#17 Furman vs. Elon

[FurmanWins]

FU vs. Elon (Gameday Video)
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[FurmanWins]

Via Sportsnetwork.com:


Elon Phoenix (4-5, 2-4 SoCon) at No. 17 Furman Paladins (6-3, 5-2), 1:30 p.m.

Series record: Furman leads, 10-4

Last meeting: at Elon 30, Furman 25 (Nov. 13, 2010)

What to know: Furman has been one of the hottest teams in the country the past three weeks. After a bad, 50-20 loss to then top-ranked Georgia Southern, the Paladins have won three straight, including victories against Wofford (26-21) and Appalachian State (20-10). Another victory should get the Paladins an at- large playoff berth.

Furman quarterback Chris Forcier has been the most efficient passer in the FCS ( 183.8 ), completing 67 percent (116 of 172) of his passes for 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Forcier's opposite number, Elon quarterback Thomas Wilson, also has been a threat this season, passing for 2,434 yards and 17 touchdowns. However, Wilson has struggled with interceptions, tossing a FCS-high 18.

Prediction: Furman 35, Elon 28

[FurmanWins]

SoCon Football Game Day: Week 11

http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle. ... EM_ID=4000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FurmanWins]

2011 FCS Passing Efficiency Leaders:
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs/ ... idual/1005" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FurmanWins]

Time to toast the little phoenix

[FurmanWins]

Furman No. 8 In FCS Gridiron Power Index (GPI)

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman Paladins climbed seven spots to eighth in this week's Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and top indicator of at-large playoff selection.

Furman's advance in the GPI, which followed Saturday's 20-10 takedown of Appalachian State, was the biggest of any ranked team. The Paladins have been ranked in the GPI for six consecutive weeks.

The Southern Conference, Missouri Valley Football Conference, and Colonial Athletic Association have five teams each in the Top 25; the Big Sky Conference has three; the Great West and the Southland Conferences plus the Ivy League have two each; and the Patriot League has one.

As conference average rankings the Southern Conference stays at No. 1 followed by the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

[FurmanWins]

(Facebook Event Page)

#17 Furman vs Elon, Must Win!
http://www.Facebook.com/event.php?eid=288518377838126" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FurmanWins]

"Message from Furman University President"
Dear Students:

I am writing to thank you for the strong turnouts this fall at so many of our academic, arts, and athletic venues. It is no secret that I am a strong champion of encouraging participation at these events, as we show support for one another and enjoy spirited good times.

I am writing today to especially encourage you to turn out en masse for the final home football game of the year, against Elon, this Saturday at 1:30. I am sure all your fellow students who participate-- the members of the Paladin Regiment Marching Band, the members of the Furman Dance Company, our ROTC students, our Cheerleaders, our many students who help with support, our students journalists from the The Paladin, and of course, the students on our Football Team, who have overcome adversity to climb this week to #17 in the nation in a national poll--will welcome a packed house, and a rocking house. With a victory our team will have a fighting chance to make the playoffs in football. Let's all rally to try to help send them on. As I 've said before to you, these exhortations on my part are all about building community and spirit here at Furman. I hope to see you there!

Rod Smolla
President

[FurmanWins]

Furman Takes Aim At FCS Playoff Berth Saturday Versus Elon
Depth Chart:
http://furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-foot ... _Stats.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Winners of three straight, including a 20-10 triumph over previously third-ranked Appalachian State last Saturday, the Furman Paladins are positioned to secure a bid to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, but one big challenge remains in the form of the Elon Phoenix, which Furman will entertain this Saturday in the Paladins' home regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Paladin Stadium.

The contest will be broadcast over Furman Sports Network Greenville flagship station WOLT-FM 103.3, Upstate affiliate WGOG-FM 96.3, as well as stadium transmitter at FM 105.9. Audio will be presented online by StretchAudio through Furman All-Access at http://www.furmanpaladins.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Live stats will also be provided through http://www.furmanpaladins.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and in-game twitter updates available at twitter.com/FurmanPaladins

Furman (6-3, 5-2 SoCon), ranked 17th in the latest Sports Network Poll, must defeat Elon (4-5, 2-4 SoCon) to nail down at least a second place finish in the SoCon and reach the seven-win NCAA Division I threshold that is required to qualify for playoff consideration. With a victory over Elon the Paladins, who are No. 8 in this week's FCS Gridiron Power Index (GPI), could also remain in the hunt for a share of this year's league crown, though for that to happen Wofford (5-1 SoCon) must defeat Georgia Southern (6-1 SoCon) on Saturday in Spartanburg, and the Terriers would then have to lose at Chattanooga on Nov. 19. Furman will conclude its regular season on Nov. 19 against Florida.

Consecutive wins over fourth-ranked Wofford (26-21), Chattanooga (14-7), and third-ranked Appalachian State (20-10) have made Furman one of the hottest teams in the FCS. First-year head coach Bruce Fowler's Paladins, tagged sixth in a preseason poll of SoCon head coaches, stood 3-3 on Oct. 15 before going on its impressive run that includes victories over two FCS Top 5 opponents. Furman's six victories marks improvement over last year's 5-6 finish, and the Paladins' 5-2 SoCon mark represents a significant jump from 2010's 3-5 league record.

Elon comes to Greenville with recent series history on its side, having beaten Furman three straight times, including a 30-25 triumph last year in Elon. Two years ago the Phoenix clipped the Paladins in Greenville, 19-12. Furman's last win in the series was a 52-49 shootout in Paladin Stadium in 2007. The Paladins own a 10-4 series advantage and are 8-2 all-time versus the Phoenix in Paladin Stadium.

Elon was idle last Saturday after dropping a 48-28 road decision to Wofford on Oct. 29.

With a playoff berth clearly hanging in the balance, Furman should have no trouble focusing on Saturday's game and trying to continue its late season surge. In knocking off Appalachian State last Saturday, Furman halted a nasty six-game series skid to the Mountaineers and, as an unranked team, took down its second highest ranked foe in program history.

A quick start, which included a pair of Chris Forcier touchdown strikes covering 4 and 79 yards, helped give Furman a 20-0 first half lead, which the Paladins were able to preserve with a defense that forced four Mountaineer turnovers and an effective fourth quarter running game that denied ASU the ball and time to mount any comeback.

Forcier, who continues to lead the FCS in passing efficiency (183.8 rating), has thrown 19 touchdown passes this year, but it was his fourth quarter running ability against ASU, which included third down dashes of 13 and 12 yards for first downs, part of a 13-play, 68-yard drive, that helped close out the Mountaineers. On the season Forcier, a three-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honoree, has passed for 1,755 yards and run for 223 yards.

Forcier's top receiving targets include the SoCon's top tight end, Colin Anderson (32 rec., 536 yds., 6 TDs) and wide receivers Tyler Maples (30 rec., 491 yds., 3 TDs) and Sedrrik Cunningham (16 rec., 293 yds., 3 TDs), who connected with Forcier on the 79-yard scoring strike versus Appalachian State.

Junior running back Jerodis Williams (166 att., 886 yds., 7 TDs), the SoCon's second leading rusher, leads an effective Paladin ground attack. He is bidding to become the first Paladin 1,000-yard rusher since 2003.

Furman's defense has played a significant role in the Paladins' current three-game winning streak, helping record a 10-2 advantage in turnovers with six interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Furman, which leads the SoCon in turnover margin (+1.11), also hasn't allowed a touchdown pass while notching 11 sacks during that span to up its season tally to 21. Last year the Paladins tallied a SoCon worst nine sacks.

The defensive stalwarts include senior linebacker Kadarron Anderson (SoCon leading 103 tackles), junior bandit Mitch McGrath (75 tackles, 12 tackles for-loss, 4 sacks, 4 INT), and senior cornerback Ryan Steed, who has recorded interceptions in each of the last three games to up his career total to 13.

Saturday's game will also mark the final regular season home game for 20 Paladin seniors, who will honored in pregame ceremonies.

[89Hen]

Let's go ELoan!

[FurmanWins]

One more performance like this and we are playoff bound baby!
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[Skjellyfetti]

One more performance like this and we are playoff bound baby!

Only going to need about 2/3 effort to beat Elon.

[FurmanWins]

One more performance like this and we are playoff bound baby!

Only going to need about 2/3 effort to beat Elon.

I hope you are right bro, good luck to you guys, the SoCon needs 4 teams in the playoffs so we can show our dominance to the rest of the country!

[FurmanWins]

Ex-UCLA QB Forcier Leading Furman Turnover
By Pete Iacobelli, AP Sports Writer

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman quarterback Chris Forcier has rediscovered his game in a most unlikely place.

The UCLA transfer has persevered through a shoulder injury, a coaching change and the kind of anxiety that comes from not knowing where you stand in a program. But the former highly rated high school quarterback has fought through it all in a turnaround season for himself and the Paladins.

Forcier, the older brother of ex-Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, leads the Football Championship Subdivision in pass efficiency. He's also helped Furman upset last year's Southern Conference co-champions Wofford and Appalachian State in the past three weeks.

"I wasn't going to quit," Chris said.

Although few would blame him if he did.

Chris threw for 5,241 yards and 60 touchdowns during his high school career, which he finished up at St. Augustine's near his San Diego home and led to a pair of state championships. Chris chose UCLA over Miami, Nebraska and Oregon, and figured it wouldn't be long before he'd be under center.

But the Bruins brought in Rick Neuheisel as coach in 2008 and Chris struggled to mesh with his system. When UCLA coaches asked him to move to wide receiver, Chris knew he needed to go elsewhere.

Chris looked to FCS schools so he could play without having to sit out a year and found Furman, which only a few years earlier had former Florida quarterback Ingle Martin leading the team to the NCAA playoffs. He transferred more than 2,300 miles East, feeling the Paladins and then coach Bobby Lamb were a perfect fit.

Chris appeared on track in 2010 until he suffered a fracture of the scapula, classified as a glenoid neck fracture, in Furman's loss at South Carolina just three games into the season. The good news was it was Forcier's left, non-throwing shoulder. The bad news: It cost him another season of action.

As Furman's year fell apart, Lamb resigned and Chris was left with more questions and anxiety about his future under new coach Bruce Fowler.

His father, Mike, said his son was depressed and barely wanted to leave his dorm room for rehab or workouts.

"That was a very difficult time for him," Mike Forcier said. He credited Chris' teammates, particularly, roommate receiver Tyler Maples, and Furman's football staff with helping his son cope.

Gradually, Chris felt better - physically and mentally.

Fowler retained Furman's quarterbacks coach Tim Sorrells, who had supported Chris while he was sidelined last fall. Chris also found a backer in Fowler, a former Furman player and longtime assistant.

"Maybe it's something about the South, but Chris couldn't have found a better place for him to go through this," said Mike Forcier, who traveled cross-country so his son would see another friendly face during spring practice.

Fowler and the Paladins began to see a healthy Chris' competitiveness during summer workouts. There was a confidence and assuredness, along with a joy of playing that Fowler knew could help Furman this fall.

"The thing with Chris is we all had to patient with each other," Fowler said.

That patience has paid off. Chris won the job from Dakota Derrick in the summer and went 9 of 9 passing in a 16-6 victory over Citadel in the second game of the season, then accounted for eight touchdowns (seven passing, one running) to beat Presbyterian 62-21 a week later.

Chris and the Paladins have continued their success and should Furman (6-3) beat Elon Saturday, the Paladins could return to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

It has been an amazing turnaround for the Forcier family.

Besides dealing with Chris' worries, Mike Forcier said he was also counseling Tate about his role at Michigan. Tate started as a freshman for then coach Rich Rodriguez, but fell behind Denard Robinson on the depth chart. Tate was declared academically ineligible for Michigan's bowl game last winter and in January decided to transfer. At first it was to Miami, but then he decided on San Jose State, where he's sitting out this season because of transfer rules.

Chris said Tate's brief fling with Miami was a case of "moving too fast and feeling like you didn't make the right decision."

Said Mike Forcier: "Last fall was hard on the family."

Now the brothers feel they've found schools that fit them well and Chris said they talk each week.

Mike Forcier said his all three of his sons have rebounded well from their football trials. Jason, the oldest, played for Lloyd Carr at Michigan in 2005 and 2006 before finishing school at Stanford.

None more so than Chris, the only one currently playing - and thriving.

He's completing 67.4 percent of his passes this season, throwing for 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns. Chris has rediscovered the reason why he loves football; he likes being a contributor on a successful team.

"Honestly, I wouldn't care if I throw another touchdown this year," he said. "As long as we win games."

[OL FU]

Let's go ELoan!

2-0

[89Hen]

Let's go ELoan!

2-0

Quit while you're ahead?

[Aho Old Guy]

The Vermin don't need a letdown against the Phailnix or they will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as far as the playoffs (and a possible SoCon auto-bid!) are concerned.

If Elon chooses this week to stop playing Stooge Football (turnovers, penalties, blocked kicks and otherwise bone-head stoopidity) they can light somebody up with their passing game.

Better this week against the Furple than next week against the heathens of Watauga County

[FurmanWins]

Gameday!!!!

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Not lookin' good for the Furple right now.

[SpeedkingATL]

Elon plays the spoiler and knocks Purple out of the playoffs. The App visit to Elon next week just got very, very interesting. Congrats Fenix, nice win.

[mountain_man]

App really screwed the pooch last weekend.

[Aho Old Guy]

All Furman has to do is travel down to The Swamp ... and beat UFla.

Yesterday was not a good day in Spartanburg County; the Furple and Woffle eat dung, and then they had to stomach the Presidential debate.

[blueballs]

Okay all you Paladins, front and center... WTF happened???????????????????????

[Skjellyfetti]

One more performance like this and we are playoff bound baby!

Only going to need about 2/3 effort to beat Elon.

Guess they could only manage 50%?

[ASUG8]

All Furman has to do is travel down to The Swamp ... and beat UFla.

Yesterday was not a good day in Spartanburg County; the Furple and Woffle eat dung, and then they had to stomach the Presidential debate.

Technically, Furman is in Greenville County, but I agree with the overall Upstate SC assessment otherwise.