November 21, 1999
Release: Upon Receipt

FURMAN TO HOST DEFENDING CHAMPION MASSACHUSETTS
IN NCAA FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF GAME NEXT SATURDAY

GREENVILLE -- The Southern Conference co-champion Furman Paladins will host Atlantic 10 Conference co-champion and defending national champion Massachusetts Minutemen on Saturday, Nov. 27, in NCAA I-AA first round playoff action, it was announced today. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. EST.

Furman (9-2, 7-1 SoCon) gained a share of this year's conference crown with a 40-35 win over Chattanooga on Saturday and is the No. 7 seed in the 16-team playoff field. Massachusetts (8-3, 7-1 Atlantic 10) locked up a share of the Atlantic 10 title with a 62-20 rout of Connecticut on Saturday. The Minutemen are the No. 10 seed in the tournament.

"It's a tough job picking the brackets and we're glad we made it," said head coach Bobby Johnson on Sunday. "We're glad to have a home game, so we look forward to playing Massachusetts. They're a good football team. They won it all last year and have been playing great the last half of the season after a slow start, so I expect it will be a great game."

The winner of the Furman-Massachusetts game will play the winner of Saturday's Georgia Southern-Northern Arizona contest on Dec. 4 at a site and time to be announced. The NCAA I-AA national championship game is scheduled for Dec. 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Chattanooga's Max Finley Stadium.

Furman's playoff appearance this year, its first since 1996, will mark the Paladins' ninth trip to post-season play since Southern Conference football was reclassified from I-A to I-AA in 1982. Furman sports an 11-7 playoff record. The Paladins won the 1988 NCAA I-AA national championship by defeating Georgia Southern 17-12 in Pocatello, Idaho. Saturday's Furman-Massachusetts contest will mark Furman's first home playoff game since the 1989 season. The Paladins boast a 7-4 home playoff record.

Massachusetts knocked off Georgia Southern 55-43 to capture the 1998 NCAA I-AA national championship in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Tickets to Saturday's Furman-Massachusetts playoff game are reserved and are $15 for adults and $5 for children and students. Furman season ticket holders have until 5:00 p.m. Tuesday to retain their regular season ticket location. Tickets will go on sale at 9:00 a.m. at the Furman University Ticket Office, located in Timmons Arena, and can also be purchased at all area TicketMaster locations. The Furman Ticket Office number is (864) 294-3099.

Following are the match-ups for the first round of competition to be played Saturday, November 27. Complete game times will be released Monday:

November 27 at Nashville, Tennessee
No. 16 North Carolina A&T (10-1) at No. 1 Tennessee State (11-0)

November 27 at Missoula, Montana
No. 9 Youngstown State (9-2) at No. 8 Montana (9-2)

November 27 at Troy, Alabama
No. 12 James Madison (8-3) at No. 5 Troy State (10-1)

November 27 at Boone, North Carolina
No. 13 Florida A&M (8-3) at No. 4 Appalachian State (9-2)

November 27 at Hempstead, New York
No. 14 Lehigh (10-1) at No. 3 Hofstra (10-1)

November 27 at Normal, Illinois
No. 11 Colgate (10-1) at No. 6 Illinois State (9-2)

November 27 at Greenville, South Carolina
No. 10 Massachusetts (8-3) at No. 7 Furman (9-2), 1:00 p.m.

November 27 at Statesboro, Georgia
No. 15 Northern Arizona (8-3) at No. 2 Georgia Southern (9-2)