Feb. 4, 2005

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Six home games and non-conference clashes with Hofstra and 2004 NCAA I-AA playoff qualifier Jacksonville State highlight Furman's 2005 football schedule, which was released today by director of athletics Gary Clark.

Furman, which won the 2004 Southern Conference championship en route to a 10-3 record and NCAA I-AA quarterfinal finish, opens the season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Jacksonville State in a rematch of last year's first round playoff clash that saw the Paladins claim a 49-7 win in Greenville over the Ohio Valley Conference champion Gamecocks.

Head coach Bobby Lamb's Paladins then kick off the SoCon schedule on Sept. 10 at Western Carolina before entertaining Samford in Paladin Stadium on Sept. 17 in the first of four consecutive home contests.

Hofstra will pay at visit to Greenville on Sept. 24 in the first of a two-game series that will see Furman returning the home game in 2007. The Pride, a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, and the Paladins last met in the first round of the 2000 NCAA I-AA playoffs.

Furman will continue its four-game home stretch against Gardner-Webb on Oct. 1 before resuming SoCon play against Appalachian State in Paladin Stadium on Oct. 8.

The Paladins travel to Charleston on Oct. 15 for the 84th meeting in its longtime rivalry with The Citadel and return to Greenville for homecoming against Elon on Oct. 22.

Following an open date on Oct. 29, Furman will do battle against league rival Georgia Southern in Stateboro on Nov. 5. The Paladins downed Georgia Southern 29-22 last season in Greenville.

Furman wraps up its regular season home slate with a Nov. 12 contest versus Wofford, a 31-24 loser to Furman in 2004.

Chattanooga will provide the opposition on Nov. 19 in the Paladins' regular season finale in Chattanooga.

Paced by All-America and reigning Southern Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year linebacker William Freeman and quarterback Ingle Martin, Furman returns 12 regulars and 16 players with starting experience off last year's squad, which finished the season ranked No. 5 in NCAA I-AA.

2005 Furman Football Schedule

Sept. 1 @ Jacksonville State

Sept. 10 @ Western Carolina *

Sept. 17 SAMFORD

Sept. 24 HOFSTRA

Oct. 1 GARDBER-WEBB

Oct. 8 APPALACHIAN STATE (Family Weekend) *

Oct. 15 @ The Citadel *

Oct. 22 ELON (Homecoming) *

Nov. 5 @ Georgia Southern *

Nov. 12 WOFFORD *

Nov. 19 @ Chattanooga *

* Southern Conference Game