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Week 13 of the 2024 IFL season has arrived, and two teams head into their bye this week, as seven games span over the case of an action-packed Saturday. The first game of the week kicks off at 12:05 p.m. CT.
Kicking off Week 13, the Green Bay Blizzard (8-2) take on the Massachusetts Pirates (6-4) in their second and final matchup of the regular season. Massachusetts holds a 1-0 series.
Entering the week on a four-game winning streak, the Green Bay Blizzard has been one of the hottest teams in the league. In those four wins, they’ve combined for 227 points while surrendering just 136 points. On average through that four-game span, Green Bay is scoring 56.8 points and allowing just 34. The Blizzard also remains the top team in the league in sacks, totaling 16 through 10 games for a loss of 131 yards. The next-highest team has 14 sacks for 71 yards. This Green Bay pass rush is the best in the league at their craft. Against a Pirates offense that’s been in a funk lately, the Blizzard defense looks to cause chaos and bring Green Bay to their fifth win in a row.
Massachusetts comes into this week looking to knock the Blizzard off their winning streak as they aim to bounce back from their loss in Week 12. The Pirates’ offense has been plagued with injuries at the quarterback position, as they’ve been in a bit of a slump recently. In their last four games, they’ve averaged 36.3 points per game, which ranks as the third-lowest-scoring team in the IFL. On defense, they’re among one of the best units in the league, holding teams to just 38.1 points per game and 187.1 yards per game. In a game featuring two top-of-the-line defenses, the Pirates’ offense must find ways to score to come away with the win at home this week.
Kicking off the early evening slate of games, the Frisco Fighters (8-2) face off against the Quad City Steamwheelers (4-5). These two teams met earlier in the season, and Frisco won 57-34. This week, Frisco looks to win their third in a row while the Steamwheelers try to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Blizzard.
Following back-to-back wins for the Fighters, a three-game winning streak is at stake in this Western Conference matchup. TJ Edwards returned to action last week, as he was injured for a few games. Tripp Harrington stepped in, winning three of four games in relief of the injured Edwards. Defensively, the Fighters lead the league in fumble recoveries, making them an opponent where ball security becomes even more important. Owning a 1-0 record against the Steamwheelers this season, Frisco looks to make it 2-0 after a win on Saturday evening.
The Steamwheelers have won three of their last four games as they aim to bounce back from last week’s loss to Green Bay. Before they met with the Blizzard, Quad City had a five-game streak of scoring over 50 points, but that ended in Week 12, as the Steamwheelers only managed to put up 36 points. Mike Irwin and Judd Erickson both got playing time last week as the Steamwheelers experimented with different looks to see what could spark their offense. Facing off against a strong team in Frisco, whichever quarterback suits up must find a way to return to their 50-point performances to come away with the victory on Saturday.
San Antonio comes into this week with extra preparation and rest, as the team had a bye in Week 12. Their last game resulted in a loss to the Panthers, so with an extra week to let that loss sink in, the Gunslingers hope to bounce back this week against the Gladiators. With one fewer game than the two quarterbacks trailing him, Sam Castronova remains the league’s top passer, totaling nearly 2,000 passing yards and 49 touchdowns off 68% completion through nine games. For the Gunslingers, their Achilles heel is the frequency they allow opponents to score at. Through nine games, they allow over 53 points per game, making them the league’s most-scored-on defense in the league. To come away with the victory this week, the Gunslingers’ offense must return to form against a Gladiators team that’s fresh off their first victory of the season.
Following an eight-game losing streak to start their season, the Duke City Gladiators are no longer the only winless team in the league after taking down Tucson last week. The Gladiators went back to quarterback Javin Kilgo, as he impressed in his return to the field. Kilgo completed 18/28 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns. The last time these teams played, Duke City scored over 50 points for the first time this season, and against a porous defense like San Antonio’s, the momentum of their first win could carry them to a second win in a row.
In the last game of the early evening slate, the Tulsa Oilers (3-7) and Jacksonville Sharks (1-8) face off for an Eastern Conference battle. This is the second time these two teams meet, as Jacksonville holds a 1-0 record this season.
Tulsa comes into this week following five straight losses, as they hope to break that streak with a win against the Sharks on Saturday. The Oilers have been in a slump offensively, as they have yet to get close to reaching their 72-point performance from Week Seven. Since then, they’ve only surpassed 40 points twice while scoring under 25 points twice. To reign victorious this week, their offense must find the spark they’ve been looking for since Week Seven.
Entering the week on a three-game losing streak, the Jacksonville Sharks hope to bring the series record to 2-0 after a win on Saturday. The Sharks trotted out a new quarterback last week, N’Kosi Perry, as Jacksonville looks for answers offensively. Perry completed 7/16 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown, and as a dual threat, Perry added 104 yards and two touchdowns with his legs. With an extra week of practice to build chemistry with his teammates, Perry could be the answer moving forward. Tulsa’s defense allows one of the lowest amount of points per week, so this will be a test for the Sharks’ new look on offense.
Kicking off at 7:05 p.m. CT, the Vegas Knight Hawks (7-2) take on the Sioux Falls Storm (2-7) in a cross-conference matchup. The Knight Hawks have faced upset losses in their last two games, while Sioux Falls has a split record in that time frame.
In hopes of bouncing back from back-to-back losses, the Knight Hawks face off against Sioux Falls for the first time this season. Through nine games, Vegas surpassed San Antonio as the highest-scoring offense, while their defense ranks among the middle-of-the-pack statistically. Their defensive secondary is near the top of the league, hauling in 11 interceptions this season. Against a team looking to add more wins to their record, Vegas aims to avoid a third straight upset in a row and close the gap between them and the Panthers in the West.
Following a loss against Iowa last week, the Storm take on a Vegas team that’s faced upset twice in their last two games. In their last four games, Sioux Falls has featured an upward trend in offense, scoring 45 points or more in each game. However, their defense is one of the most-scored-on in the league, causing their record to reflect just two wins. As they look to impress their home fans with an upset over Vegas, the Storm defense must be prepared for a high-scoring attack from the Knight Hawks.
Kicking off the final slate of games on Saturday night, the Arizona Rattlers (6-4) matchup against the San Diego Strike Force (6-4) in a meeting with potential playoff implications attached. These two teams have faced off once before, as the Strike Force holds a 1-0 series lead. In Week 13, Arizona looks to form a three-game winning streak, while San Diego hopes to leave the week with back-to-back wins.
After winning the first matchup 55-45, San Diego looks to replicate that performance, coming out on top for a second time this season. Quarterback Nate Davis continues to showcase his abilities as one of the top passers in the league, totaling over 1,800 yards and 41 touchdowns through 10 games. Defensively, the Strike Force’s secondary remains the best in the league, coming down with 15 interceptions through 10 games, with three returned for a touchdown. Against an offense that’s scoring at ease, the Strike Force secondary must limit the damage done through the air.
Facing defeat the last time these teams faced off, the Rattlers look for revenge to form a three-game winning streak. Arizona has scored more than 50 points in their last three matchups, as Dalton Sneed has led the offense to greater success since returning as the starting quarterback. However, their defense allows an average of over 46 points, ranking them as one of the most-scored-on teams in the league. Facing off against the Strike Force’s offense, Arizona’s defense must clamp down to come away with the victory.
Wrapping up a packed Saturday night, the Tucson Sugar Skulls face off against the Bay Area Panthers as Bay Area returns from a bye last week, looking to win their fourth game in a row. Tucson faces the possibility of a three-game losing streak, losing back-to-back games after their upset against Vegas.
Bay Area comes into this game following a bye last week, as they’re currently on a three-game winning streak. The last time these teams played, the Panthers won 44-31, as they look for similar results in this matchup. Bay Area’s offense ranks near the middle of the league statistically, but their defense is notably one of the best in the league. Allowing fewer than 40 points per game, Bay Area trails just two teams as the least-scored-on team. With their one-game lead in the West before this game, the Panthers will try to extend their lead with a win on Saturday night.
Following back-to-back losses, the Sugar Skulls’ most recent victory included dethroning the at-the-time undefeated Vegas Knight Hawks. As they face the current leader in the West, Tucson looks to come away with another upset, evening the series record between them and Bay Area to 1-1. Tucson’s offense scores roughly 40 points per game, while their defense allows just under 46 points on average, making the Panthers a challenging opponent on both sides of the ball. Playing on the road adds one more challenge, but the Sugar Skulls have shown that they won't go down without a fight.
Week 13 features two teams on a bye, with seven games spanning across Saturday. The action begins at 12:05 p.m. CT, with the remaining six games taking place in the evening. All Week 13 action can be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel or Caffeine TV.
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