EAST STROUDSBURG – For the second consecutive season, the East Stroudsburg University football team heard its name called during the NCAA Selection Show and is headed to California (Pa.) for the NCAA playoffs first-round matchup against the Vulcans. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Adamson Stadium.

How to Follow

• The game will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+, which requires a subscription.
• Audio coverage will be provided by Bigfoot Country Poconos on 96.7-97.3 FM and bigfootpoconos.com, featuring Chuck Seese and Bob Brittain calling the action from Adamson Stadium. Live stats will be available at esuwarriors.com/coverage, and fans can follow @ESUWarriors on X for real-time updates.
• Tickets are only available at the gate at Adamson Stadium. No presale or digital purchases are available.

The Foe

• The Vulcans enter the contest with an 8-2 record, with both losses coming to the top seeds in the region, Charleston (23-19) and Kutztown (21-14), by seven points or fewer. Cal fell 21-14 to undefeated and No. 3 Kutztown in the PSAC championship last week at Adamson Stadium.
• It will be the Vulcans' fifth consecutive home game. They closed the regular season with three wins at Adamson Stadium and served as the host site for the PSAC championship as the top seed in the PSAC West.
• Cal ranks fourth in the conference in total offense and sixth in total defense. Led by PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year quarterback Davis Black and All-PSAC West First Team selections running back Bobby Boyd Jr. and Eric Willis III, the Vulcans eat up possession, leading the conference and ranking 10th nationally with nearly 33 minutes per contest.
• Black ranks third in the conference in scoring, using his arm to toss 17 touchdowns while also rushing for nine as a mobile quarterback. He makes smart decisions, throwing just three interceptions on 288 attempts. After tossing a pair of interceptions in the season opener against Charleston, Black has thrown just one interception over his past 251 attempts. He has rushed for at least one touchdown in each of the past four games, including two against Kutztown last week.

Series History

• It will be the 11th meeting between the two foes, splitting the previous two meetings the past two regular seasons.
• The Vulcans hold a one-game lead in the all-time series at 5-4-1.
• ESU snapped a five-game losing streak to Cal last season with a 37-30 Senior Day triumph that helped send the Warriors to the NCAA playoffs.
• In the most recent matchup, ESU held a 21-10 lead late in the third quarter, but Cal tied the game at 27-27 with six minutes remaining. ESU fumbled on its next possession, but on Cal's ensuing drive, defensive lineman Daryn Blackwell came up with an interception after a deflection by Deshawn McCarthy with 3:50 remaining. On the first play of the drive, Charlie McKee found Evan Roche for an 80-yard touchdown to take a 34-27 lead with 3:37 left. Khalil Scott then picked off Black to end a potential game-tying drive. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty helped set up a 41-yard field goal by Devin Bartholomew with 30 seconds remaining, extending the lead to two possessions. Anthony Beitko booted a 39-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession contest, but ESU recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
• The Warriors are 1-3-1 on the road against Cal, earning a victory in 1993 with a 9-6 win. The teams tied for the PSAC championship in the first-ever meeting in 1968 (28-28).

Revisiting Clarion

• Trailing 19-14 in the fourth quarter, East Stroudsburg University redshirt junior quarterback Sean McTaggart connected with redshirt freshman fullback Matt Frame for a 12-yard go-ahead touchdown, and the Warrior defense made a late stop to secure a 22-19 victory over Clarion on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
• ESU held a 14-0 lead in the first half, but Clarion scored 19 unanswered points to take a 19-14 lead in the fourth quarter. McTaggart responded with a touchdown pass to Frame, giving the Warriors a 22-19 lead. Clarion regained possession with 1:50 remaining, aiming to tie or win on Senior Day. The Golden Eagles advanced to their 38-yard line after two Warrior penalties, but Terrell Reynolds sealed the game with a sack as time expired.

NCAA Playoff History

• The Warriors head to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the sixth time in program history, marking just the second time in program history that ESU has earned berths in back-to-back seasons (2004-05).
• ESU looks to snap a four-game losing streak in the playoffs, with Jimmy Terwilliger leading ESU as the quarterback in all four of its wins in 2004 and 2005. The Warriors last earned a win on Nov. 26, 2005, against C.W. Post to reach the NCAA semifinals for the first time in program history.

ESU NCAA Playoff History

ALL-PSAC

• The Warriors tied No. 3 Kutztown with the most All-PSAC selections in the conference with 15 honorees. It's the second-most selections by ESU in program history, with the 1968 team earning 16 All-Conference nods.
• Landing a spot on the All-PSAC East First Team were: Tyriq Lewis (RB), Tahir Mills (RB), Raymond Christas (C), Ty Quintois (PK), Everette Dingle (DB)
• Warriors earning Second Team honors include: Guy Gilyard (OT), Kyler Wuestner (OG), Beau Heyser (TE), John Siggins (WR), Justin Cook (RS), Lucas Skelley (DL), Jake Williamson (DL), Raymond Simmons IV (LB), Malachi Bowman (DB), Adam Noll (P)

Sean McTaggart: Mr. Efficiency

Quarterback Sean McTaggart continues to be a force in the PSAC, completing 65% of his passes with 24 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He leads the PSAC in passing efficiency (167.7) and is 12th nationally in the category. McTaggart is second in the conference in passing touchdowns and first in points responsible for, ranking fourth in passing yards per game and fourth in yards per completion. Under his leadership, the Warriors rank first in the PSAC in scoring (35.4 points per game), total offense (421.0 yards per game), third-down conversion percentage (51.6%, sixth nationally), fourth-down conversion percentage (78.6%, second nationally), first downs (235, 22nd nationally), and turnovers lost (7, seventh nationally). He enters the playoffs with a current single-season school-record 65.3% completion percentage, which would unseat head coach Jimmy Terwilliger’s mark of 64.2% set in 2006.

TNT

Tahir Mills and Tyriq Lewis form one of the country’s most productive backfields, combining for 1,630 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns over 11 games. The All-PSAC East First Team running backs average 5.9 yards per carry on 274 attempts in 2024. Combined, they would rank third nationally in rushing yards, trailing only Charleston’s Chavon Wright (2,007 yards) and Virginia Union’s Jada Byers (1,670 yards). ESU leads the PSAC in rushing with 202.4 yards per game, ranking 15th nationally.

TL2K

Lewis continues to rise up ESU’s all-time rushing charts, entering the playoff game ranked sixth and needing just 71 yards to move into fourth place all-time. The Downingtown native has surpassed 100 rushing yards in three games this season.

ESU Career Rushing Leaders

Cobra Ty

Fresh off being named to the All-PSAC East First Team, Ty Quintois ranks second in the PSAC in field goal percentage and field goals made per game. He leads the league in points scored, converting 11 of 15 field goal attempts and 45 of 46 extra-point opportunities. Quintois also handles kickoff duties, recording 19 touchbacks this season.

Let Justin Cook

Justin Cook continues to excel as one of ESU’s top kickoff returners, with three career touchdowns, including a 99-yard return against Millersville this season. Cook ranks third all-time at ESU with 1,544 kickoff return yards and is within 465 yards of the school record.

ESU Career Kickoff Return Yards Leaders

Up Next

The winner between the Warriors and Vulcans will advance to the NCAA second round. ESU or Cal will play the winner of No. 2 seed Charleston and Ashland on Saturday, Nov. 30.