Updated

There's no easy opponent sandwiched between the Furman football team's Southern Conference games against Appalachian State and Georgia Southern in 2013.

Between those difficult games is an even tougher game, a visit to Death Valley to take on LSU.

The stretch of games is part of a 12-game schedule announced by Furman on Thursday.

The Oct. 26 game against LSU is the first-ever meeting between the programs. Furman also will play non-conference games against three Big South schools, at Gardner-Webb (Aug. 31) and Coastal Carolina (Sept. 7) and against Presbyterian (Sept. 14) at home.

Within the SoCon, Furman will host Elon (Oct. 5), Appalachian State (Oct. 19), Samford (Nov. 9) on Homecoming and Wofford (Nov. 23). The Paladins hold a 51-28-7 lead in the series against Wofford, which began in 1889 and is the oldest in state history.

Furman will play SoCon games at The Citadel (Sept. 28), Chattanooga (Oct. 12), Georgia Southern (Nov. 2) and Western Carolina (Nov. 16).

The Paladins are coming off a 3-8 record in coach Bruce Fowler's second season.

2013 FURMAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 31, at Gardner-Webb

Sept. 7, at Coastal Carolina

Sept. 14, Presbyterian

Sept. 28, at The Citadel*

Oct. 5, Elon*

Oct. 12, at Chattanooga*

Oct. 19, Appalachian State*

Oct. 26, at LSU

Nov. 2, at Georgia Southern*

Nov. 9 Samford* (Homecoming)

Nov. 16, at Western Carolina*

Nov. 23, Wofford*

* - Southern Conference game