Three Furman Players to Know Ahead of Saturday's Matchup vs. Tennessee

We are now just three days away from Tennessee’s first game of its 2026 season against Furman. While Tennessee is the heavy favorite, Furman should not be overlooked. The Paladins are 1-0 after winning last week and showed a lot of potential in the game. Here are three players from Furman that you need to know ahead of the matchup.

Three Furman Players to Know

Furman University running back Ben Croasdale (25) scores against Anderson University Trojans during the first half at Paladin Stadium in Greenville, S.C. Thursday, August 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jake Garcia

Furman played Elon in the first round of the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship at Paladin Stadium in Greenville on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. This Is action in the second half of the game. Furman's Head Coach Clay Hendrix on the field. Pgre Furman Elon33 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While Garcia did not have a great game in Furman’s 20-3 win, that does not mean he is not dangerous. Garcia went 15-for-28 passing for 153 yards with an interception in the victory. He started his career at Miami and has made stops at Missouri, Coastal Carolina, and Michigan before he ended up with the Paladins. Being a four-star recruit coming out of high school, he has not lived up to his projections coming out of high school, but he has still shown signs that he can be dangerous. With his experience, Tennessee needs to not look past his arm, which made him such a sought-after recruit.

Eli Lipscomb

Lipscomb transferred in from division two program Wingate ahead of this season. The safety totaled 33 tackles, with 9.5 of them coming for a loss, two forced fumbles, and two recovered fumbles last season as a freshman. In his first game with Furman last week, he totaled six tackles, three of which came for a loss, including one of them being a sack. He also recovered a fumble. With it being Faizon Brandon’s first game, he needs to be careful of the safety, as the sophomore could take advantage of the young quarterback’s inexperience.

Ben Croasdale

Croasdale is a rare commodity. A fifth-year senior, he has played all five years of his college career with the Paladins. He barely appeared in his first three seasons with Furman. Last year, he finally broke out, playing in all 12 games and making four starts. He rushed for 320 yards and two touchdowns last season. Even though those are not crazy stats, it should also be noted that he did not get much playing time until late in the year. In Furman’s first game of its 2026 season, he had 11 carries for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Croasdale, sophomore CJ Nettles, and fellow fifth-year senior CJ Stokes combine for a very dangerous running back trio that Tennessee needs to be aware of.

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