Wofford Stuffs Furman in Home Finale

Furman running back Grant Robinson (photo courtesy of Furman athletics)

Furman's woeful football season continued Saturday afternoon in what was the season home finale, as I-85 rival Wofford handed the Paladins their fourth-consecutive loss and second-straight in the series, claiming what was a 19-13 win in front of 8,327 fans at Paladin Stadium.

The Paladins, which won 20 games over the previous two seasons and were projected to finish second in the SoCon this season off a 10-win, SoCon title winning campaign and FCS quarterfinal appearance a year ago, haven't yet been able to turn a talented, youthful crop of players into a winning product. 

Furman will look to avoid becoming the first team since 1973 to win at least three games in a season when it faces arguably its two toughest games in succession--both on the road---the next two weeks (@ETSU Nov. 16 and @ No. 10 Mercer Nov. 23).

Though it's been a tough season for many reasons, Furman's woes have also compounded by a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball making an already young team both thinner and younger simultaneously.

The 19-13 score was the same verdict the Terriers dealt the second-ranked Paladins in Spartanburg in the regular-season finale last season, and Wofford's most recent triumph against the Paladins sees the Terriers improve to 35-56-7 in what was the 98th all-time meeting between the two programs. Wofford improves to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in Southern Conference action. The loss sees Furman fall to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in Southern Conference action. 

After entering the 2024 season riding a 10-game winning streak in the friendly confines of Paladin Stadium, which includes a perfect 6-0 record at home last season, Furman finished the 2024 season with a home record of 1-4, with one home game likely to be officially canceled against Samford, which comes as a result of Hurricane Helene. The Paladins will head into the 2024 season with a 190-68-1 record all-time in the history of the facility. 

Furman's football team has experienced just about every type of emotion you can in its seven setbacks this season, and as thrilling as many of the 10 wins came last season, the seven losses and counting have been about as dismal and disappointing as you might imagine.

The Paladins endured their worst loss since 1955 in the season opener against Ole Miss (L, 0-76) and followed that up with a first-ever loss to Charleston Southern (L, 20-24). The losses to start Southern Conference play were both blowouts, as the Paladins were out-scored 93-30 over a two-game span against Chattanooga (L, 10-41) and Western Carolina (L, 20-52) before suffering the two most recent losses by a combined score of 40-30 in each of the past couple weeks on the road at VMI (L, 17-21) and Saturday in the regular-season home finale against Wofford (L, 13-19)

Wofford's win marked its second in as many weeks on the road, as the Terriers also claimed a 17-13 win last Saturday at Samford, and the success of the Terriers have no doubt been a result of Amari Odom returning from injury to under center. 

On Saturday against the Paladins, Odom connected on 14-of-25 passes for 212 yards, with a touchdown and an INT.  Odom, a talented sophomore signal-caller, led a Wofford offense that would end up out-gaining the Paladins by 101 yards (385-284), which came as a result of a decisive edge on the ground (153-55) on the ground.  The Paladins amassed 135 yards and seven points in the opening quarter of the game, but could only manage only 149 yards and six points over the final three quarters.

The 155 yards for the Terriers was the second-highest rushing total of the season for the Terriers, bested only by the 161 yards the Terriers racked up in a win over VMI.

Ryan Ingram was in strong form running the ball for Wofford, finishing up the with 120 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, marking his first 100-yard rushing effort of the season and fifth of his career. 

Odom's favorite target of the day was Kyle Parsons, who hauled in five passes for 106 yards, as he recorded his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season. 

Defensively, the Terriers got another stellar outing from inside linebacker Jalen Marshall, who finished with eight tackles. 

Wofford's defense, which entered the contest ranking 38th in the FCS, recorded four sacks and 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The lone turnover forced by the Terriers was a forced fumble, which was forced by Maximus Pulley and recovered by Amir Annoor--brother of former Furman defensive back Aaquil Annoor. 

Furman was led by quarterback Carson Jones, who made his third start of the season and fifth of his career, as the redshirt sophomore quarterback completed 21-of-33 passes for 229 yards. 

His favorite target in the passing game was sophomore Colton Hinton, who hauled in five passes for 77 yards. He was also sacked four times, including twice on a crucial drive late in the fourth quarter, which had the potential to give the Paladins the lead. 

After rushing for a season-high 195 yards last week, the Paladins could muster only 55 on the ground this week against a stout Wofford defensive unit. Myion Hicks and Grant Robinson both rushed for 41 yards in the contest, with Hicks doing so on 13 carries, while Robinson carried the ball nine times to reach his total of 41 yards on the ground. Hicks scored Furman's lone touchdown of the day on the very first drive of the afternoon, finding the end zone on a seven-yard run.

The Paladins were led on defense Evan DiMaggio, who played his final game in front of the Paladin faithful and went out and posted a game-high 11 tackles and broke up a pass. He now has 85 stops on the season heading into the final two games of the regular-season at East Tennessee State and at No. 10 and 2024 Southern Conference champion Mercer on Nov. 23.

Luke Clark, who returned to the lineup after a two-game absence due to an AC joint injury in his shoulder, also played his final home game in a Furman uniform, posting four tackles, a tackle-for-loss and a pass breakup. 

How It Happened

Furman started the game in strong fashion, with a touchdown on its opening drive for the first just the second time this season, as Myion Hicks matched his number with a 7-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game, concluding a seven-play, 68-yard drive.

The Paladins were on the move again after holding the Terriers to a three-and-out on their first possession of the day. However, though the Paladins had only one turnover, the miscue proved especially costly. 

On 2nd-and-10 from the Wofford 23, freshman running back Gavin Hall had a little crease, however, after gaining three yards, Wofford outside linebacker Javario Tinch forced Hall to cough up the football and the loose football was pounced upon by defensive back Amir Annoor and he returned it 13 yards to the Furman 36, giving the Terriers the ball and all the momentum. It was a decisive and game-changing play, and those normally don't come in the first quarter, however, on Saturday, it most certainly did. 

Four plays later, Wofford was in the end zone, tying the football game. With just under six minutes remaining in the opening quarter, wideout Dylan Djete hauled in a beautiful one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone on a nice throw from quarterback Amari Odom, as the sophomore signal-caller put the ball where only Djete could come up with it, tying the game, 7-7, with 5:54 remaining in the quarter.

The next points of the game came late in the opening half, as Devery Cagle's 29-yard field goal concluded a 9-play, 40-yard drive to make it a 10-7 lead for the Terriers. 

Furman would answer on its final possession of the frame, using a pair of big rushing plays from Grant Robinson, who had rushing plays of 17 and 13 yards, while Carson Jones connected with wideout John Holbrook for a 28-yard gain, as the Paladins covered 60 yards in eight plays, but had to settle for a 39-yard Ian Williams field goal and the two teams would head to the half tied, 10-10.

In the third quarter, Wofford took its second and final lead of the contest when Cagle connected on his second field goal of the day, concluding the opening drive of the second half, which covered 57 yards in seven plays, as the sophomore place-kicker connected on a 38-yard field goal to make it a 13-10 contest. 

A nicely thrown deep ball from Odom to tight end Jordan Davis for a gain of 45 yards was the highlight of the drive, however, even though the Terriers had to settle for a field goal during the drive, the tone was set for the remainder of the half with that play.

The Terrier defense would then start to usurp control of the game, forcing the Paladins into a three-and-out on their opening drive of the second half. With the ball back and just over 12 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Wofford made two big plays that would end up being the type of plays that Furman's defense has been victimized by all season. The first came on a drive-extending play, when on 3rd-and-11, Odom hooked up with Isaiah Scott for a gain of 12 yards and a first down. The play was initially ruled short by a yard, but after video reviewed, the call on the field was reversed and the first down was awarded.

With the ball at the 50, Wofford's play-calling was aggressive once again, and head coach and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson decided to seize the opportunity to throw deep once again against a depleted and young Paladin secondary, and once again the decision would yield a positive return. Odom launched another spiraled beauty towards the right side, and despite being interfered with by Paladin cornerback Charles Ingram V, talented Terrier wideout Kyle Watkins hauled in the 43-yard aerial at the Furman seven to set up a 1st-and-goal for Wofford.

After gaining two yards on two rushing plays, the Terriers had it 3rd-and-goal at the five-yard line, however, Odom was flushed out of the pocket and barely avoided being sacked by senior defensive end Jeremiah Jackson before rolling and firing the ball in the end zone from the 12, however, his pass intended for Watkins in the corner of the end zone fell incomplete. 

It should have set up decision time on fourth down for the Terrier coaching staff, however, Furman was instead flagged for a blatant roughing the passer call, as safety Tre' McCleod closed hard on the play and couldn't slow his momentum before hitting Odom after he had let go of the football. That would give Wofford a first down and put the ball at the two-yard line. 

Two plays later, Ingram plunged in from a yard out to extend Wofford's lead to 19-10 after Cagle missed the PAT with 5:54 remaining in the third quarter. 

Furman drove down and threatened to get in the end zone for a second time on the afternoon, however, after reaching the Terrier 21, Jones was sacked by Marcus Dees at the 23 and Furman had to settle for a Ian Williams 41-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to six, at 19-13, with 13:36 remaining in the game. 

After the Furman defense forced a shanked punt of 32 yards by Sam Spence midway through the fourth quarter, the Paladins set up shop at their own 45 and some good momentum. A 25-yard pitch and catch from Jones to wideout Colton Hinton got the Paladins to the Wofford 30. Jones then found freshman tight end Jackson Pryor to get the Paladins to the 21. 

However, the Terrier defense came up with the two most decisive plays of the game on the next two Paladin snaps, as Isaiah Mananga and Anthonie Lattany sacked Jones on consecutive plays to net a loss of 17 yards and push the ball back to the 38, forcing a Furman punt. 

Following the punt, the Terriers took over at their own six-yard line with just over five minutes remaining and managed to four minutes off the clock before Sam Spence's punt was allowed to bounce all the way to the Furman 18 and the Paladin offense took over with one final chance with no timeouts and 57 seconds remaining. 

Three plays later and facing basically a 4th-and-game (4th-and-1) situation at its own 27, Grant Robinson took a handoff but was stopped for a loss of a yard by the big 310-lb Lattany, bringing an emphatic end to any Furman comeback hopes.  The Terriers assumed the victory formation to close out their fifth win of the season and second-straight in the series. 

Furman returns to action next Saturday, heading to Johnson City to face East Tennessee State (6-4, 4-2 SoCon) in a noon kickoff slated for William B. Greene Jr. Stadium. ETSU claimed a huge 24-21 win over No. 22 Western Carolina (5-5, 4-2 SoCon) in the Blue Ridge Border Battle Saturday afternoon in Johnson City.  Wofford (5-5, 3-4 SoCon) will host in-state rival The Citadel (4-6, 2-5 SoCon) in a 1:30 p.m. at Gibbs Stadium.