Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/79115
2012 FURMAN PALADINS p FOOTBALL Playoff Game Summaries 1988 NCAA I-AA National Championship — Furman 17, Georgia Southern 12 December 17, 1988, Milton Holt Arena, Attendance: 9,714 and picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference, the Furman Paladins capped the greatest season in school football history by downing Georgia Southern, 17-12, on national television to win the 1988 NCAA I-AA national championship. With memories of the 44-42 loss to the Eagles in the POCATELLO, IDAHO — Nowhere in the pre-season Top 20 championship. 1985 championship game on the minds of many, Furman, and in particular the Paladin defense, saw to it that there would be no miracle comeback for Georgia Southern this time around. An interception by Jeff Blankenship in the game's final seconds made sure of it, as did the Paladins' control of the line of scrimmage, as Furman effectively shut down one of the nation's leading ground games, limiting Georgia Southern to just 134 yards rushing and 198 total yards. Despite being outclassed on both sides of the football, the Eagles hung tough with superior special teams play, which nearly delivered to Georgia Southern a third national championship in four years. Furman went to the air with success on the game's first play. Disguising an option to the right side, Paladin quarterback Frankie DeBusk rolled back at the last second and hit a wide open Donald Lipscomb for a 48-yard gain to the Eagle 32 Three players later, however, the Paladins turned it over when tailback John Bagwell fumbled while attempting a simple shift of the football in his arms. Starting at its 27, Georgia Southern moved 36 yards in Furman turned the tables on Georgia Southern in 1988 with a 17-12 win over the Eagles to claim the NCAA I-AA national championship. nine plays to the Furman 37. From there the Eagles got on the board first when David Cool split the uprights from 55 yards out to put Georgia Southern ahead 3-0 with 7:13 to go in the first quarter. On its second possession, Furman flexed its offensive muscle with strong running and timely passing en route to its first score. Moving 88 yards in 13 plays, the Paladins proved they could handle the Eagles up front. A 19-yard strike from Frankie DeBusk to tight end Greg Key and Glen Connally's PAT gave the Paladins a 7-3 lead with 0:54 to go in the opening period. Early in the second quarter the Paladins failed to convert behind the running of fullback Dwight Sterling and tailback John Bagwell. A 24-yard run by Sterling on the drive's second play carried the Paladins to their 49. From there Furman turned primarily to Bagwell, who on three carries netted 31 yards. From the Eagle 8, the Paladins called Sterling's number twice, and on his second attempt, behind a solid block from center Steve Duggan, he scored on a 5-yard dive up the middle. The PAT with 0:38 to go in the quarter increased Furman's lead to 17-6. What appeared to be a safe lead with the nation's best Furman answered the Eagle score by marching 80 yards on two excellent scoring opportunities. Following a Jeff Blanken- ship interception at the Georgia Southern 13, Furman turned to tailback Bobby Daugherty, who promptly ripped 11 yards out of the heart of Southern's defense. The Paladins would get no closer, however, as Furman lost 11 yards on the next two plays and then suffered its second turnover when Frankie DeBusk's pass was picked off in the end zone by the Eagles' Kevin Whitley. Thanks to solid defensive work, including a tackle by Dean defense was quickly placed in jeopardy early in the fourth quarter when the Eagles' Mark Giles blocked a Bruce Leicht punt and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 12:24 to go. Georgia Southern's critical two-point conversion pass failed, but Furman's lead was only 17-12. With momentum, Georgia Southern stuffed Furman on GA. SOUTHERN ..........3 FURMAN ...................7 0 3 3 7 6 — 12 0 — 17 GS — David Cool 55 FG 7:13-1Q F — Greg Key 19 pass from Frankie DeBusk (Glen Connally kick) 9:54-1Q GS — David Cool 48 FG 5:07-3Q F — Dwight Sterling 5 run (Glen Connally kick) 0:38-3Q F — Glen Connally 36FG 1:09-2Q GS — Mark Giles 30 return of blocked punt (pass failed) 12:24-4Q Williams for a loss of seven yards and a short Eagle punt, Furman opened its next drive at the Georgia Southern 42. Using an 8-yard run by Dwight Sterling and a 22-yard burst by Daugherty, the Paladins advanced to the Eagle 9, but Georgia Southern's defense again stiffened and turned the Paladins away when the Eagles' Mark Giles blocked Glen Connally's 27-yard field goal attempt. After Georgia Southern missed a 48-yard field goal try, Furman was able to stretch its lead to 10-3 with a 36-yard field goal by Glen Connally with barely over a minute remaining in the first half. There were only three possessions in the third stanza and two of them netted points. On its first series of the second half, Georgia Southern used 16 plays to move just 29 yards, but that was good enough for placekicker David Cool, who knocked home his second field goal of the contest, this time from 48 yards out to cut Furman's lead to 10-6 at the 5:07 juncture. 154 its next two possessions and took over at the Paladin 40 with 7:14 to go following a short punt. Moving in for what looked like the go-ahead score, the Eagles, who in 1985 made all the key plays down the stretch in a win over Furman, committed a huge mistake when quarterback Raymond Gross failed to tuck the ball away on an option keeper. Hit by defensive end Kelly Fletcher, Gross watched the ball squirt loose and Furman's Wade Sexton recover it at the 2-yard line. Its life again spared by its defense, Furman turned to its offense to work out the hole. In two plays the Paladin front cleared the way for fullback Billy Stockdale, who reeled off runs of 11 and 17 yards to Furman 30. From the 38, Bruce Leicht came through with his biggest punt of the game, a 48-yarder to the Eagle 14. With the clock winding down, Georgia Southern turned to Rushing: F — Sterling 12-70, Bagwell 14-67, Daugherty 8-61, Stockdale 8-44. GS — Ross 15-58, Gross 27-50, Johnson 4-14, Thompson 3-4. Passing: F — DeBusk 7-11-1-124. GS — Gross 5-17-2- 64. Receiving: F — Lipscomb 3-58, Swilling 1-26, Key 1-19, Bagwell 1-14. GS — Belser 2-26, Worsham 2-25, Johnson 1-13. Defense: F — Blankenship 13, Kendrick 12, Fletcher 11. GS — Smith 15, Alford 14, Sharpe 12. the air, but there to stop him was a Furman defense that smelled victory. After an exchange of possessions, the Eagles got one last chance, but All-America linebacker Jeff Blankenship slammed the door by stepping in front of a Raymond Gross pass at the Eagle 33 to preserve the win and give Furman its first national First Downs ...........................................17..................... 14 Rushing ........................................ 54-231..............52-134 Passing ...............................................124..................... 64 C/A/I ..............................................7-11-1...............5-17-2 Total Offense .......................................335................... 198 Fumbles-Lost ...................................... 2-1....................5-1 Penalties ........................................... 5-34..................3-27 Punts ............................................. 5-32.2...............4-47.3 Possession Time ...............................33:09................ 26:51 Third Down Conversions .................... 3-13..................3-16 Sacks By-Yards .................................. 4-19..................3-13 FUR GSU Notes: Freshman nose guard Allen Edwards was brilliant in the second start of his career, recording five tackles and a hit- for-loss against two-time Eagle All-America Dennis Franklin. Approximately 800 Furman fans accompanied the team on the over 2,000-mile trip to Pocatello. The national championship was the first by a Southern Conference team. On Jan. 16, 1989, Greenville honored the national championship Paladins with a parade in downtown Greenville that was attended by ap- proximately 20,000 people, including Governor Carroll Campbell, former governor Richard Riley, and United States Senator Strom Thurmond. On Feb. 15, 1989, Furman's national championship team was honored by a joint session of the South Carolina General Assembly and by visiting President George Bush.