The Furman University Paladin football team was upset by Presbyterian College 39-38 in overtime on Saturday Sept. 6. The overtime period came following a nearly two-hour lightning delay with 6:45 left to play in the fourth quarter. 

Prior to the delay, the Dins were up 31-21. Immediately following the delay, Furman’s defense held the Blue Hose to a 24-yard field goal that had Presbyterian trailing 31-24.

On Furman’s ensuing drive, the Paladins were on third down at their own 31-yard line and fumbled the ball, allowing Presbyterian’s senior lineman Carter Szydlowski to scoop up the football and charge down the field before being stopped at the 12yard line.

Then, Blue Hose sophomore wide receiver BJ Atkins nabbed a pass in the corner of the end zone to tie the game 31-31. On each final possession of regulation, Furman and Presbyterian both were unable to capitalize and forced overtime.

The Blue Hose won the coin toss and elected to defer, giving Furman the ball first. Redshirt junior running back Jaquan Smith carried the ball for the Paladins four times for 19 yards in the drive, capping it off with a 2-yard touchdown rush. Graduate placekicker Ian Williams then drilled the extra point to put Furman up 38-31.

On the ensuing drive, Presbyterian’s redshirt sophomore quarterback Collin Hurst completed a short pass down the middle to senior tight end Nathan Levicki for a touchdown. With Presbyterian trailing 38-37, they elected to go for two rather than kick an extra point to force a second overtime.

Hurst rolled out and tossed a pass in the endzone that Levicki dove to catch, sealing the 39-38 overtime victory for the Blue Hose.

For the Paladins, sophomore quarterback Trey Hedden went 24-of-40 through the air for 263 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Gavin Hall rushed for two touchdowns, as did Smith. On the defensive end, sophomore safety Billy Lewis picked off Presbyterian twice.