The SoCon Spread

Furman true freshman wideout Evan James (photo courtesy of Furman athletics) Clemson 45, Furman 10 CLEMSON, S.C.—Clemson senior  quarterback Cade Klubnik passed for 159 yards and two scores, while true freshman backup signal-caller Chris Denson added 106 rushing yards with a passing TD and a rushing TD, as the Tigers became bowl eligible with a 45-10 win over Furman on Military Appreciation Day at Memorial Stadium. With the win, Clemson improved to 6-5 overall heading into its regular-season finale next Saturday at South Carolina (4-7). Furman concludes its 2025 campaign at 6-6.  Klubnik finished his final night in front of the home faithful connecting 9-of-15 passes for 159 yards and a pair of scores to notch his 25th all-time win as Clemson's starting signal-caller. The senior helped facilitate an offense that ended the night owning a 456-272 edge in total offense. The Tigers were efficient and balanced on offense, rolling up 237 yards and four TDs through the air, while p...

  The Day and Date: Sat. Nov. 22, 2025/4:30 p.m. EST The Game: Furman (6-5, 4-4 SoCon) at Clemson (5-5, 4-4 ACC) Location and Venue: Clemson, S.C./Memorial Stadium (81,500) Promotion: Military Appreciation Day Coaches: Furman--Clay Hendrix (60-42/9th yr); Clemson--Dabo Swinney (185-52, 18th yr) Series: Clemson leads 44-10-4/Clemson has won 32-straight vs. Furman How To Watch: The CW Overview: It will a different shade of orange that the Paladins will see when they close out the 2025 season than the one, they saw in 2024, which resulted in a 49-23 road loss to now back-to-back SoCon champion Mercer. This shade of orange packs a different punch at a higher level, which is worn by FBS power Clemson--a program which owns more tradition and plays at a higher level than last season's shade of the same color, and also has national title successes, which is  no disrespect to a really good , emerging Mercer Football program...It's just a different league of elite. It's orange...

 It's been a less than stellar season for SoCon Football, but that doesn't mean it has lacked for excitement, and for the second-straight season, Mercer will wear the crown as SoCon outright champion.  The Bears dispatched Chattanooga, 63-17, Saturday at Five Star Stadium to leave no doubt as to who the top team on the SoCon gridiron is. Of late, there has been no better program than Mercer, which has now won 18 of its past 19 SoCon games and has posted a 32-8 mark against SoCon foes since the start of the 2021 spring season.  The Bears have been explosive ever since inserting freshman quarterback Braden Atkinson into the lineup as the starter following a week home opening loss to Presbyterian (L, 10-15) and Atkinson has put Mercer's offense into a different gear and one that opposing defenses have had trouble adjusting to all season. The true freshman from Rolesville, N.C., product has connected on 230-of-334 passes for 3,238 yards, with 33 TDs and only five INTs this se...

  Furman true freshman wide receiver Evan James (photo courtesy of Furman athletics) Furman 32, VMI 14 GREENVILLE, S.C.—True freshman wide receiver Evan James hauled in a pair of touchdown passes, and quarterback Trey Hedden connected on 33-of-46 passes for 275 yards and added a pair scoring tosses, as Furman made the most of its Senior Day, claiming a 32-14 win over VMI before an announced crowd of 8,527 fans Saturday afternoon at Paladin Stadium. Furman’s win improved it to 6-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play, while VMI falls to 1-10 overall and 0-7 in league play. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Paladins; while seeing it now officially double its win total from last season.  The Paladins improved to 32-11 all-time in the series against VMI, including the Paladins’ 17 th -straight series win in Greenville, as well as being the 16 th -straight triumph inside the friendly confines of Paladin Stadium (1982-present). The win helped the Paladins avenge a 21-...