EAST STROUDSBURG -- The East Stroudsburg University football team seeks to extend its winning streak to three and upend Kutztown for the first time since 2013 on Saturday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium. The Warriors (3-1, 1-0 PSAC East) and Golden Bears (3-1, 1-0 PSAC East) are set to kickoff at 12:05 p.m.

How To Follow

• Fans will be allowed at Andre Reed Stadium it is strongly recommended that non-vaccinated spectators wear a mask or face covering. Masks or face coverings are currently mandated indoors campus-wide when in a group gathering.
• Stream: The game will be broadcasted on the PSAC Sports Digital Network. The PSAC Sports Digital Network is available on the web, along with streaming applications for television and mobile devices for Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku (TV), iOS, Android (mobile) and Amazon Fire Tablet. Search "PSAC Sports Digital Network" to download the app.
• Radio: Bigfoot Country 103.1 FM 840 AM enters its 56th year broadcasting Warriors' football. Chuck Seese (pxp) and Bob Brittain (color) are on the call for every home and away game on the radio dials and online.
• Live stats are available here

The Series

• The Warriors lead the all-time series against KU, 44-23.
• The Golden Bears have won six consecutive matchups against the Warriors, dating back to 2014.
• During the 68th meeting between the schools in 2019, No. 21 Kutztown built a 21-0 first quarter lead, en route to a 35-6 halftime lead. ESU was able to put together one scoring drive during the second half, for the final score of 35-13.

Last Time Out

• The Warriors built a 21-7 lead over Lock Haven in the first quarter, but the scrappy Bald Eagles would score a pair of late first half touchdowns to make it a 10-point game at halftime by a score of 31-21. The Warriors' dense would shutout LHU in the second half, as Matt DeLaurentis would throw for 276 yards and four touchdowns in his second career start.
• DeLaurentis would lead a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter for the final score of 45-21.
• Rece Bender set an ESU school record with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown during the first quarter.

Runnin' and Gunnin': Gunner Anglovich is tied for the PSAC lead in rushing with Gannon's Melvin Banks (29th nationally), averaging 98 yards per game. He currently ranks fifth in all-purpose yards per game in the conference, posting 131.50 yards (rushing + receiving) per contest. He has reached triple digits in yards from scrimmage in three of four contests this season. He looks to become the first Warrior to lead the PSAC in rushing since all-time ESU rushing leader Robert Healy ran for 116.3 yards per game as a redshirt-senior in 2016.  

Stout D: Despite a historically rich tradition of offense, it's been the Warriors' defense that has led ESU to a successful start to the 2021 season. The Warriors rank 10th nationally in 3rd down conversion percentage (23.9%), 46th in red zone defense (60.0 %), 38th in rushing defense (104.3 ypg), 18th in scoring defense (16.0 ppg), 14th in team sacks (3.75 per game) and 38th in total defense (303.0).  

My Dear Watson: Tyler Watson has made his presence felt from the free safety position, collecting an interception and forcing a pair of fumbles through the first three games of the 2021 campaign. Watson, a captain, ranks 20th in the country and ranks second in the PSAC in passes defended, averaging 1.5 passes defended per contest. He's tied for the team lead with Aiden Hayward with two forced fumbles this season, which is tied for 21st in DII.

Rece'ing to the End Zone: Rece Bender set a program record with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown against Lock Haven during the first quarter last Saturday. The return bested previous Warrior marks of 98 yards, set in 1956 by Dick Merring against Mansfield and matched in 1998 by Matt Kacanda against Bloomsburg. The kick return touchdown was the second of his career, previously bringing back a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown against Clarion in the 2019 finale. He is now the owner of two of the five longest kickoff returns in ESU history. Both the PSAC and D2Football.com named Bender as their Special Teams Player of the Week.  

Taking Care of The Rock

• The Warriors are one of just six teams (out of 163) in Division II to not throw an interception this season and have not thrown an interception in exactly 700 days, dating back to Nov. 2, 2019 against Shepherd. The streak spans six entire games, parts of seven games, 25 quarters and 175 attempted passes. Among Division II teams, ESU's 113 attempts are the most of any team that have not thrown an interception this year.

• Of the six DII teams to not throw an interception this season, ESU has the longest streak in terms of attempted passes, with 175. Harding is the only team to not throw an interception during the past 700 days at the Division II level, with their last pick coming on Sept. 5, 2019. The Bison are a run-heavy team, only attempting 34 passes since the first week of the 2019 season and 16 passes this season.
• Five players have attempted passes for ESU since its last interception (Jake Cirillo, Ben Moser and Matt DeLaurentis, Jacob Keane and Aaron Tobias).
  During that span, Cirillo (74 att.), Moser (32 att.) and DeLaurentis (66 att.), Keane (1-1) and Tobias (0-2) have completed 98-175 passes for 11 touchdowns.
• The Warriors have turned over the ball just twice this season, both on fumbles from the quarterback position.
• As a result, the Warriors are tied for 6th in the country in turnovers lost and 17th in turnover margin.

• 211, Matt Soltes, 2013
• 170, Jimmy Terwilliger, 2005-06
• 137, Matt Soltes, 2015
• 136, Jimmy Terwilliger, 2003
• 121, Damian Poalucci, 1997
• 119, Jeremy Palm, 2001-02
• 74, Jake Cirillo, 2019-21
• 67, Matt DeLaurentis, 2019-21

•  Deshawn McCarthy has caused headaches in the opponent's backfield all season, ranking seventh in the country and second in the PSAC with 1.50 sacks per game. He also ranks 12th in the country in tackles for loss, with 2.0 per contest. His six sacks this season match his ESU leading mark in 2019. He is on pace to set the ESU single season sack record, with Joe Ruedt and Des Hussey each recording 15 sacks in 1992 and 1991, respectively.
• His four sacks against Pace are the most by a Warrior since 2001, and is tied for the third most sacks in a single game in program history.
• Only Notre Dame's (Ohio) Noah Harris-Lyles has recorded more sacks in a game this season at the DII level, with 4.5 against West Virginia State last week.

• The Golden Bears (3-1, 1-0) are coming off an emotional 37-29 win at No. 10 Shepherd. Despite the top-10 victory, Kutztown is receiving votes, but are unranked in the AFCA and D2Football.com polls.
• KU's loss came at PSAC West foe and then No. 15 IUP, 29-26.
• KU shutout Assumption 19-0 in the season opener and defeated Seton Hill, 14-3.
• Defensively, the Golden Bears excel at stopping the run, allowing just 67.2 yards of rushing per contest. The KU defense, like ESU, is ranked in the top 20 of DII in scoring defense, allowing 15.2 points per contest.
• The Golden Bears spread the ball around, in terms of rushing and receiving. Seven different players recorded at least three rushing attempts and eight Golden Bears pulled in a pass against Shepherd.   
• Antaun Lloyd was named the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week after ecording an interception against Harlon Hill candidate Tyler Bagent., along with returning a a blocked field goal attempt 87 yards for a touchdown.