By MONTE DUTTON

Life is full of surprises. Wonders, even.

A few weeks ago, I noted that I hadn’t seen a close game all year, and I watched two of the best I’ve ever seen in the next two nights. As Harry Caray, used to say, “Ho-o-old everything!”

Saturday at Paladin Stadium was lovely. When I arrived, a band was covering Fleetwood Mac out front. As usual, I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen in a quarter century, and we caught up as much as people can in five minutes with a barbecue sandwich in one hand.

Citadel-Furman games are full of memories, good and bad. I’m wary of the Bulldogs, even if, by all evidence, they are are terrible and the Paladins are sublime. This is a rivalry! Athens hosting Sparta. A Furman football game is, without question, my favorite place to mingle, and I don’t even do it during the game, when I am safely ensconced in the professional, satirical reserve of the press box.

So I’m observing all around me, enjoying the cool breeze, about as excited as my professional, satirical reserve allows me to be. I was thinking the way Furman Bisher wrote. Wondering how many times I’ve heard the fight song. Comparing the knight on horseback to a scene from an Errol Flynn flick. Wishing they had an authentic tape of the late Dr. John E. Johns delivering the “FU All the Time!” cheer.

It’s not dirty. Only a dirty mind would think that. It’s clever. It’s mischievous. All in good, clean fun.

I had time to do all this ruminating because the game made me feel ungrateful. Furman won. With ease. It was never in doubt. A big crowd was on hand. And Clemson was even playing at home.

Yet it seemed about as much a rivalry as clouds versus sunshine on the 11 o’clock news.

I paid attention but didn’t take many notes. I knew I had a stats packet coming. I looked longingly to the postgame media conference, because something happening there needed to carry the story.

Fortunately, head coach Clay Hendrix, quarterback Tyler Huff and safety Hugh Ryan were as nonplussed as I was. That the Paladins played a humdrum game wasn’t the worst that could happen, but none was happy. They’re ranked fourth in the nation. They want to look like it. They didn’t.

Huff completed all but five of his 24 passes and piled up 240 yards of total offense. Talking about it, he sounded as if he’d thrown four interceptions and fumbled twice. He wasn’t playing humble. Huff holds himself to a high standard. He gives 110 just to make sure 100 percent comes out.

It’s okay for a lovely day to be spent without drama. The team needs all its mettle for the upcoming games. Furman is riding a dangerous highway in the coming month. Next is Samford, the most recent Southern Conference team to defeat the Paladins, eight games and another season ago. Hendrix and staff have assembled a nucleus of players who know how to win, and more are learning the necessary nuances every week.

In the eloquent words of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ Steve Cash and John Dillon, circa 1973, “If you want to get to heaven, you got to raise a little hell.”

The key verb is raise. Raise hell to heaven. Bring it with you. The Citadel has only been through it this fall.

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Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.

The next Fiesta Grande open mic is Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m.