East Stroudsburg Beats Kutztown For First Time Since 2013
November 2, 2026
East Stroudsburg took the lead over Kutztown late in the second quarter when Elijah Ford hauled in a 54-yard touchdown catch, making the score 13-7. The Warriors built a 22-10 lead early in the fourth quarter when the No. 3 Golden Bears came storming back to knot the game at 25 at the end of regulation. East Stroudsburg scored first in overtime, then their defense held Kutztown on four straight goal-to-go downs to win, 32-25. The victory snapped Kutztown’s 39-game regular season win streak, and it was also the Golden Bears first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division loss since 2022. The win moved ESU to No. 18 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Kutztown dropped to No. 11.
Kutztown’s loss produced a big shakeup in the poll from No. 3 on down. Ferris State still sits No. 1 after beating then-No. 9 Davenport, 23-14. The Panthers only fell three places to No. 12. Harding remains in the second spot after dominating Oklahoma Baptist, 48-10. CSU Pueblo, Minnesota State, Western Colorado and Slippery Rock get to move up one spot each to take positions, three through six, while Northwood jumped three places to No. 7. Northwest Missouri State upset previously undefeated and eighth-ranked Emporia State, 59-14, moving the Bearcats to No. 8 while the Hornets dropped to No. 15. Central Washington, who has won seven straight games since starting the season 0-2, moves up three to take the ninth spot.
Henderson State, Virginia State, and West Liberty all suffered upset losses and drop out of the poll, making room for Augustana (S.D.), Midwestern State and Wayne State (Neb.). The No. 22 Vikings and No. 25 Wildcats are returning to the poll after being ranked earlier this season, but No. 24 Midwestern State is making its first appearance since the preseason poll of 2022.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (29) 9-0 749 1 D. No. 9 Davenport, 23-14 Nov. 7 at Wayne St. (Mich.)
2 Harding 9-0 719 2 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 48-10 Nov. 7 vs. Southern Nazarene
3 CSU Pueblo 9-0 676 4 D. Black Hills St., 38-31 Nov. 7 at South Dakota Mines
4 Minnesota St. 9-0 663 5 D. Southwest Minnesota St., 44-9 Nov. 7 vs. No. 22 Augustana (S.D.)
5 Western Colorado 9-0 612 6 D. South Dakota Mines, 37-6 Nov. 7 vs. Colorado Mines
6 Slippery Rock (1) 9-0 599 7 D. Clarion, 48-14 Nov. 7 vs. Edinboro
7 Northwood 9-0 548 10 D. Ashland, 45-42 Nov. 7 at Thomas More
8 Northwest Missouri St. 7-1 538 11 D. No. 8 Emporia St., 59-14 Nov. 7 at Missouri Western
9 Central Washington 7-2 481 12 D. Eastern New Mexico, 49-20 Nov. 7 vs. Western New Mexico
10 Findlay 8-1 434 13 D. Thomas More, 49-0 Nov. 7 vs. Lake Erie
11 Kutztown 8-1 427 3 Lost to No. 24 East Stroudsburg, 32-25 OT Nov. 7 vs. Bloomsburg
12 Davenport 8-1 396 9 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 23-14 Nov. 7 at No. 14 Michigan Tech
13 Carson-Newman 8-1 393 14 D. Catawba, 41-7 Nov. 7 vs. Newberry
14 Michigan Tech 7-2 344 15 D. Saginaw Valley St., 27-20 Nov. 7 vs. No. 12 Davenport
15 Emporia St. 8-1 340 8 Lost to No. 11 Northwest Missouri St., 59-14 Nov. 7 vs. Washburn
16 North Greenville 8-1 301 16 D. Erskine, 45-10 Nov. 7 at No. 17 Valdosta St.
17 Valdosta St. 6-1 277 17 D. West Alabama, 28-24 Nov. 7 vs. No. 16 North Greenville
18 East Stroudsburg 8-1 255 24 D. No. 3 Kutztown, 32-25 OT Nov. 7 at Millersville
19 Virginia Union 8-1 235 19 D. Lincoln (Pa.), 62-0 Nov. 7 at Virginia St.
20 Benedict 8-1 201 21 D. Savannah St., 23-0 Nov. 7 vs. Central St.
21 Minnesota-Duluth 7-2 188 20 D. Jamestown, 50-3 Nov. 7 at Bemidji St.
22 Augustana (S.D.) 7-2 79 NR D. Northern St., 31-24 Nov. 7 at No. 4 Minnesota St.
23 Grand Valley St. 6-3 74 25 D. Roosevelt, 45-22 Nov. 7 vs. Northern Michigan
24 Midwestern St. 7-2 51 NR D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 37-14 Nov. 7 vs. UT Permian Basin
25 Wayne St. (Neb.) 7-2 40 NR D. Concordia-St. Paul, 54-14 Nov. 7 vs. Sioux Falls
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (18), Virginia St. (22), West Liberty (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 31; Ouachita Baptist, 26; Colorado Mines, 14; Central Missouri, 9; Johnson C. Smith, 9; Virginia St., 9; Northeastern St., 8; Washburn, 6; Indiana (Pa.), 5; UNC Pembroke, 4; West Liberty, 4; Assumption, 2; Southeastern Oklahoma, 2; Kentucky St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
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East Stroudsburg took the lead over Kutztown late in the second quarter when Elijah Ford hauled in a 54-yard touchdown catch, making the score 13-7. The Warriors built a 22-10 lead early in the fourth quarter when the No. 3 Golden Bears came storming back to knot the game at 25 at the end of regulation. East Stroudsburg scored first in overtime, then their defense held Kutztown on four straight goal-to-go downs to win, 32-25. The victory snapped Kutztown’s 39-game regular season win streak, and it was also the Golden Bears first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division loss since 2022. The win moved ESU to No. 18 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Kutztown dropped to No. 11.
Kutztown’s loss produced a big shakeup in the poll from No. 3 on down. Ferris State still sits No. 1 after beating then-No. 9 Davenport, 23-14. The Panthers only fell three places to No. 12. Harding remains in the second spot after dominating Oklahoma Baptist, 48-10. CSU Pueblo, Minnesota State, Western Colorado and Slippery Rock get to move up one spot each to take positions, three through six, while Northwood jumped three places to No. 7. Northwest Missouri State upset previously undefeated and eighth-ranked Emporia State, 59-14, moving the Bearcats to No. 8 while the Hornets dropped to No. 15. Central Washington, who has won seven straight games since starting the season 0-2, moves up three to take the ninth spot.
Henderson State, Virginia State, and West Liberty all suffered upset losses and drop out of the poll, making room for Augustana (S.D.), Midwestern State and Wayne State (Neb.). The No. 22 Vikings and No. 25 Wildcats are returning to the poll after being ranked earlier this season, but No. 24 Midwestern State is making its first appearance since the preseason poll of 2022.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (29) | 9-0 | 749 | 1 | D. No. 9 Davenport, 23-14 | Nov. 7 at Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 2 | Harding | 9-0 | 719 | 2 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 48-10 | Nov. 7 vs. Southern Nazarene | |
| 3 | CSU Pueblo | 9-0 | 676 | 4 | D. Black Hills St., 38-31 | Nov. 7 at South Dakota Mines | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 9-0 | 663 | 5 | D. Southwest Minnesota St., 44-9 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 22 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 5 | Western Colorado | 9-0 | 612 | 6 | D. South Dakota Mines, 37-6 | Nov. 7 vs. Colorado Mines | |
| 6 | Slippery Rock (1) | 9-0 | 599 | 7 | D. Clarion, 48-14 | Nov. 7 vs. Edinboro | |
| 7 | Northwood | 9-0 | 548 | 10 | D. Ashland, 45-42 | Nov. 7 at Thomas More | |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 7-1 | 538 | 11 | D. No. 8 Emporia St., 59-14 | Nov. 7 at Missouri Western | |
| 9 | Central Washington | 7-2 | 481 | 12 | D. Eastern New Mexico, 49-20 | Nov. 7 vs. Western New Mexico | |
| 10 | Findlay | 8-1 | 434 | 13 | D. Thomas More, 49-0 | Nov. 7 vs. Lake Erie | |
| 11 | Kutztown | 8-1 | 427 | 3 | Lost to No. 24 East Stroudsburg, 32-25 OT | Nov. 7 vs. Bloomsburg | |
| 12 | Davenport | 8-1 | 396 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 23-14 | Nov. 7 at No. 14 Michigan Tech | |
| 13 | Carson-Newman | 8-1 | 393 | 14 | D. Catawba, 41-7 | Nov. 7 vs. Newberry | |
| 14 | Michigan Tech | 7-2 | 344 | 15 | D. Saginaw Valley St., 27-20 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 12 Davenport | |
| 15 | Emporia St. | 8-1 | 340 | 8 | Lost to No. 11 Northwest Missouri St., 59-14 | Nov. 7 vs. Washburn | |
| 16 | North Greenville | 8-1 | 301 | 16 | D. Erskine, 45-10 | Nov. 7 at No. 17 Valdosta St. | |
| 17 | Valdosta St. | 6-1 | 277 | 17 | D. West Alabama, 28-24 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 16 North Greenville | |
| 18 | East Stroudsburg | 8-1 | 255 | 24 | D. No. 3 Kutztown, 32-25 OT | Nov. 7 at Millersville | |
| 19 | Virginia Union | 8-1 | 235 | 19 | D. Lincoln (Pa.), 62-0 | Nov. 7 at Virginia St. | |
| 20 | Benedict | 8-1 | 201 | 21 | D. Savannah St., 23-0 | Nov. 7 vs. Central St. | |
| 21 | Minnesota-Duluth | 7-2 | 188 | 20 | D. Jamestown, 50-3 | Nov. 7 at Bemidji St. | |
| 22 | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-2 | 79 | NR | D. Northern St., 31-24 | Nov. 7 at No. 4 Minnesota St. | |
| 23 | Grand Valley St. | 6-3 | 74 | 25 | D. Roosevelt, 45-22 | Nov. 7 vs. Northern Michigan | |
| 24 | Midwestern St. | 7-2 | 51 | NR | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 37-14 | Nov. 7 vs. UT Permian Basin | |
| 25 | Wayne St. (Neb.) | 7-2 | 40 | NR | D. Concordia-St. Paul, 54-14 | Nov. 7 vs. Sioux Falls |
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (18), Virginia St. (22), West Liberty (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 31; Ouachita Baptist, 26; Colorado Mines, 14; Central Missouri, 9; Johnson C. Smith, 9; Virginia St., 9; Northeastern St., 8; Washburn, 6; Indiana (Pa.), 5; UNC Pembroke, 4; West Liberty, 4; Assumption, 2; Southeastern Oklahoma, 2; Kentucky St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
