Venue & Game Details
Matchup: Furman Paladins vs. Samford Bulldogs
Kickoff Time: 3:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM CT
Venue: Pete Hanna Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
Capacity: ~6,700
Broadcast: ESPN+; radio coverage via The Fan Upstate (Furman) and Samford Sports Network
Weather Forecast (Birmingham, AL)
Kickoff Temperature: ~82°F (28°C)
Conditions: Partly sunny, humid
Wind: 6–10 mph from the south
Precipitation: ~20% chance of scattered showers
Impact: Warm, sticky conditions typical of Alabama in late September; stamina and depth could be factors.
Injury Report
Furman Paladins:
QB Trey Hedden – healthy, coming off career-high 314 yards vs. Campbell.
DE Joshua Stoneking – healthy, SoCon Defensive Player of the Week (19 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks through 3 games).
Secondary bolstered by return of safeties Billy Lewis (20 tackles, 2 INTs) and Taylen Blaylock (18 tackles, 2 INTs).
No major injuries reported.
Samford Bulldogs:
QB Quincy Crittendon – healthy, 478 yards, 3 INTs.
RB C.J. Evans – healthy, 54 rushing yards, 1 TD.
WR Paxton Bird – healthy, 20 receptions, 160 yards.
No major injuries reported.
Key Player Matchups
QB Trey Hedden (Furman) vs. Samford Secondary
Hedden completed 26-of-35 for 314 yards and 2 TDs vs. Campbell.
Samford has allowed 40+ points in 3 of 4 games.
DE Joshua Stoneking (Furman) vs. Samford Offensive Line
Stoneking is one of the league’s most disruptive defenders.
Samford has struggled in pass protection, giving up multiple sacks per game.
QB Quincy Crittendon (Samford) vs. Furman Secondary
Crittendon has 478 yards but 3 INTs.
Furman’s secondary has 4 INTs in 3 games.
RB C.J. Evans (Samford) vs. Furman Front Seven
Evans is averaging under 3.5 ypc.
Furman allows just 21.3 ppg, anchored by linebackers Raleigh Herbert and Luke McLaughlin.
Recent Team Form
Furman Paladins (2–1)
W 28–24 @ Campbell (Week 3)
W 23–21 vs. William & Mary (Week 1)
L 39–38 (OT) vs. Presbyterian (Week 2)
Strengths: Balanced offense, opportunistic defense.
Weaknesses: Secondary gave up big plays in OT loss.
Samford Bulldogs (0–4)
L 50–35 @ Western Carolina (Week 4)
L 40–13 vs. The Citadel (Week 3)
L 34–3 vs. West Georgia (Week 2)
L 47–42 vs. Western Carolina (2024 finale)
Strengths: Passing game shows flashes.
Weaknesses: Defense allowing 41.8 ppg, turnover issues.
Conference vs. Conference
Both are members of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
This is a conference matchup with Furman looking to start league play strong and Samford desperate for its first win.
Series History
All-time series: Furman leads 14–12.
Last meeting: 2023 – Furman won 27–21 in Birmingham.
2024: Game was canceled due to Hurricane Helene.
Trend: Furman has won 3 straight in Homewood, AL.
Betting Trends
Furman Paladins:
2–1 ATS in 2025.
5–2 ATS in last 7 SoCon games.
4 of last 6 games have gone Over.
Samford Bulldogs:
0–4 ATS in 2025.
1–6 ATS in last 7 home games.
5 of last 7 games have gone Over.
Historical Betting Results
2023: Furman -3.5 covered in 27–21 win (Under cashed).
2022: Samford -2.5 covered in 34–27 win (Over cashed).
2021: Furman +7 covered in 37–31 loss (Over cashed).
Game Odds
Furman Paladins – 14
Samford Bulldogs 58
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
