Golden Bears favored in PSAC East Preseason Football Poll

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- The three-time defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion Kutztown University football team was selected as the unanimous favorite to claim another Eastern Division crown when the league office announced its 2026 Preseason Polls, Thursday afternoon.

Kutztown received a maximum six first-place votes and tops the PSAC East Preseason Poll, voted upon by the league's coaches, for a third consecutive season.

The Golden Bears are coming off the best season in program history in 2025 with a 14-1 record, 14 consecutive victories, third straight PSAC East crown, third straight PSAC Championship game victory, second Super Region 1 title and a third-place final ranking in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) led an offense that topped the PSAC in scoring and ranked fifth in the nation at 43.0 points per game. The 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy national finalist set new career-highs across the board with 215 completions, 3,070 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns and just one interception. He also ran for 547 yards and seven TDs.

As a team, Kutztown established new single-season records with 645 points, 3,284 rushing yards and 50 rushing TDs. Fifth-year senior running back Steven Burkhardt (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) is coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career with 1,106 yards and nine TDs. Backfield mate Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) racked up 664 yards, a team-best 73.78 rushing yards per game (nine games) and tied for the team lead with 11 rushing TDs. Tight end/fullback Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) also rushed for 11 scores.

Defensively, the Maroon and Gold allowed just 7.2 points per game and posted three shutouts through nine games. The Bears went on to lead the PSAC and finish second in NCAA DII with 14.1 points allowed per game following their run to the NCAA DII national semifinals, the sixth consecutive season the KU defense has allowed fewer than 20 ppg dating back to 2019.

Following Kutztown in the PSAC East Preseason Poll are East Stroudsburg and Shepherd. West Chester and Bloomsburg completed the top five, with Shippensburg and Millersville rounding out the poll. Lackawanna, which is beginning its transition to NCAA DII, will play a PSAC schedule in 2026 but will not count as a conference opponent.

IUP, which fell to Kutztown in the 2025 PSAC Championship game, claimed the top spot in the PSAC West Preseason Poll. Slippery Rock ranked second ahead of California (Pa.), Edinboro, Clarion, Seton Hill, Lock Haven and Gannon.

Kutztown travels to Assumption Thursday, Sept. 3, to kick off the 2026 season at 6 p.m.