GREENVILLE, S.C. — Next Thursday night is set to be a historic evening at Paladin Stadium in Greenville, S.C.
Not only will Furman officially open its 2026 college football season, but the Paladins will do so against nearby Anderson University.
Why the history?
No matter the score or outcome, this will be the inaugural meeting between the two teams.
Playing just their third season in program history, Anderson will also take on their first-ever FCS and Southern Conference program in Furman with kickoff slated for 7 p.m., next Thursday. In 2024, the Trojans posted a 3-8 mark in their inaugural season of play in NCAA Division II led by former Furman standout quarterback and head coach Bobby Lamb (2002-10).
Last year, Anderson improved to 5-6, though it lost its last four games of the season.
“When we had a chance to add a game, we didn’t have a lot of options, and we appreciate them stepping up,” Furman head coach Clay Hendrix said. “I think we’ll have a great crowd and also the chance to play on a Thursday night.”
A few seasons ago, the NCAA allowed FCS teams the opportunity to play a 12th regular-season game in years when there are 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November (2024 and 2025). But last summer, the NCAA Division I Council formally approved that FCS programs can play up to 12 regular-season games annually.
Hendrix was fully on board with adding the 12th game, but the challenge for the Paladins was that their future schedules were mostly full. As a result, Furman only had two possible spots to add the game in 2026: either Week 0 or its bye week.
“Bobby and I had the conversation before, so it was really he and I just talking about it,” Hendrix explained. “It just made total sense. I have always been about these games with proximity and this is a win-win for everybody.”
Playing on a Thursday night usually brings out an extra level of excitement on college campuses, both big and small. Furman’s last Thursday night home opener came in 2023 when the Paladins defeated Tennessee Tech 45-10 before a spirited student section.
“I’ve never been sold on the night games and that we draw that much better. What I do think is our student participation is better because they have class on Friday morning,” Hendrix said with a smile. “They don’t always stick around for Saturdays.”
Furman junior offensive tackle Chase Gregorek is excited for the Thursday opener but also the chance to play against his hometown team. The T.L. Hanna product was recruited by Anderson and has several friends on the team, including starting defensive lineman Zack Ramsey.
“I think it will be really cool, especially playing on a Thursday night,” Gregorek said. “I know a lot of my friends play at Anderson, so just being able to play with them again and be on the field with them will be cool. (Zack and I) have already been texting and asking for pictures after the game so that will be fun to see.”
Gregorek also predicted a large-student crowd.
“Students are just getting here, so I think everyone will probably go to the game,” he said confidently.
The other layer adding intrigue to the matchup is Lamb’s return to campus, a place where he, along with Hendrix, led Furman to the 1985 I-AA National Championship game as seniors. Lamb led the Paladins to the 2004 SoCon title and four FCS Playoffs during his nine-year run as the head coach in Greenville.
In Lamb’s six years as head coach at Mercer (2013-19), he posted an 0-3 mark in head-to-head games against Hendrix, his former teammate and assistant coach. The two go back even further than Furman, to their days of playing prep ball at Commerce High School (Ga.), before their recruiting trips together to Furman in 1981.
“I grew up with Bobby and what he did he as a player, even as a coach with some of the best teams in school history,” Hendrix said. “We even worked for a long time together and then I worked for him in his first-five years here. He coached some great teams here and it’s awesome to get him back. I want to try to find a way to honor him, too.”
Tickets are available online, at the Timmons Arena ticket office and also at Paladin Stadium.