August 12, 2002

FURMAN RANKED SEVENTH IN
SPORTS NETWORK PRESEASON POLL

GREENVILLE -- The Furman Paladins are ranked seventh in the Sports Network Preseason I-AA College Football Poll, it was announced Monday afternoon.

Furman, which returns 11 starters off last year's 12-3 team that claimed a share of the Southern Conference championship and finished as NCAA I-AA runner-up, joined Appalachian State (No 2) and Georgia Southern (No. 5) in giving the Southern Conference three teams in the Top 25.

"It's an honor for our program to be ranked in the Top 10 heading into the season, but we'll certainly have to prove we deserve it after losing a number of quality players to graduation," said first year Furman head coach Bobby Lamb.

Montana, which defeated Furman, 13-6, in last year¹s I-AA championship game, was the clear No. 1 choice among the 87 votes cast, garnering 79 first place votes. Furman and Georgia Southern both earned three No. 1 votes. Also ranked ahead of Furman were Northern Iowa (No. 3), Eastern Illinois (No. 4), and Lehigh (No. 6).

Furman defeated Lehigh, 34-17, in NCAA I-AA quarterfinal playoff action a year ago in Greenville, and a week later knocked off Georgia Southern, 24-17, in Statesboro, in semifinal round action. The Paladins also defeated Appalachian State, 28-22, in Greenville during the 2001 regular season.

Furman has earned 191 Top 25 rankings since 1982, when Southern Conference football was reclassified to I-AA. The Paladins have been a poll mainstay since midway through the 1999 season, earning 43 consecutive Top 25 weekly rankings.

Furman opens its 2002 season at Vanderbilt on Sept. 7.

The Sports Network 2002 Preseason I-AA College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes) 2001 Record Points 2001 Final Rank
1. Montana (79) 15-1 2,093 1
2. Appalachian State 9-4 1,838 6
3. Northern Iowa 11-3 1,769 4
4. Eastern Illinois (1) 9-2 1,641 9
5. Georgia Southern (3) 12-2 1,588 3
6. Lehigh (1) 11-1 1,499 5
7. Furman (3) 12-3 1,476 2
8. Youngstown State 8-3 1,283 15
9. William & Mary 8-4 1,195 17
10. Grambling State 10-1 1,182 8
11. McNeese State 8-4 1,026 13
12. Sam Houston State 10-3 996 7
13. Maine 9-3 983 10
14. Eastern Kentucky 8-2 929 18
15. Hofstra 9-3 924 11
16. Florida A&M 7-4 916 22
17. Portland State 7-4 786 NR
18. Western Kentucky 8-4 766 12
19. Northwestern State 8-4 596 14
20. Montana State 5-6 461 NR
21. Northern Arizona 8-4 389 16
22. Delaware 4-6 335 NR
23. Harvard 9-0 245 19
24. Jacksonville State 5-6 227 NR
25. Hampton 7-4 190 NR