2023 Schedule

[MNORM]

Why do Bulldogs fans hate Furman so much? I witnessed it in Charleston this past basketball season as their Bulldogs beat our Paladins. They absolutely hate Furman.

Inferiority complex...on so many levels.

[FUBeAR]

Beat the Gamecocks.

UPI ARCHIVES
OCT. 16, 1982
David Charpia threw two touchdown passes and cornerback Ernest...
By STEVE HAGEY

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- David Charpia threw two touchdown passes and cornerback Ernest Gibson pounced on a punt he blocked for another score Saturday to give Furman a stunning 28-23 upset over South Carolina.

The Gamecocks, 3-3, were so heavily favored the oddsmakers didn't set a point spread for the game with the 2,500-student school from Greenville, S.C.

Furman, 4-2, led 21-3 early in the fourth quarter but seemed to be losing its grasp on victory when reserve quarterback Gordon Beckham led South Carolina to two straight TDs.

With their lead cut to 21-16 with 5:05 to play, the Southern Conference Paladins stormed 80 yards in six plays to go ahead 28-16 with just over two minutes to play. Tailback Robbie Gardner scooted in from the South Carolina 3 for the clinching score.

Beckham's 11-yard TD pass to Terry Bishop with one second to go was too late to matter as the Paladins posted their first win over the Gamecocks since 1949.

The turning point occurred late in the second quarter when South Carolina, leading 3-0 on Mark Fleetwood's field goal, suffered two costly penalties.

Furman's Tim Tanguay hit a 28-yard field goal, but a roughing-the-kicker call erased the score and gave the Paladins a first-and-goal at South Carolina's 5. Charpia then hit Steve Coppenger with a 3-yard touchdown pass.

A clipping penalty two minutes later moved South Carolina deep into its own territory. On 4th-and-17, Gibson blocked Chris Norman's punt and chased it into the end zone to give Furman a 14-3 lead just before the half.

Charpia capped a 78-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jack Borders for a 21-3 lead with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter.

The fired-up Gamecocks struck back early in the fourth quarter when Beckham sneaked over from the one. Beckham then led the Gamecocks on an 80-yard drive capped by his 17-yard touchdown pass to fullback Carl West. A two-point conversion attempt failed and Furman led 21-16.

[The Jackal]

Anything can happen, I suppose.

In playing these big FBS schools, Furman needs to do a lot of things well. They are winnable games, but the reality is USC will have more room for error than Furman does.

Last season, Furman put up a respectable showing at Clemson. We didn't know much about the team then, but we saw some creative play calling, hitting a high percentage of pass plays, and good defense.

I will again say that I like that the Furman game is wedged between USC's "home game" against UNC in Charlotte and their road game at Georgia. That's about as well suited a trap game as you can ask for.

[cavedweller2]

Anything can happen, I suppose.

In playing these big FBS schools, Furman needs to do a lot of things well. They are winnable games, but the reality is USC will have more room for error than Furman does.

Last season, Furman put up a respectable showing at Clemson. We didn't know much about the team then, but we saw some creative play calling, hitting a high percentage of pass plays, and good defense.

I will again say that I like that the Furman game is wedged between USC's "home game" against UNC in Charlotte and their road game at Georgia. That's about as well suited a trap game as you can ask for.

Especially against a deep, talented, experienced playoff hardened team that expects to win.

[apaladin]

I just want to beat Tennessee Tech first.

[Flagman]

I just want to beat Tennessee Tech first.

The most important game of the season.

[apaladin]

Kenesaw St kickoff is set for 5PM the hottest part of the day. WTH.

[The Jackal]

Kenesaw St kickoff is set for 5PM the hottest part of the day. WTH.

Went back and looked, and it's not uncommon for KSU to have home kickoffs around that time early in the season.

[The Jackal]

Not Furman, but read the ETSU forum and saw some of their fans complaining about their schedule. Had to look.

5 home games, including a D2.
Their first FCS home opponent is in Week 6 (Oct. 7), which is only their second home game of the season.
The Bucs go TO Furman, UTC, Samford, AND Western Carolina.
The also have to travel to a pretty decent Austin Peay team.

[apaladin]

Not Furman, but read the ETSU forum and saw some of their fans complaining about their schedule. Had to look.

5 home games, including a D2.
Their first FCS home opponent is in Week 6 (Oct. 7), which is only their second home game of the season.
The Bucs go TO Furman, UTC, Samford, AND Western Carolina.
The also have to travel to a pretty decent Austin Peay team.

No FBS game either.

[FUBeAR]

Not Furman, but read the ETSU forum and saw some of their fans complaining about their schedule. Had to look.

5 home games, including a D2.
Their first FCS home opponent is in Week 6 (Oct. 7), which is only their second home game of the season.
The Bucs go TO Furman, UTC, Samford, AND Western Carolina.
The also have to travel to a pretty decent Austin Peay team.

No FBS game either.

@ FBS Conference USA member, Jacksonville State, on 9/2

[FUBeAR]

FUBeAR’s #MondayMusings

“With their lead cut to 21-16 with 5:05 to play, the Southern Conference Paladins stormed 80 yards in six plays to go ahead 28-16 with just over two minutes to play. Tailback Robbie Gardner scooted in from the South Carolina 3 for the clinching score.”

IN A PERFECT WORLD, the Furman Football Twitter (X?) Manager would go DEEP into the Furman Football archives, find film/video of these 6 plays and upload them in 6 Tweets.

But that’s not all …FUBeAR said a PERFECT world … so…then Jackal would post all 6 of those Tweets here and break down each play.


Hmmm…memory sez those plays were…
1) 28 Base - Counter option
2) 22 Tackle Trap - Fullback up middle - same backfield ‘action’ as prior play, but give to FB - completely different line blocking scheme
3) 48 Sweep - toss sweep right
4) 40 Base - same backfield ‘action’ as prior play, but ‘sneak’ handoff to Fullback up the middle with completely different line blocking scheme
5) 48 Sweep
6 ) 48 Sweep - trust FUBeAR - they knew it was coming. We told ‘em.

Maybe Jackal can just imagine the perfect execution that was exhibited on each of these plays and break ‘em down using his imagination.

[apaladin]

I recall sitting in the stands watching. It was a thing of beauty!

[apaladin]

Not Furman, but read the ETSU forum and saw some of their fans complaining about their schedule. Had to look.

5 home games, including a D2.
Their first FCS home opponent is in Week 6 (Oct. 7), which is only their second home game of the season.
The Bucs go TO Furman, UTC, Samford, AND Western Carolina.
The also have to travel to a pretty decent Austin Peay team.

No FBS game either.

@ FBS Conference USA member, Jacksonville State, on 9/2

Like I said no FBS game! Technically yes, reality no. Doubt their fans are excited about that one. Doubt JSU is giving them a huge payday. Conference USA has become a bunch of FCS teams that are FBS wanabees.

[DC Paladin]

That series was so beautifully executed that any film compilation needs a voiceover from the original NFL Films narrator complete with the music in the background.