Furman’s defense dominates Anderson in opening win

Greenville, S.C. – Furman's defense recorded seven tackles-for-loss and held Anderson to just six rushing yards and 160 yards of total offense as the Paladins downed the Trojans, 20-3, in the season opener for both teams Thursday night at Paladin Stadium. The Paladin offense grinded out 268 yards on the ground and outgained the Trojans 451-160 to claim the first meeting between the schools.

led the Furman rushing attack with 99 yards on 10 carries, including a 47-yard burst in the first half, while quarterback

added 183 passing yards and 51 yards on the ground. After

connected on a 40-yard field goal to give Furman a 3-0 lead with 7:10 left in the first half

reached the endzone on a four-yard rush to extend the Paladin lead to 10-0 with 3:02 on the clock. Anderson answered with a 28-yard Ross Burnette field goal, but Croasdale plunged into the end zone on the final play of the first half to cap a nine-play, 73-yard drive as Furman carried a 17-3 lead into the locker room. Furman limited the Trojans to only 30 yards of offense in the second half and Chapman converted on a 30-yard kick with 9:05 remaining for the final 20-3 margin.

compiled six tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, a sack, and two quarterback hurries for the Paladins while

broke up two passes in the Furman secondary. The Paladins (1-0) are back in action on Saturday, September 5, when they travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to face the Tennessee Volunteers. Kickoff at Neyland Stadium is slated for 3:30 p.m. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.