Furman releases 2014 Schedule

[PaladinFan]

Not a fan of three of the first four on the road, but all of what should be the toughest SoCon games are in Greenville. That final date of the year is one to circle.

http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2013-14/releases/20140130iwge4l

2014 FURMAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 30 Gardner-Webb, TBA
Sept. 6 @ Mercer, TBA*
Sept. 13 @ Presbyterian, TBA
Sept. 20 @ South Carolina State, TBA
Sept. 27 WESTERN CAROLINA (Family Weekend), 1:30*
Oct. 4 COASTAL CAROLINA, TBA
Oct. 18 @ South Carolina, TBA
Oct. 25 SAMFORD (Homecoming), 1:30*
Nov. 1 @ VMI, TBA*
Nov. 8 @ The Citadel, TBA*
Nov. 15 WOFFORD, TBA*
Nov. 22 CHATTANOOGA, TBA*

[Southern Bison]

I'm going to try and make it to at least one game...you need to be there this time to keep OL FU in line. I'm thinking Coastal & Chatty right now.

[zilla]

Nice schedule...very convenient for Paladin fans that like to travel (four of six road games to be played within the Palmetto State).

Looking forward to October 4th!

[AshevilleApp2]

Even with the early road games, it looks like ya'll have a good chance at starting 5-0. Things get tougher in October.

[Eagle22]

Not a fan of three of the first four on the road, but all of what should be the toughest SoCon games are in Greenville. That final date of the year is one to circle.

http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2013-14/releases/20140130iwge4l

2014 FURMAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 30 Gardner-Webb, TBA
Sept. 6 @ Mercer, TBA*
Sept. 13 @ Presbyterian, TBA
Sept. 20 @ South Carolina State, TBA
Sept. 27 WESTERN CAROLINA (Family Weekend), 1:30*
Oct. 4 COASTAL CAROLINA, TBA
Oct. 18 @ South Carolina, TBA
Oct. 25 SAMFORD (Homecoming), 1:30*
Nov. 1 @ VMI, TBA*
Nov. 8 @ The Citadel, TBA*
Nov. 15 WOFFORD, TBA*
Nov. 22 CHATTANOOGA, TBA*

Hope that Sept 6th game is a day game. Would like to catch that one around noon or 1pm, then head to Statesboro in the evening for the GSU-Savannah St. game.

[PaladinFan]

Nice schedule...very convenient for Paladin fans that like to travel (four of six road games to be played within the Palmetto State).

Looking forward to October 4th!

I think it's a good schedule. Biggest gripe from the Furman faithful appears to be what seems to be a reoccurring theme of sending the team on the road for much of the first part of the season. Last season, Furman played three of the first four and four of the first six on the road.

In my view, there are many in our fanbase that simply have not grown accustomed to the "new FCS." That is, the economies of college football have changed so drastically that a former powerhouse like Furman is relegated to playing many of the same teams every season and often on the road. The reality is that is just cheaper to do it.

[PaladinFan]

Hope that Sept 6th game is a day game. Would like to catch that one around noon or 1pm, then head to Statesboro in the evening for the GSU-Savannah St. game.

After 30 years with the Paladin program, Bobby Lamb's first SoCon game as Mercer's headcoach will be against Furman. Couple storylines in there.

I've seen a draft of Mercer's schedule. I think the Bears will play a SoCon slate and no other scholarship teams. While I think Furman should be heavily favored in that game, I remember well traveling to Western Carolina in 2005 where the Catamounts had a cupcake week 1 and the Paladins walked into a hornet's nest. I don't think it needs to be said that Mercer's first SoCon home game will be a big one for them even if it wasn't against Furman.

[walliver]

A well-balanced schedule, but it just looks strange without the eaglets and hillbillies on the schedule.

I suspect SoCon schedules will look pretty anemic for a few years. Bobby Lamb will have Mercer playing at SoCon level within 3-4 years, and I'm hoping ETSU is competitive by the end of the decade - I don't have much hope for VMI.

I don't like the idea of us playing in TR for the second year in a row (I also hear WC will be playing at Chatty for the second year in a row), but the SoCon never asked for my opinion.

[PaladinFan]

A well-balanced schedule, but it just looks strange without the eaglets and hillbillies on the schedule.

I suspect SoCon schedules will look pretty anemic for a few years. Bobby Lamb will have Mercer playing at SoCon level within 3-4 years, and I'm hoping ETSU is competitive by the end of the decade - I don't have much hope for VMI.

I don't like the idea of us playing in TR for the second year in a row (I also hear WC will be playing at Chatty for the second year in a row), but the SoCon never asked for my opinion.

No more so, I imagine, than Furman is excited about heading back to Charleston again. It appears the only two teams that stayed on the current rotation are WCU and UTC. Everyone else is doubling up.

I think the SoCon had to solve Samford's problem. Samford had road games at the Citadel, Furman, Wofford, and App last season. Even if you just removed Elon, GSU, and App and plugged in ETSU, Mercer, and VMI, the Bulldogs would probably still have one brutal season every other year on the road.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Samford, UTC, and Wofford at home. Don't see how Furman won't be the favorite to win the conference. El Cid could be tough in Charleston but who knows what they will be like with a new coach and no Ben Dupree.

Furman kind of reminds me of GSU in 2011...returning a lot of starters after a year where the team matured greatly over the course of the season and managed to get into the playoffs. Of course Furman didn't make it as far as we did but I think you could argue that Furman was among the top 5 teams in the playoffs.

[PaladinFan]

Samford, UTC, and Wofford at home. Don't see how Furman won't be the favorite to win the conference. El Cid could be tough in Charleston but who knows what they will be like with a new coach and no Ben Dupree.

Furman kind of reminds me of GSU in 2011...returning a lot of starters after a year where the team matured greatly over the course of the season and managed to get into the playoffs. Of course Furman didn't make it as far as we did but I think you could argue that Furman was among the top 5 teams in the playoffs.

There a cautious hope going foward. Furman fans have just now seemed to get over their yearly optimism (it takes a while for a fan base to meet reality when you are accustomed to being a top 10 team every year).

To be fair, the 2011 GSU team and the 2013 Furman team made it just as far - they won until they played in Fargo. :) Realistically, watching NDSU obliterate the field this post season gives this Furman fan a bit of encouragement. You'd be hard pressed to argue that Furman didn't give the Bison their toughest test this post season.

The Paladins got out of the blocks slowly, really seemed to lack an identity, and struggled mightily with injuries at key positions. Record wasn't eye popping, but its hard to ignore their second half. From the midway point in the season on, Furman was 6-2 with losses at LSU and North Dakota State. If they can come out of the gate swinging in 2014, there's reason to think they could be in the hunt for a playoff seed. That schedule should have at least 6 ranked teams and plenty of opportunities to pad a resume.

[SpeedkingATL]

Looks like a solid schedule with lots of road games that will be easy to travel to. Last 3 games could be very interesting....and exciting. Love Bobby Lamb bring Mercer to TR for 1st SoCon game.

[PaladinFan]

Looks like a solid schedule with lots of road games that will be easy to travel to. Last 3 games could be very interesting....and exciting. Love Bobby Lamb bring Mercer to TR for 1st SoCon game.

Other way round. Furman is heading to Macon.

[catamount man]

CATS haven't won at Furman since '94. Hope we can end that streak. SEE Y'ALL THEN! GO CATS!

[Fordham]

Nice skid

Any idea what you make on the SC game?

[Sandlapper Spike]

If it's a typical South Carolina payout to an instate school, probably about $250K.

[ngineer]

Looks like an early stroll, but look out mid-October!

[PaladinFan]

Looks like an early stroll, but look out mid-October!

Strangely, Furman has had a tough back end to the schedule going on a few years now. It always looks imposing, but I'll be darned if the weaker front end of the slate is what gives us the most trouble. Last year was a great example.

[PaladinFan]

If it's a typical South Carolina payout to an instate school, probably about $250K.

I think its about that. Not as high as a lot of the other FBS payouts, but we also don't have to fly the team and lodge them like we did at LSU last season. Probably comes out about even.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Looks like a good schedule except the road travel right away.

IMO, Furman is going to be a very good team in '14. The playoff team in Fargo was young and athletic. They had the best defense of all the playoff teams the Bison faced this year.

I would be surprised if Furman is not a top 8 seed this year.

[Southern Bison]

Looks like a good schedule except the road travel right away.

IMO, Furman is going to be a very good team in '14. The playoff team in Fargo was young and athletic. They had the best defense of all the playoff teams the Bison faced this year.

I would be surprised if Furman is not a top 8 seed this year.

BF, I was saying that down in the Furman tailgate lot after Furman had knocked out SC State. The games against Wofford & SC State that I saw first hand reminded me of a young Bison team circa 2010. IMO, the SoCon is the Paladins to lose this year. They get the other top SoCon teams at home and the 2 extra games and weeks of practice from the 2013 playoffs will give them a good, deep run into the 2014 playoffs.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

SB...agree!

[PaladinFan]

I hope so. There will be plenty of opportunity to earn that seed. It wouldn't shock me if South Carolina State, Coastal, Wofford, UTC, Samford, and South Carolina are all ranked when Furman faces them.

Defense loses one safety and a cornerback to graduation. Should be a strong defensive unit in 2014.

[SU DOG]

Oh NO, Samford has to come back to G'ville. That is one really GOOD schedule - Paladins have something on the commissioner? LOL!

[PaladinFan]

Oh NO, Samford has to come back to G'ville. That is one really GOOD schedule - Paladins have something on the commissioner? LOL!

Yeah, the SoCon has blown up the whole schedule. It seems each team will keep its current rotation with just two teams on the schedule.

I do think the revised schedule will benefit Samford, as their traveling will be significantly less. Actually, the new scheduling may benefit Samford more than anyone.

[walliver]

Yeah, the SoCon has blown up the whole schedule. It seems each team will keep its current rotation with just two teams on the schedule.

I do think the revised schedule will benefit Samford, as their traveling will be significantly less. Actually, the new scheduling may benefit Samford more than anyone.

If the schedule was just to accommodate Samford, why was so much changed?

Terrier fans are not salivating over our rumored home schedule: Citadel (we care about that one), VMI, Mercer, Jacksonville (not state), and North Greenville(rumored). Our three big games affecting the playoffs (Furman, Chatty, and Sammy) are all on the road. I expect a much improved team, but that will be a hard mountain to climb.

[Beachdude]

Coastal has won the last 3 from the Paladins, one of those being a triple overtime in 2012. But with the loss of some key players to graduation this year for the Chants, I expect it to be a tight game in October. I think Furman hit their groove in the 2nd half of the season last year, and if they can keep that motivation, I expect good things from them in 2014.

[PaladinFan]

If the schedule was just to accommodate Samford, why was so much changed?

Terrier fans are not salivating over our rumored home schedule: Citadel (we care about that one), VMI, Mercer, Jacksonville (not state), and North Greenville(rumored). Our three big games affecting the playoffs (Furman, Chatty, and Sammy) are all on the road. I expect a much improved team, but that will be a hard mountain to climb.

I do not think it is as simple as plugging in three teams for three departing teams. For example, if you take UTC, and just substitute Mercer, VMI, and ETSU for GSU, App, and Elon then the every other year the Mocs would get four home games consisting of Mercer, VMI, ETSU and Samford. Not only is that tough on the fan base, but it also means that every other year they will have virtually all of their toughest games (historically) on the road.

Furman, for example, is left with two geographic (and one traditional) rival, Wofford and the Citadel. The schedule sets that up so that those teams play in Greenville on a rotating basis. That is, all of your rivalry games won't be on the road every other year. Likewise, if you look at the Citadel's unofficial schedule, they will host VMI and Furman on rotating years. The fans appreciate stuff like that.

Wofford is in the same boat. The new schedule means they get the two South Carolina schools (El Cid and Furman) on a rotating basis. While going back to Furman is not necessarily palatable, it is better than having your Furman and Citadel games on the road every other year, I think.

[PaladinFan]

Coastal has won the last 3 from the Paladins, one of those being a triple overtime in 2012. But with the loss of some key players to graduation this year for the Chants, I expect it to be a tight game in October. I think Furman hit their groove in the 2nd half of the season last year, and if they can keep that motivation, I expect good things from them in 2014.

Coastal, oddly, has really caught Furman at the right time over their brief four game history.

I do think Coastal loses a lot of talent off there 2013 team, where Furman will return virtually everyone. I know Furman fans are quite tired of losing that game. You could easily be looking at that game as a matchup of a two top 20 teams.

Coastal aside, there are a few other teams Furman owes some spankings to. Presbyterian and Gardner Webb need to be reminded last year was a fluke. I'd also like to see Furman welcome Mercer to the SoCon.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Handicapping Furman's schedule

Aug. 30 Gardner-Webb WIN
Sept. 6 @ Mercer WIN
Sept. 13 @ Presbyterian WIN
Sept. 20 @ South Carolina State WIN
Sept. 27 WESTERN CAROLINA WIN
Oct. 4 COASTAL CAROLINA WIN (possible toss-up)
Oct. 18 @ South Carolina LOSS
Oct. 25 SAMFORD WIN (possible toss-up)
Nov. 1 @ VMI WIN
Nov. 8 @ The Citadel WIN
Nov. 15 WOFFORD WIN
Nov. 22 CHATTANOOGA LOSS (possible toss-up)

Projected Record: 10-2 (6-1 SOCON) Furman can potentially go undefeated (except for USC).