EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Riding a four-game winning streak and standing at 6-1, the ESU football team was ranked third in the Super Region 1 NPI Rankings and received votes in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.
 
The NCAA switched from using committees and selection criteria to the NCAA Power Index (NPI), beginning this year. New NPI rankings are released following each week of games on Sundays up until the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 15. ESU's initial NPI value is 59.375, only trailing Slippery Rock and Kutztown, while ahead of Virginia State, West Liberty, Indiana (Pa.), Virginia Union, and Johnson C. Smith. The Warriors' lone loss of the season was to Slippery Rock, which is ranked first in all of Division II in NPI.
 
In the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Poll, the Warriors received votes once again last week, but made a significant jump to just outside the top 25 this week. ESU earned 14 votes after defeating Shippensburg, 47-7, receiving the fifth-most of teams outside the top 25. The Warriors jumped Shepherd, who was just outside the rankings before this week, and are behind No. 3 Kutztown, No. 7 Slippery Rock, and Indiana (Pa.).
 
The Warriors have an important two-week stretch coming up for their NPI rating, taking on No. 50 Shepherd and No. 8 Kutztown in back-to-back games. ESU hosts the Rams at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Eiler-Martin Stadium.