August 10, 2026
By Adam Ruffner

364 days after suffering a fourth quarter comeback at the hands of the Salt Lake Shred, the Oakland Spiders got their revenge in a 20-16 victory in the 2026 West Division championship. It’s the first time since 2015 that the Spiders have won a divisional title, and the third different divisional champion in the last three seasons. Oakland now enters the Championship Weekend bracket as the overall number one seed, and will face the New York Empire in the league semifinals on August 27.

Since losing to Minnesota at home on June 12, the Spiders have reeled off five straight wins with efficiency and lockdown defense, and are averaging under 14 turnovers per game during that span. This is all despite enduring rotating lineups and some key offensive absences late in the season, with starters and scoring leaders Daniel Ritthaler and Walker Frankenberg both missing from the divisional finale. 

And yet the youngest O-line in the league—with two teenagers and a rookie in Saturday’s starting lineup—converted almost 60 percent of their offensive possessions against an athletic Salt Lake defense. Raekwon Adkins extended his hot stretch of play in an elevated facilitator role and showcased excellent poise in the red zone, finishing with seven total scores on nearly 40 touches without a turnover. Always picky with their deep shots, the Spiders completed just 4-of-7 huck attempts, but battered in 15-of-16 red zone chances. Adkins, Dexter Clyburn, Chander Boyd-Fliegel, and Leo Gordon were the anchor points for the attack, while U20 gold medalist Stefan McCall had a breakout playoff performance with five assists, three goals, and two blocks, and continually making himself available as a front cone option in the end zone. 

Defensively, the Spiders kept the Shred from consistently engaging their preferred continuation receivers, and held a top 10 scoring team to their second lowest total of the season. Carter Lankford was once again a menace in the open field as a defender and in transition as an attacker, and captain Evan Magsig cashed in three crucial break scores with big throws. Oakland’s defensive pressure has been limiting opponents to the fourth lowest team completion percentage in the league in 2026, and Saturday was no exception as the Shred struggled to maintain consistent offensive drives after the first quarter. 

Oakland now makes their first semifinals appearance in 11 seasons against a New York franchise that has six in the past eight seasons. The Spiders played the Empire once, in Week 1 of the 2025 season, when Oakland defeated New York 22-17. Oakland has never lost a game at Championship Weekend in franchise history, going 4-0 and winning two league titles in their previous two trips.