Yes, it could be the best of times and the worst of times.

Furman’s season opener takes place in the decidedly unfriendly confines of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the sixth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.

The money is needed, but the Paladins still seek a worthy performance in the heart of the Southeastern Conference.

The game, which opens the 119th gridiron season for Furman, will be televised by the SEC Network+, streamed via ESPN+, and aired over flagship The Fan Upstate and its four stations: 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, and 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg. Broadcasts can be secured via Audacy.com, as well as through FurmanPaladins.com.

Coming off back to back 10-3 seasons and last year’s Southern Conference championship campaign that saw the Paladins advance to the FCS playoff quarterfinals, Furman returns seven starters and 31 lettermen this year under 2023 SoCon Coach of the Year Clay Hendrix, who is entering his eighth season as head coach at his alma mater.

The Paladins, among only three FCS programs to post double-digit wins (20-6) the last two seasons, are ranked No. 9 in the AFCA FCS Preseason Poll and 12th by Stats Perform.

Ole Miss heads into Saturday’s clash ranked No. 6 in USA Today Coaches and Associated Press Polls, making the Rebels the fifth highest-ranked opponent Furman has faced in its football history.  Ole Miss represents the second highest ranked foe battling an FCS team this weekend, topped only by No. 3 Oregon, which hosts Idaho on Saturday.

Furman and Ole Miss have met once in football — a century ago (Nov. 14, 1924), when the Hornets, as Furman was then known, claimed a 7-2 win at Manly Field in downtown Greenville. The last time the Paladins played football in the Magnolia State was in 1970, against Mississippi College (38-17 win).

Among the challenges facing Furman this year are overcoming the graduation of five All-Americans, as well as the 2023 SoCon Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Tyler Huff. The Paladins lost four of their top five offensive linemen, and just two starters return off a defensive unit that ranked among the best in the FCS a year ago in multiple categories, including takeaways 26 (2nd).

Eight Paladins earned preseason all-conference recognition, including four first team selections, and redshirt senior bandit Luke Clark was named to the Stats Perform Preseason All-America Third Team.

Furman’s helmets this year will feature a “Stanfield Strong” decal on the back in memory of Bryce Stanfield, the Paladins’ defensive tackle who passed away on Feb. 9 following a brief illness. 

The Acworth, Ga., product was a three-year letterman who saw action in 34 games and totaled 49 tackles and seven sacks during his Paladin career.  He was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in health sciences prior to his passing.

Furman kicks off its six-game home schedule next Saturday when it plays host to Charleston Southern in 6:00 p.m. contest at Paladin Stadium.

The Paladins are no stranger to stiff FBS opposition. Furman fell to North Carolina State, Clemson and South Carolina in the past three seasons.

This is the 1,183^rd game in Furman history, beginning in 1889. The Paladins’ all-time record is 645-499-38.

The Paladins have dropped their last eight games against FBS opposition, dating back to a 16-15 victory over Central Florida in 2015. Furman has lost nine straight against the SEC, dating back to a 14-13 decision over Vanderbilt on Sept. 21, 1963.

Furman is 6-33-1 against FBS opposition since the Paladins joined FCS (then Division I-AA) in 1982. Furman won the 1988 national championship, becoming the first private and first SoCon school to claim a title.

Hendrix’s program has been ranked in the FCS Top 25 for 20 consecutive weeks, dating back to midway through the 2022 season. Furman is 22-6 in its last 28 games, with two of the losses against Clemson (35-12) in 2022 and South Carolina (47-21) in 2023.

It’s just the start. Furman and Presbyterian begin football this week, and Friday night Laurens visits Clinton.

As Merle Haggard sang, “If we can make it through December, everything’s gonna be all right, I know.”

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