November 6, 2000

FURMAN'S IVORY, JACKSON EARN NATIONAL
PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK HONORS

GREENVILLE -- Furman tailback Louis Ivory and cornerback Richie Jackson have been honored as national players-of-the-week by two different organizations for their performances in Saturday's 45-10 win over previously top-ranked Georgia Southern.

Ivory, a junior from Fort Valley, Ga., was selected by The Sports Network as its national offensive player-of-the-week, and Jackson, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, was tabbed by ESPN/USA Today as its national defensive player-of-the-week. The dual national accolades in the same week are a first in Furman football history.

Ivory gained his honor by establishing new school and Southern Conference regular season single game rushing records with a 301-yard, three-touchdown performance in the win over the Eagles. In registering touchdown runs of 7, 73, and 37 yards, Ivory also set a new Furman single season rushing standard, breaking the old mark of 1,555 yards posted by Carl Tremble in 1992. Ivory currently leads NCAA I-AA in rushing with 1,707 yards and 15 touchdowns through nine games.

Jackson, meanwhile, earned his scroll by keying Furman's outstanding defensive effort with three tackles and a critical 29-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter that put the Paladins ahead 17-7. Furman's defense limited Georgia Southern to 114 rushing yards and 250 yards in total offense, well below the Eagles' averages coming into the contest. The 45-10 defeat was the worst conference loss ever suffered by Georgia Southern in its eight years as a member of the Southern Conference.

Now 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Southern Conference play, Furman is ranked fifth in the latest Sports Network NCAA I-AA poll heading into Saturday's game against Wofford in Spartanburg. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. in a contest that will be televised live by Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast.