NC State readies for bounce-back game against Furman

Up next for NC State is Furman, or as I call them, Logo Grandpa. There will always be a minor connection between these programs thanks to Dick Sheridan, who came to NC State from Furman, and also brought the Paladins’ diamond logo with him.

The Paladins are off to a 2-0 start this season thanks to a 29-18 win over NC A&T and a 26-0 win over Tennessee Tech. That was good enough for Furman to crack the FCS Coaches Poll at No. 25 this week. Hey, look at you, Furman!

Furman’s defense has set the tone for the team this season, limiting opponents to a meager 4.1 yards per play. Opponents are averaging less than two yards per carry and have completed less than half of their pass attempts. That figures to be a different story on Saturday, mind, but the Paladins have some solid players on that side. They were dominant against Tennessee Tech.

Offensively, the Paladins are averaging a rather unimpressive 5.4 yards per play, and only 3.3 yards per rush. Those are not numbers that inspire thoughts of an upset against an FBS team on the road.

They may present some challenges here and there, but most likely we’re looking at a result similar to the last time these teams met, when NC State beat Furman 49-16 in 2017.