August 3, 2026
By Ryan Baker
As the momentum and hype grow around the Divisional Championship games, we are going to look at why each team remaining is still standing and how their strengths match up against one another.
Central Division: Indianapolis AlleyCats at Minnesota Wind Chill
What to watch for: Indy’s deep game versus Minnesota’s depth and experience
The Indianapolis AlleyCats have lived or died by their deep ball game this season. They have the two most frequent huckers in Jake Felton and Elliot Hawkins. While those two can change the game with their shots, Indy has struggled with a 45 percent huck completion rate on its D-line. That is down 10 percent from last year and 29 percent compared to 2022. Even the 60.2 huck completion rate from their O-line isn’t impressive, but it’s more about where and when the shots come. Felton and Hawkins have proved they can make any throw from any point on the field. In their Madison playoff game, Felton put a same-third inside-out huck on a platter to Cameron Brock, who came off the field afterward asking, “Who does that?” That shows how impressive these hucks can be, but it will depend on whether they can find those looks all game against Minnesota’s depth and experience.
The Wind Chill host one of the deepest and most experienced teams in the league. Their defense is where most of the hardware lies. For players that will be active during the playoff run, they boast six different players with All-Defense selections, including First-Teamers Lukas Ambrose (‘23, ‘24), Justin Burnett (‘23, ‘25), Cameron Lacy (‘24), Noah Hanson (‘25), Noah Coolman (‘25), and Dylan DeClerck (‘21); DeClerck and Burnett each hold Second Team honors as well. Minnesota is also equipped with a back line of youngsters chomping at the bit to make an impact in the playoffs including Micah Davis, Nate De Morgan, and Zach Morton. The latter two of that group are the number one and two goal scorers for the Wind Chill. On top of that, a large amount of their team is the same from their last two Championship Weekend appearances. The Wind Chill knows how to win, and it will show if the game is close in the final minutes.
East Division: New York Empire at Boston Glory
What to watch for: New York’s offensive efficiency versus Boston’s one-on-one defense
Scores, completion percentage, huck completion rate, hold percentage, O-line conversion rate, and red zone conversion rate are categories where the New York Empire offense ranks first or second. According to Shown Space, the Empire holds 11 of the top 14 spots for highest Offensive Efficiency (OE) among players with at least 100 offensive possessions and six games played. Even scarier, Daan De Marrée isn’t one of those 11 players. He had just one turn with six assists and four goals last week in the playoff game against DC. Their 79.27 hold percentage is the highest since the 2022 Empire, and their 67.94 O-line conversion rate is the second-highest in UFA history. The question is how they will handle Boston’s defense. In the two games between New York and Boston this year, the Empire had their worst hold percentages.
The Boston Glory have proven they can handle highly efficient offenses. They held the Empire to their lowest scoring game this season and stifled the Wind Chill’s offense, causing their worst red zone conversion rate this year. As a team, they have the second-best Defensive Efficiency (DE) and Red Zone Defensive Efficiency (RZ-DE), which will challenge the Empire all game long. Oscar Graff has become the anchor of the defense, ranking ninth in DE, out of those with at least 100 defensive possessions. Veterans Brendan McCann and Gustav Haflin continue to be effective in coverage, with the former clamping down handlers and the latter still getting timely blocks downfield. Finally, you can’t mention Boston’s defense without Jeff Babbitt, who will be all over the field, producing turnovers and heavy defensive pressure on nearly every throw. If they isolate opponents and force one-on-ones or two-on-twos, it becomes a major roadblock for offenses.
West Division: Salt Lake Shred at Oakland Spiders
What to watch for: Salt Lake’s offensive flow and experience vs. Oakland’s athletic defense and inexperience
Even though the Salt Lake Shred had their worst regular season to date, they remain one of the most dominant teams since their founding. Since 2022, they have the third most wins of any franchise and qualified for Championship Weekend twice. Sixteen players appeared in the team’s first Championship Weekend in 2023, and their experience could be a key factor against a very young Oakland team. The trio of Jordan Kerr, McKay Yorgason, and Chad Yorgason is tough to slow down. Kerr and Chad’s 144 combined scores tie for the third-most by any duo in the league. Those two are the finishers, while McKay does comparable damage from the background. Among players with at least 100 offensive possessions, McKay has the sixth-highest Lag Contribution (LC), setting up his O-line for success on the next throw.
In terms of UFA experience, they are at the bottom among remaining teams. Most of their core started playing with the team in 2023, and many impact players are sophomores or rookies. The team has just 56 total playoff games collectively, nearly half the experience of every other playoff team except Indianapolis. However, they compensate for inexperience with defensive explosiveness and playmaking, and some of the most boastful confidence as a group we’ve seen in years. The move of Evan Magsig from O-line to D-line is one of the best moves of the year, combined with talents like Carter Lankford, Dylan Burns, and Jason Vallee. This group averages the most blocks per game, allows the second-fewest goals per game, and has the second-highest breaks per game. The Spiders also have the best offense at regaining the disc after a turn. Eight of the top 10 players ranked in DE are Spiders O-line players.
South Division: Carolina Flyers at Austin Sol
What to watch for: Carolina’s offensive balance versus Austin’s defensive playmaking
After gaining some of their college stars a few games into the season, the Carolina Flyers have become one of the most consistent and best offenses in the league. Allan Laviolette is back healthy, Jacob Fairfax is playing at an all-time high, Grayson Sanner and Dylan Hawkins have elevated their games, and Zeke Thoreson and Tobias Brooks bring college chemistry that has translated to the UFA. Thoreson has climbed to the sixth-highest Total Adjusted Expected Contribution (Tot-aEC) among all players. Laviolette and Brooks are both top-10 in Thrower Adjusted Expected Contribution (T-aEC), while Fairfax and Thoreson are top-10 in Receiver Adjusted Contribution (R-aEC). They proved they can beat the Austin Sol, winning by one in the two’s matchup 21 days ago.
The Austin Sol have made a name for themselves this season by stepping up when it matters. They’ve had three games go to overtime, and one or two points decided two more games. A large part of that success has been behind the defense's ability to hunker down and make a play. George Gust has become one of those “go make a play” type of guys in his rookie season, amassing nine blocks in his first four career games. The veterans Matt Armour and Connor DeLuna hold down the fort as two of the most staple D-line players in the league. Then, you have the third-year guys in Cade White and Owen Johnson who have combined for 18 blocks on the season. If Ryan Drost plays, that’s another savvy veteran who will add even more playmaking, combined with the inevitable moments when the Henke (Mark and Kyle) brothers play both ways. It’s been shown that this defense can give Carolina fits; it’s just a matter of whether they can give them enough fits to give the opportunities. As the momentum and hype grow around the Divisional Championship games, we are going to look at why each team remaining is still standing and how their strengths match up against one another.
