Furman Paladins football
The Furman Paladins football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Furman University located in the state of South Carolina. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the Southern Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1889. The team plays its home games at the 16,000 seat Paladin Stadium. They are coached by Clay Hendrix.
History
Conference championships
The Furman Paladins have won 14 Southern Conference championships: 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2013 and 2018.Classifications
- 1937–1942: NCAA College Division
- 1946–1957: NCAA University Division
- 1958–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–1977: NCAA Division I
- 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A
- 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships
- 1889–1896: Independent
- 1897–1899: No football team
- 1900–1901: Independent
- 1902: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1903–1912: No football team
- 1913–1914: Independent
- 1915–1929: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1930–1931: Independent
- 1932–1935: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1936–present: Southern Conference
Notable former players
- Braniff Bonaventure
- Luther Broughton
- Ben Browder
- Sederrik Cunningham
- Dakota Dozier
- Jerome Felton
- Omari Hardwick
- Clay Hendrix
- Louis Ivory
- Stanford Jennings
- Bob King
- Bobby Lamb
- Ingle Martin
- William Middleton
- Bear Rinehart
- Orlando Ruff
- James H. Speer
- Ryan Steed
- David Whitehurst
- Sam Wyche
- Jerome Norris
Furman vs. In-State NCAA Division I schools
Players in the NFL Draft
Key
| Year | Round | Pick in round | Overall pick | Player | Team | Position |
| 2014 | 4 | 37 | 137 | Dakota Dozier | Jets | T |
| 2009 | 5 | 2 | 138 | William Middleton | Falcons | DB |
| 2008 | 5 | 11 | 146 | Jerome Felton | Lions | RB |
| 2006 | 5 | 15 | 148 | Ingle Martin | Packers | QB |
| 2000 | 4 | 14 | 108 | John Keith | 49ers | DB |
| 2000 | 7 | 2 | 208 | Desmond Kitchings | Chiefs | WR |
| 1997 | 5 | 25 | 155 | Luther Broughton | Eagles | TE |
| 1986 | 4 | 8 | 90 | Charles Fox | Chiefs | WR |
| 1985 | 10 | 19 | 271 | Dennis Williams | Cardinals | RB |
| 1984 | 3 | 9 | 65 | Stanford Jennings | Bengals | RB |
| 1984 | 6 | 11 | 151 | Ernest Gibson | Patriots | DB |
| 1977 | 8 | 11 | 206 | David Whitehurst | Packers | QB |
| 1970 | 17 | 2 | 418 | Joe Brunson | Bears | DT |
| 1967 | 10 | 17 | 254 | Lavern Barrs | Cardinals | DB |
| 1963 | 7 | 11 | 95 | Olin Hill | Packers | T |
| 1962 | 11 | 8 | 148 | Larry Jepson | 49ers | C |
| 1962 | 15 | 9 | 205 | Joe Monte | Colts | G |
| 1957 | 24 | 8 | 285 | Bob Jennings | Redskins | C |
| 1957 | 30 | 9 | 358 | Mike Shill | Lions | T |
| 1956 | 22 | 7 | 260 | Johnny Popson | Packers | B |
| 1954 | 5 | 5 | 54 | Bob Griffis | Bears | G |
| 1953 | 29 | 9 | 346 | Bob Griffis | Giants | G |
| 1951 | 6 | 4 | 66 | Ed Jasonek | Cardinals | B |
| 1950 | 16 | 7 | 203 | Harry Bierman | Cardinals | E |
| 1950 | 29 | 2 | 367 | Ed Jasonek | Bulldogs | B |
| 1949 | 5 | 9 | 50 | Tom Wham | Cardinals | E |
| 1943 | 3 | 6 | 21 | Dewey Proctor | Giants | B |
| 1943 | 4 | 1 | 26 | Ralph Hamer | Lions | B |
| 1943 | 7 | 1 | 51 | Paul Sizemore | Lions | E |
| 1941 | 18 | 2 | 162 | Bill Cornwall | Steelers | T |
| 1940 | 3 | 4 | 19 | Rhoten Shetley | Dodgers | B |
Championships
National championship: 1988Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results
The Paladins have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 18 times with a record of 19–17. They were National Champions in 1988 and National Runner–Up in 1985 and 2001.| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1982 | First Round | South Carolina State | L 0–17 |
| 1983 | Quarterfinals Semifinals | Boston University Western Carolina | W 35–16 L 7–14 |
| 1985 | Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Rhode Island Nevada Georgia Southern | W 59–15 W 35–12 L 42–44 |
| 1986 | First Round | Eastern Kentucky | L 10–23 |
| 1988 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinal National Championship Game | Delaware Marshall Idaho Georgia Southern | W 21–7 W 13–9 W 38–7 W 17–12 |
| 1989 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | William & Mary Youngstown State Stephen F. Austin | W 24–10 W 42–23 L 19–21 |
| 1990 | First Round Quarterfinals | Eastern Kentucky Nevada | W 45–17 L 35–42 3OT |
| 1996 | First Round Quarterfinals | Northern Arizona Marshall | W 42–31 L 0–54 |
| 1999 | First Round | Massachusetts | L 23–30 OT |
| 2000 | First Round | Hofstra | L 24–31 |
| 2001 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | WKU Lehigh Georgia Southern Montana | W 24–20 W 34–17 W 34–17 L 6–13 |
| 2002 | First Round | Villanova | L 38–45 |
| 2004 | First Round Quarterfinals | Jacksonville State James Madison | W 49–7 L 13–14 |
| 2005 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Nicholls State Richmond Appalachian State | W 14–12 W 24–20 L 23–29 |
| 2006 | First Round | Montana State | L 13–31 |
| 2013 | First Round Second Round | South Carolina State North Dakota State | W 30–20 L 7–38 |
| 2017 | First Round Second Round | Elon Wofford | W 28–27 L 10–28 |
| 2019 | First Round | Austin Peay | L 6–42 |