Paladins Travel to Bucs in SoCon Battle
The Furman Football (2-7, 1-4 SoCon) is looking towards next year, but still has two games to go with one being today against ETSU Bucs (6-4, 4-2 SoCon) a team looking at a playoff berth and a possible share of the SoCon Title this year. Furman holds a 29-9 series
Furman kicks off to ETSU who will go a full four downs and gives up the ball going for it on fourth down and cannot get a first down. Furman takes over in ETSU territory and is able to go right down and score a touchdown right off the bat and its 7-0 Furman after new QB starter Trey Hedden gets the TD throw to Ben Ferguson and the Paladins really looked great on that short drive,
ETSU takes over at the 25-yard line and two plays later they run the ball for a huge 64-yard run, and we are tied here at Bank of Tennessee field here at ETSU 7-7. Devontae Houston was able to get through the middle of the line and took to the outside and outran all the Paladins to the end zone. Furman will now get the ball back in hopes of answering that huge play against the defense. Furman takes the ball into ETSU 41-yard line but is unable to get a first down on a fourth down try. The Bucs take over in great field position. ETSU gets the ball down to the 31-yard line and goes for a field goal and its no good, and Furman defense holds and its first down Paladins going right to left on the field.
The Paladins are unable to get a first down after a bad center to QB hike that Hedden had to fall on and Furman instead punts the ball back to ETSU and they take over at the 25-yard line. ETSU is able to get the first down, and the first quarter is over with the score 7-7 here at Bucs Stadium. The first quarter stats are Furman had 5 first downs, 10 rushes for 8 yards, and 50 yards passing.
ETSU starts off the second strong with two first downs and are now at the Furman 38-yard line and heading down the field daring Furman to stop them. The Bucs going for 4th and short, and they call a timeout after not getting Furman to be drawn offside. The Bucs are called for holding and will go for it still with 8-yards to go and get a first down at the Paladin 15-yard line. The Bucs throw a interception and Furman runs it back to the 40-yard line and its first down Furman after a huge play by the defense. Furman now needs to get a score and put the pressure back on the Bucs, they get a first down to the Bucs 48-yard line. Furman has taken the ball down to the 4-yard line and its fourth down for the Paladins and they take a time out. Furman comes out of the timeout to score here before halftime with 3:31 left in the half. Furman gets the first and will be first and goal at the two tard line, and they call yet another time out, they come out and get the touchdown and Furman takes the lead 14-7 over ETSU with 3 minutes left in the half.
The Bucs get the ball, and they are in need to get a score before halftime to go in with a little momentum
and we are at the two-minute warning with the backup QB for ETSU in the game and he gets the third downplay for a first and they are in a hurry offense. They get another first down to the 50-yard line with 1:26 left in the half. The Bucs hit a huge pass play are now first and goal after a 42-yard pickup. The Bucs call time out with 15 seconds left and the ball at the half yard line 3rd down. They score but a flag on the play and they will have to do it over due to a penalty and its third and goal from the 10-yard line with 12 seconds left. Furman almost picks it off and the field goal unit will come out for a 27-yard field goal and Furman takes a timeout. The Bucs come out and they miss it again and the Paladins will take over and will take a knee and go into halftime leading 14-7.
Furman gets the ball to start the second half of play and start off at the 25-yard line. Furman is unable to get any yards and actually goes backwards and must punt to the Bucs, who take over at the 42-yard line. They quickly down the field and score and we have us a ballgame that quick as its now 14-14 Bucs and Paladins tied here with 10:52 left in the 3rd quarter. Both teams have a chance with the ball again but fail to do anything and the Bucs will kick away and Furman gets the back to the 30-yard line after it looked like they would have it at the 10-yard line.
Furman takes over with 8 minutes left in the third quarter, and they will do their best to get a score on this drive and try and end this four-game losing skid. They end up dropping back throwing a interception, and ETSU will take over at the 44-yard line. ETSU throws yet another deep pass and gets a score and its now 21-14 the Bucs now ahead of the Paladins as Furman down here in the third, but Furman answers the score with a huge third down pass TD and its now 21-21 Paladins and Bucs with 1:36 left in the third quarter. We end the third with the score tied and ETSU at the 49-yard line and wanting to answer the score.
Furman gets a interception and goes backwards with it and has to kick away after the defense gave them a chance to take the lead. The Bucs will take over at the 21-yard line with just over 12 minutes left in the game. Furman gets yet another huge turnover with a interception by #4 and they have the ball at the 12-yard line and with the penalty for face mask. Furman gets the ball down to the 2-yard line and goes and gets the field goal and now its 24-21 Furman over ETSU with 9 minutes left in the game.
ETSU will get the ball back going right to left, and it’s up to the Paladins to get another huge stop. They do and get the ball back and start marching down the field and are in the Bucs side of the field with under 5 minutes left in the game. Furman converts two huge third downs and the clock is running, and Furman is content with just running the ball as much as possible.
Fourth down and Furman goes for it and gets it and now it’s the two minute warning with Furman leading 24-21 here at Bank of Tennessee field. The Paladins come out and its now time to get the win and end the losing streak. They come out in victory formation and that is it today.
