a Furman victory over the Eagles for the first time since 2009 with the way the Furman defense has been playing this season.

Georgia Southern was handed its worst loss of the season last week at Appalachian State, dropping a 38-14 decision to the Mountaineers on Black Saturday.

The 14 points aren’t the norm for the Eagles, which accounted for their lowest point total of the season since a 45-14 setback at Georgia last season, and the 363 yards–128 less than the GSU average of 491.5 YPG coming into the game-were a season low.

Georgia Southern has scored 17 or fewer points in 49 games under the direction of Jeff Monken, with the Eagles’ record in those games being 2-7 in those games.

Furman, which has yielded 38 and 50 points to Georgia Southern in the past two meetings, accounting for the fourth and fifth occasions the Eagles have scored 35 or more points against the Paladins in the series, will look to change that trend on Saturday, with a defense that has ranked among the top three in the SoCon all season.

The Furman-Georgia Southern Rivalry:

Tracy Ham Helped Georgia Southern To That Memorable, 44-42, Win Over Furman In 1985, And Led The Eagles To Their First Two Titles. He Is A Member Of The College Football Hall Of Fame.

The other three occasions in which the Paladins have yielded 35 or more points in the series to the Eagles coming in 1985, ’98 and ’99. It’s a rivalry that, like the one between Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, has become one that SoCon and FCS fans alike look forward to each season with each season rolling around.

Fans will always recall the many moments made by the greats who have seen action in this great rivalry over the years, beginning with Tracy Ham in 1985 against the Paladins, as he led the Eagles to one of the greatest come-from-behind wins in the history of college football.

Ham was able to connect on 23-of-37 passes for 419 yards and four TDs with one INT, helping the Eagles come all the way back from a 22-point third quarter deficit in getting the memorable title win. Ham’s 13-yard scoring strike to Frank Johnson with 10 seconds remaining in the game, allowed the Eagles to pull a 44-42 miracle win, winning the first of six national titles in Tacoma, Washington.

Three years later, it would be Furman sophomore QB Frankie DeBusk and the Furman defense writing the national title script against the Eagles, as the Paladins came away with a 17-12 win in Pocatello, ID, and helped the program become the first private school to win a national title at the FCS level.

In the ’88 title win, DeBusk connected on 7-of-11 passes for 124 yards, a TD and an INT, leading a Furman offense that churned out 335 yards against a tough Georgia Southern defense.

Debusk’s deep ball on the Paladins’ first play from scrimmage help set the tone for Furman in the contest, and it would ultimately prove to be a good omen in the school’s first and only national title. But perhaps even more the story was the Furman defense, which held the Eagles to a meager 198 yards of total offense, limiting talented quarterback Raymond Gross all night and picking him off twice, including linebacker Jeff Blakenship’s pick in the waning seconds to halt any hopes of any repeat of three years prior for the Eagles.

The Eagles and Paladins wouldn’t meet again on the gridiron until 1992, and in the much anticipated matchup between the two failed to live up to the hype, as Georgia Southern ran past Furman, posting a 21-0 win over the Paladins, marking one of only two times the Paladins have been held scoreless on their home turf. It remains the sixth-worst loss Furman has ever endured at home.

Georgia Southern has handed Furman three of its worst home losses in the history of Paladin Stadium. It was a big day for the Georgia Southern defense and special teams, as All-American nose tackle Alex Mash and Eagle slotback Mark Wright as a punt return threat.

Wright had two punt returns for scores in leading the Eagles to the win. After joining the SoCon in 1993, the Eagles claimed wins in the first three meetings as SoCon rivals, with three-straight wins, with the 1994 and ’95 meetings seeing the Paladins lose close contests, with six and seven point losses.

Slot back Dexter Dawson was able to come up big in the ’95 clash, making the necessary plays to help Georgia Southern squelch Furman’s playoff hopes.

The Paladins wouldn’t break through and get their second win in the series against Georgia Southern in 1996, as QB Braniff Bonanventure and WR Josh Cole helped the Paladins to a 21-14 win at Paladin Stadium, which proved to be pivotal to the Paladins making it back to the FCS postseason for the first time in six years.

It marked one of only two times that Furman has beaten Georgia Southern and Appalachian State in the same season, with the only other time that occurred being the 1988 season.

The ’96 win also came in what was a rare losing season for the Eagles under interim and former Marshall head coach Frank Ellwood, who took over for a fired Tim Stowers and led the Eagles to a 4-7 finish.

The 1997 season would see a young Furman team, with quarterback issues, visit Paulson Stadium playing a Georgia Southern team with a SoCon title at stake with a win for the Eagles under the direction of first-year head coach Paul Johnson.

The 30-13 loss to the Eagles would mark the fourth loss of the season for the Paladins, effectively ending the playoff hopes for a team picked to win the Southern Conference title in e the preseason.

Russell rushed for 79 yards and a TD in the 17-point triumph, which was a game that saw the Eagles and Paladins combine for a total of just 486 yards of total offense in the game. The Paladins would be a young outfit in 1998, while the Eagles had two of the most explosive players in FCS football, in redshirt freshman fullback Adrian Peterson and quarterback Greg Hill.

The Eagles would hand the Paladins a 45-17 setback at Paladin Stadium, which is the second-largest margin of victory by a visitor in Paladin Stadium history.

No GSU fan can forget the Eagles’ 27-24 win over the top-ranked Paladins in 2005, which allowed the Eagles to qualify for the FCS postseason. The Eagles were able to come up with the win when Terrance McBride stepped in front of an Ingle Martin pass in the waning moments to clinch the three-point win over the Paladins.

Most Furman fans won’t soon forget the 2000 meeting with the Eagles, as Paul Johnson brought his top-ranked club to Paladin Stadium, having already clinched at least a share of the SoCon title.Furman needed a win to keep its postseason hopes alive. Johnson decided to bench his stud running back and all-time FCS leading rusher Adrian Peterson, who was nursing a minor injury.

Furman Running Back Louis Ivory After Rushing For A SoCon Single-Game Record 301 Yards In FU’s 45-10 Victory Over No. 1 Georgia Southern in 2000. Georgia Southern Record-Breaking RB Adrian Peterson Actually Rushed For 333 Yards In A 1999 Division I-AA Quarterfinal Win Over UMass, Which Is A Postseason Division I-AA Record.

The Paladins led 10-7 at the break, and the second half would belong to Furman running back Loius Ivory. Ivory not only set a school record, but also a SoCon regular-season record for rushing yards, rushing for 301 yards and three TDs and leading the Paladins to a lopsided 45-10 win over the Eagles.

Furman would later end up qualifying for the postseason with a victory in its final game against Chattanooga, while Georgia Southern would be fueled by the thumping and go on to win their second-straight national title. The 2001 season saw two classic games played between the schools, with Georgia Southern claiming a gritty 20-10 win in the regular-season home finale.

Furman Dropped A Tough 29-24 Decision In Statesboro In 2003, Which Was A Rare Season For Both Schools In Which Neither Figured Into The SoCon Title Race.

Playing in front of the home folks for the final time, Adrian Peterson used the emotional, electric, sell-out atmosphere to rush for 158 yards on 24 attempts. The two would meet against in the FCS semifinals, with the Paladins handing Georgia Southern its first postseason loss (27-0 coming in to the game) at Paulson Stadium, while also ending GSU’s 39-game winning streak.

Furman, which played without star running back Louis Ivory, used a trio of running backs to control the ball and the clock in a 24-17 win over the Eagles in front 11,827 stunned fans.

The Furman defense also did its job in the contest, holding Adrian Peterson to a career-low 68 yards rushing in the contest.

Previewing The Matchup: Saturday’s matchup between the Georgia Southern Eagles matches the SoCon’s best offense, in Georgia Southern, who averages 473.1 YPG and 36.4 PPG to lead the SoCon in both categories. The Eagles also lead the Southern Conference in rushing offense coming into Saturday afternoon’s clash at Paulson Stadium, as they enter the clash averaging 358.4 YPG.

The Paladins bring in one of the top defensive units in the SoCon, even though the Paladins took a significant tumble from second to seventh in the SoCon in total defense after surrendering a school-record 672 yards of total offense to LSU in the 48-16 setback in Baton Rouge last Saturday. Furman comes into the contest surrendering 395.5 YPG and bring in the SoCon’s top run defense, surrendering just 176.6 YPG on the season.

Like Any Program With Great Success, Georgia Southern Has Its Own Unique Traditions, With One Of Those Having Been Started By The Late Erk Russell. Georgia Southern Touches A Banner When Taking The Field Each Saturday, Which Is The Acronym “GATA” Which Stands For “Get After Their Ass” Quoted From Russell Just Before The Eagles Took The Field In the 1980’s.

Looking At The Georgia Southern Offense: Georgia Southern brings one of the most potent offenses in college football into Saturday’s matchup against the Paladins, and much like Furman, the Eagles have played two quarterbacks under center this season, however, unlike Furman, one of those has been a senior.

The Eagles might be without Jerick McKinnon (6-of-15 passing, 120 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT /129 rush att, 811 yds, 9 TDs, 6.3 YPC) on Saturday afternoon, who has been one of the most explosive offensive players in Southern Conference and FCS football this season.

McKinnon, a senior, has been the centerpiece of the Eagles’ offense this season, especially with All-SoCon fullback Dominique Swope having suffered a season-ending injury earlier this season.

McKinnon, who leads the Southern Conference in rushing, but left the Appalachian State game with an ankle injury this past Saturday, remains a question mark for Saturday’s showdown with Furman. McKinnon had 198 yards–a season high for Georgia Southern–in the last home out for Georgia Southern a few weeks back, as the Eagles claimed a 28-21 win over The Citadel.

Freshman Kevin Ellison Has Proven To Be Another Talented Rising Star Under Center After Putting Up Some Impressive Numbers Passing And Rushing The Football This Season For GSU.

McKinnon, of course, set a an FCS record for rushing yards for a quarterback in the FCS playoff win against Central Arkansas last season, posting a 316-yard rushing performance. The better passing option for the Eagles under center this season has been true freshman Kevin Ellison (34-for-58 passing, 634 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs / 79 rush att, 465 yds, 3 TDs, 5.7 YPC), who is having a big season at the helm of the Georgia Southern offense this season.

With Ellison under center this season, it has allowed the Eagles feature more of a passing game, which has made them a little more versatile offensively this season.

Ellison had his best passing outing against Saint Francis earlier this season when he passed for 151 yards, while two TDs were a season high for the freshman against Samford in the 44-34 loss. As mentioned, Georgia Southern has been extremely banged up at the fullback position this season, already missing Swope, who is done for the season after just three games in 2013 with a knee injury.

William Banks (49 rush att, 265 yds, 5 TDs, 5.4 YPC), who has been the backup for turned starter for the Eagles, had to miss the Appalachian State game with a concussion. Banks will likely making his return to the lineup this Saturday. Irving Huggins (19 rush att, 71 yds, 3.7 YPC) might be the player called upon to  start if Banks is not able to go on Saturday.

With Injuries To Jerick McKinnon and William Banks, The Key Cog Of The Georgia Southern Offense Saturday Against The Paladins Might Be Tray Butler.

Huggins had a solid contest against Appalachian State last week, as he rushed 41 yards on 13 carries last Saturday. Tray Butler (20 rushes, 181 yds, 9.1 YPC / 4 rec, 112 yds, 2 TDs, 28.0 YPC) and Jonathan Bryant (6 rec, 114 yds, 19.0 YPC) will be start at the respective A and T-back positions on Saturday against the Paladins. It’s one position the Eagles have not had a rash of injuries at on the offensive side of the football this season.

Butler and Bryant are two veteran performers and will be now asked to be the play-makers on the offensive side of the ball if McKinnon is not able to go for the Eagles on Saturday.

Bryant had a big game against the Paladins last season in Greenville, leading the Eagles with 75 yards rushing and a TD on just six carries, while hauling in a pair of passes for 55 yards.

The Eagles have four talented wideouts in their two-deep heading into Saturday’s “Blue Out” game against Furman, with Kentrellis Showers (4 rec, 62 yds, 1 TD, 15.5 YPR) and B.J. Johnson (11 rec, 207 yds, 18.8 YPR) slated to be the starters for the Eagles on Saturday against the Paladins.

Johnson, a sophomore, has been the most reliable of options at receiver for the Eagles this season. Showers is a veteran, but has yet to see many passes thrown his way this season.

The depth is exceptional at wide receiver for the Eagles, led by Zach Walker (3 rec, 35 yds, 11.7 YPR), who had a big 75-yard catch for a score in the third quarter against Furman last season. Montay Crockett (4 rec, 93 yds, 1 TD, 23.2 YPR), a redshirt freshman, has been one of the top young offensive weapons for the Eagles this season.

Tight end is a position which the Eagles have had some injury issues as of late, with Cody Rediger going down with an injury in the game against Appalachian State. If he can’t go on Saturday, the  Eagles will look to Dylan Turner. The offensive line has been another unit in which the Eagles have seen injuries come to the forefront as of late.

Zach Lonas (RG), Dorian Byrd (RT) and Garrett Frye (LT) have been banged up along the offensive line as of late. Along with the aforementioned trio, center Manrey Saint-Amour and left guard Trevor McBurnett round out what is arguably one of the best offensive fronts in the FCS coming into Saturday afternoon’s clash.

Furman Defensive End Gary Wilkins Has Made The Successful Transition From Linebacker To Defensive End, Leading The Club With 3.5 Sacks, Ranking Second On The Team In Tackles For Loss, With 6.0 TFL. Wilkins, Who Led The Paladins With 92 Tackles At LB Last Season, Had Paladin Stadium Record 98-Yard INT Return For A Score In The 27-10 Win Against Appalachian State.

Looking At The Furman Defense: Furman enters Saturday’s matchup with Georgia Southern with one of the top young defensive units in the SoCon, despite surrendering a school record 672 yards in the 48-16 loss to No. 13 LSU.

Despite injuries on the defensive side of the football, the Paladins have seemingly risen to the occasion each time they have been challenged this season.

The Paladins come into Saturday afternoon’s clash with the Eagles in Statesboro, surrendering 395.5 YPG this season, ranking seventh in the SoCon, while the Paladins are surrendering 27.1 PPG this season, which ranks them sixth in the SoCon in scoring defense this season.

The Paladins have been solid along the defensive line this season, despite a season-ending injury to Shawn Boone earlier this season. Leading the way on the defensive side of ball has been defensive end Gary Wilkins (31 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR), who has made the successful transition from linebacker to the defensive line this fall.

Wilkins has been the Paladins’ top pass-rusher this season, and possibly the best athlete on the Furman defense. Wilkins returned an INT for 98 yards for a score earlier this season against Appalachian State in a 27-10 win over the Mountaineers. He also leads the team with 3.5 sacks on the campaign, and is second on the team in tackles-for-loss this season.

John Mackey Is In His First Full Season Starting At One Of The Two Defensive Tackle Positions.

Wilkins will team with Ira McCune (21 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 blkd kick) on the defensive line, who made the successful transition from defensive tackle to defensive end after the season-ending injury to Boone. McCune was a defensive end early in his career, and like Wilkins, is an excellent athletic presence on the edge as a pass-rushing threat for the Paladins.

Set to start at the respective defensive tackle positions for the Paladins on Saturday night will be John Mackey (31 tackles, 3.5 TFL) and true freshman Jordan Hawkins (14 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FF).

The Paladins are a bit undersized up front, but have been pretty effective stopping the run this season, leading the SoCon in run defense through the first eight games.

Furman’s linebackers are among the most talented in the Southern Conference this season, with Carl Rider (79 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FRs), Cory Magwood (53 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2 FF) and T.J. Warren (36 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FR) being the main leaders in the teeth of that Furman 4-2-5 defensive alignment this season.

Rider, a sophomore, has been among the top linebackers in the Southern Conference all season and has been as good as any against the run in the lineup for the Paladins. His 79 tackles this season ranks him second in the Southern Conference in total stops so far this season, with only Samford’s Justin Shade with more, as he has recorded 90 stops this season.

He was able to pick off a pass in the 48-16 loss to the LSU Tigers last Saturday night in Baton Rouge, and recorded a pair of sacks in the 31-9 loss at Chattanooga earlier this season.

Furman’s secondary is young, but has been effective this season. The veteran leaders of the unit are safeties Greg Worthy (75 tackles, 2 FFs, 1.5 TFL) and Marcus McMorris (53 tackles, 1 INT, 1.5 TFL, 3 PBUs), who have been key cogs in the Paladin secondary all season. Both Worthy and McMorris will be key this week in facing the option-oriented Eagles. Worthy tallied eight tackles in Furman’s 38-17 loss to Georgia Southern last season.

It is the most important position on the field when facing the spread option, and it helps that both players bring experience to the field on Saturday against the potent Eagles’ offense. Worthy will be making his 35th-consecutive start for the Paladins on Saturday, and had a career-high 14 tackles in the win over PC earlier this season.

Also having proven to be a key in the Paladin defense this season has been Jairus Hollman (55 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1 INT, 2 FFs, 1 FR, 1 blkd kick, 2 PBUs) at the nickel position. Hollman has been excellent at providing run support and has been a playmaker on the defensive side of the football this season for the Paladins, while also coming through big on special teams, with his blocked kick with 18 seconds to play helping Furman hold on to a 21-20 win over PC.

Hollman also put a big hit on Appalachian quarterback Kam Bryant on an option  play a couple of weeks ago, providing another key play in that contest.

Rounding out the secondary are a pair of talented cornerbacks, in senior Austin Williams (41 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT, 5 PBUs, 2 FRs) and sophomore Reggie Thomas (36 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs, 1 TD), who might be the most talented corner in the SoCon. Williams gives the Paladins experience and leads the team with five pass breakups this season.

Thomas, who nailed Georgia Southern quarterback Jerick McKinnon on a CAT blitz in last season’s loss in Greenville, is a physical, athletic corner that proved last week what kind of playmaker he can be in this Paladin defense, picking off a Zach Mettenberger pass and returning it 74 yards for a score in the 48-16 loss at LSU. Furman’s secondary will give them a legitimate chance in Statesboro on Saturday.

Looking At The Georgia Southern Defense:

Georgia Southern Junior Linebacker Edwin Jackson Leads The Eagles With 55 Tackles In 2013

Georgia Southern comes into Saturday’s contest with the Eagles ranking third in the Southern Conference in total defense, as the Eagles are surrendering 358.4 YPG this season, while giving up 25.7 PPG this season.

Despite the loss of All-American Brent Russell along the defensive front, Georgia Southern has experience and veteran leadership along the defensive line this season.

The two starters at the defensive end positions for Saturday’s contest, with Josh Gebhardt (19 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 INT, 0.5 sack) and Bernard  Dawson (3 tackles, 1 FF) will start on Saturday in the homecoming battle at Paulson Stadium. Both have been able to generate at good pressure on opposing quarterbacks at times this season.

Set to start at the two defensive tackle positions will be Blake Riley (27 tackles, 3.0 TFL) and Jonathan Battle (18 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks) at the respective interior positions heading into Saturday night’s contest.

Linebacker has been a position which the Eagles have seen the injury bug bite, much like the fullback position on the offensive side of the football, however, Edwin Jackson (55 tackles, 2.5 TFLs), Josh Rowe (20 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 FF) and Kyle Oehlbeck (52 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) slated to start on Saturday.

Oehlbeck is a key cog as well as Rowe, in that the duo will be relied upon down the stretch to make the plays for the Eagles to finish out the 2013 season.

Rowe, who sat out the 2012 season as a result of struggling with academics, but he is one of the most individually talented linebackers the Eagles bring to the table for Saturday’s clash.

The Georgia Southern secondary has been its weak link on defense this season, but like the other components of the defense, the defensive backfield is missing at least one difference maker in the third level of the defense, with Valdon Cooper (11 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 INT) missing due to injury at the cornerback.

Set to start at the respective corner positions heading into Saturday’s Blue Out game are Nick Wright (14 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 PBU) and experienced and All-SoCon caliber Lavelle Westbrooks (26 tackles, 1.0 sack, 6 PBUs) at the other cornerback spot.

Deion Stanley and Matt Dobson (25 tackles, 1.5 TFL) will start at the respective safety spots, while Tay Hicklin (17 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 3 PBUs) will be the Nickel in the Eagles’ 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Stanley is a rock in the Eagles’ secondary, as well as Westbrooks, and they need to have solid performances on Saturday coming up and making plays against the run.

The Paladins don’t have one receiver that will threaten the Eagles’ secondary like Andrew Peacock and Tony Washington did last week for Appalachian State. However, Furman will force the Eagles to come up and make plays against the run more than the Mountaineers, as the Paladins are a more physical offense.

Looking At The Furman Offense:

Furman Sophomore QB Has Been Banged Up This Season, But The Paladins Are 3-2 This Season With Him Under Center. He Is 6-10 All-Time As The Paladins’ Starter In Two Seasons.

Furman brings an offense that has struggled at times this season, but has looked like a much more proficient unit this season with sophomore quarterback Reese Hannon (69-of-115 passing, 677 yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) pulling the strings of the offense, as he has battled injuries this season.

Hannon will be 100-percent on Saturday, however, and he leads an offense that at times, was able to move the ball effectively in the opening half against LSU last Saturday.

Statistically, however, the Paladins rate as one of the worst offenses in the FCS and Southern Conference entering Saturday afternoon’s battle in Statesboro, averaging 290.9 YPG to rank 110th in the FCS and seventh in the SoCon this season.

The Paladins’ best offensive afternoon of the season came against Coastal Carolina and Elon earlier this season, posting a season-high 431 yards in a 35-28 loss at No. 3 and undefeated Coastal Carolina, while putting up 419 yards in a 28-25 home loss to Elon with walk-on and fourth-string signal-caller Duncan Fletcher under center as a result of the injury issues.

All three wins for the Paladins this season have come with Hannon as a starter and at the controls of the offense. He did miss the fourth quarter with an injury in the win at The Citadel.  Hannon has passed for 2,573 yards, with 10 TDs and 10 INTs in a little less than two seasons as the Paladins’ starter under center. He was solid in the loss to the Eagles at Paladin Stadium last season, especially in the opening half of play, going 19-of-26 for 184 yards without an INT.

Also playing in the quarterback position on Saturday against the Eagles will be freshman Richard Hayes III (19 rush att, 70 yds, 3.7 YPC), who is Furman’s best impersonation of McKinnon, running the ‘wildcat’ offense for the Paladins. Hayes III, who was put into the fold by the coaching staff after Terry Robinson went down with a season-ending injury against Elon.

The Paladins will try and establish the run and do it effectively, with the combo of Hank McCloud (131 rush att, 683 yds, 4 TDs, 5.2 YPC) and Marcus Anderson (49 rush att, 236 yds, 4.8 YPC).

McCloud is looking to become the third-straight Paladin running back to rush for over 1,000 yards under Bruce Fowler, with Jerodis Williams having done so each of the past two seasons in a Purple and White jersey. McCloud comes into Saturday afternoon’s clash with the Eagles having posted four career 100-yard rushing performances in his career at Furman, with three of them coming this season, including a career-high 133 yards in the loss at Coastal Carolina.

Furman Running Back Hank McCloud Has Rushed For 1,445 Yards In His Career Toting The Rock For The Paladins. He Needs 317 Yards In The Final Four Games This Season To Make It Three Seasons In A Row With A Paladin RB Reaching The 1,000-Yard Plateau

The Georgia Southern defense has allowed a player to rush for over 100 yards in a game in five of seven games this season.  McCloud rushed for 79 yards on 16 carries in last week’s road game at LSU. He has also proven he catch the ball well coming out of the backfield, posting nine catches for 64 yards and a score.

Anderson offers the Paladins a nice change-up back running the football, as he is more of the bruising running back coming out of the backfield for the Paladins. Ernie Cain (14 rush att, 39 yds, 1 TD, 2.8 YPC) and Tanner Skogen will be the primary options as the fullbacks for the Paladins against the Eagles.

Cain had Furman’s 2-yard first-half TD against the Eagles last season, eventually allowing the Paladins to take a 7-3 lead to the half before the Eagles exploded for 35 second-half points.

The ground attack for the Paladins has flourished at times behind one of the league’s best run-blocking units, highlighted by the SoCon’s top NFL Draft prospect, in left tackle Dakota Dozier. Dozier, who has started 38-career games and logged 2,379 plays. Dozier is a preseason Second Team All-America selection by the Sports Network.

Statesboro’s own Charles Emert will start at the right tackle position, and is the second-most experienced lineman for the Paladins, with 24 starts in 28 games. Emert, who played his prep football at Statesboro High School, chose Furman over Georgia Southern. He might also be the Paladins’ most versatile offensive lineman, with the ability to play tackle, guard or center.

Joe Turner (RG), who garnered SoCon All-Freshman honors last season, Tank Phillips (LG) and Eric Thoni round out the starters along the offensive line heading into Saturday afternoon’s matchup.

When the Paladins decide to go to the air on Saturday, the primary options will be Andrej Suttles (25 rec, 233 yds, 9.3 YPR) and Ryan Culbreath (20 rec, 207 yds, 2 TDs, 10.4 YPR), now that deep threat Gary Robinson went down with a season-ending injury against Appalachian State a few weeks ago.

Jordan Snellings-an All-Freshman by the SoCon last season-is a talented receiver that has yet to get going this season, mostly due to injury. He could be another wideout to watch on Saturday against the Eagles.

The Paladins are nowhere near as talented at the tight end as they were last season with Colin Anderson, however, both Cameron Mason (8 rec, 83 yds, 10.4 YPR ) and Gibson Klapthor have been reliable options for Hannon over the middle this season, and Furman will always be a team that looks to the tight end to make plays in clutch situations.

FINAL PREDICTION:

–It’s sad that this FCS and SoCon rivalry, which began on the national stage with the first two meetings being national title games, will come to an end on Saturday. However, Furman completes the sweep of the future Sun Belt teams (posted a 27-10 win over App. State on Oct. 19) with a win over an injury-riddled Eagles Saturday. The 1988, 2001 and ’96 seasons mark the only other occasions Furman has defeated those two teams in the same season since Georgia Southern joined the SoCon as an official member in 1993.

The only time the Paladins defeated both teams in the regular season remains the 1996 campaign (defeated Appalachian State in Boone, 20-14/won at home vs. Georgia Southern, 21-14). In those seasons, Furman made the postseason in each of them, with the worst performance of the three teams being a quarterfinal round playoff exit to Marshall in the 1996 season. The Paladins won a national title and finished as the national runner-up in the other two campaigns in which that same feat has been completed.

Final Score: Furman 24, Georgia Southern 20