# 1988 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 1988 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Furman Paladins. The game was played on December 17, 1988, at Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Furman, 17–12.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1988 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

### Georgia Southern Eagles

Georgia Southern finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; one of their losses was to Florida State of Division I-A. Ranked second in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded second in the tournament, the Eagles defeated The Citadel, Stephen F. Austin, and Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the third appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1985 and 1986.

### Furman Paladins

Furman also finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (6–1 in conference); one of their losses was to Clemson of Division I-A. Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Paladins defeated Delaware, Marshall, and top-seed Idaho to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Furman in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost to Georgia Southern in 1985.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | GSC | FUR |
| 1 | 7:13 | 9 | 36 | 4:10 | GSC | 55-yard field goal by David Cool | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | 0:54 | 13 | 88 | 6:19 | FUR | Greg Key 19-yard touchdown reception from Frankie DeBusk, Glenn Connally kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | 1:09 | 8 | 50 | 3:06 | FUR | 36-yard field goal by Connally | 3 | 10 |
| 3 | 5:07 | 15 | 29 | 5:34 | GSC | 48-yard field goal by Cool | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | 0:38 | 9 | 80 | 4:29 | FUR | Dwight Sterling 5-yard touchdown run, Connally kick good | 6 | 17 |
| 4 | 12:24 | | | | GSC | Mark Giles returned blocked punt 30 yards for touchdown, 2-point pass incomplete | 12 | 17 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 12 | 17 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Paladins | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Statistics | GSC | FUR |
| First downs | 14 | 17 |
| Plays–yards | 69–198 | 65–355 |
| Rushes–yards | 52–134 | 54–231 |
| Passing yards | 64 | 124 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 5–17–2 | 7–11–1 |
| Time of possession | 26:51 | 33:09 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Georgia Southern | Passing | Raymond Gross | 5–17, 64 yds, 2 INT |
| Georgia Southern | Rushing | Joe Ross | 15 car, 58 yds |
| Georgia Southern | Receiving | Deryl Belser | 2 rec, 26 yds |
| Furman | Passing | Frankie DeBusk | 7–11, 124 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Furman | Rushing | Dwight Sterling | 12 car, 70 yds, 1 TD |
| Furman | Receiving | Donald Lipscomb | 3 rec, 53 yds |