Program outlook
Satterfield was named AFCA Coach of the Year. That victory permanently elevated Furman from regional contender to national champion.
Since Oct 28: L 26-27 vs Western Carolina. 2-7 this season.
But Furman has never captured a second title, though the Paladins have come agonizingly close.
Over 135+ years, Furman's rivalry with Wofford (since 1889) remains Deep South's Oldest Football Rivalry. The Paladins lead the all-time series 56-36-7. The 2025 season finished 5-5, a reminder that consistency is harder than dominance.
The 2026 season has opened the other way. Through October 3 Furman is 2-4: wins over Anderson (SC) 20-3 and, at Mercer, 20-13, then losses at Tennessee 56-9, to South Carolina State 20-17 at home, at Richmond 13-9, and on October 3, 32-25 at home to Wofford as a favorite. Wofford won the 2026 meeting, which the series count above predates.
Update (Oct. 28, 2026): Furman is 2-6. It lost 13-6 to Samford on Oct. 24, as an 8.5-point favorite.
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
1889
First game played between Furman and Wofford, inaugurating Deep South's Oldest Football Rivalry. Over 135+ years, Furman leads 56–36–7. The I-85 Rivalry connects Greenville and Spartanburg through one of college football's most enduring traditions.
Milestone
Moment of the year · 2026
Week 2 of 2026. An upset win. It turned on one snap in Q4 — Ben Croasdale, a 38-point win-probability swing.
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Southern standing · 2026
Furman is 8th of 10 in the Southern at 1-4. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on playoff positioning and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee Tech | 6-1 |
| 2 | Chattanooga | 5-2 |
| 3 | East Tennessee State | 4-1 |
| 4 | Mercer | 4-1 |
| 5 | Samford | 3-3 |
| 6 | Wofford | 3-3 |
| 7 | Western Carolina | 2-3 |
| 8 | Furman | 1-4 |
| 9 | The Citadel | 0-5 |
| 10 | VMI | 0-5 |
Coaching history
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1988
Satterfield was named AFCA Coach of the Year that season. This victory marked the first national championship ever won by a private school in Division I-AA (now FCS) history. That championship defines Furman football—proof that a small, private Southern school could stand on the national stage.
since 1889
The Furman-Wofford football rivalry, often called 'Deep South's Oldest Football Rivalry' or the 'I-85 Rivalry,' stretches back 135+ years. The teams are separated by fewer than 50 miles (Furman in Greenville, Wofford in Spartanburg). Furman leads the series 56-36-7. This rivalry embodies the competitive culture of the Southern Conference and the tight-knit collegiate football geography of the Southeast.
since 1986
Conference titles are the Paladins' bread and butter—a mark of consistent excellence within their peer group and the path to playoff football.
since 2003
Paladin Stadium, with a 16,000-seat capacity, was dedicated in 2003 with Paladin Plaza—a welcome area featuring a 17-foot-high bronze patina statue of a knight on horseback, symbolizing the Paladins' athletic identity. The stadium sits at the heart of the Furman University athletics complex in Greenville, South Carolina, overlooking the Furman campus.
Most recent: 2023 — loss 35-28 (away). Last 5 postseason: 1-1.
