GREENVILLE, S.C. — After an exciting 2022 season, the Furman Paladins are expected to be among the nation's best teams.
The preseason hype for the Paladins is real. They are ranked fifth in the 2023 HERO Sports Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason Top 25. The Paladins and Idaho are tied for fifth in this preseason poll.
Furman was the highest ranked Southern Conference member school in the poll, which included Samford (8th) and Mercer (19th). Chattanooga also received votes.
The Paladins finished 10-3 last season and at one point of the season, they reeled off seven straight wins, including an impressive 31-6 victory over Elon in the first round of the FCS Playoffs.
The Paladins were a consensus No. 10 in the final rankings of the 2022 season compiled by the AFCA and StatsPerform.
Furman head coach Clay Hendrix is entering his seventh season at the helm this fall. He will have 18 returners starters and 38 returners off the Paladins’ 44-man two-deep depth chart.
The Paladins kick off the 2023 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 31 when they play host to Tennessee Tech in a 7:00 p.m. contest at Paladin Stadium, That is followed by a trip to Columbia for a 7:30 p.m. contest against South Carolina on September 9.
2023 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
1. South Dakota State (3 first-place votes)
2. North Dakota State
3. Montana State
4. Holy Cross
T5. FURMAN
T5. Idaho
7. William & Mary
8. Samford
9. Incarnate Word
10. Sacramento State
T11. Southeast Missouri State
T11. Weber State
13. North Carolina Central
14. New Hampshire
15. Southeastern Louisiana
16. Montana
17. North Dakota
18. UC Davis
19. Mercer
20. Jackson State
21. Eastern Kentucky
22. Gardner-Webb
T23. Richmond
T23. Youngstown State
25. Rhode Island