We are down to our final four teams and we'll have a new champion this season as the two time defending champs New Jersey Generals were eliminated by the Washington Federals. Three of the remaining four teams have never won a championship while the Houston Gamblers are seeking World Bowl victory #8.
Oklahoma Outlaws 12 San Jose SaberCats 0
Football is a strange game sometimes. San Jose has been one of the best teams in the league the last 2 seasons, yet they've been bounced from the playoffs in shutout fashion two years in a row by the Oklahoma Outlaws. Do the Outlaws have San Jose's playbook? Whatever the reason, Oklahoma's defense has found a way to neutralize the SaberCats offense.
Jake Plummer was intercepted on San Jose's first drive, which led to the first of four Gerald Harmon FGs as Oklahoma took an early 3-0 lead. The Outlaws would add 2 more FGs in the first half for a 9-0 lead at the break. The Outlaws defense didn't allow a play longer than 21 yards and they kept San Jose out of the red zone.
There are no highlights from this game as Oklahoma had no big offensive plays either. They just methodically moved the ball, kicked a few FGs and played lockdown defense. The Outlaws got their last FG after San Jose turned the ball over on downs late in the game. Oklahoma now advances to the Conference Championship Game against the winner of our next game.
Houston Gamblers 34 Portland Storm 20
These teams have won the last 6 Conference Championship games but one was going to get knocked out today. Houston got the ball first and drove for a FG, but a holding penalty took it off the board and the Gamblers had to punt. Robert Davis then intercepted a Raymond Oswalt pass and took it 42 yards for a TD and a 7-0 Houston lead. Oswalt was intercepted again on the next drive, allowing Houston to extend their lead to 14-0 when Bryan Franklin found Alejandro Campbell for a 5 yard TD pass.
Oswalt would bounce back with a 13 yard TD to Perry Salgado, cutting the deficit in half 14-7. Following some back and forth, Oswalt tied the game just before the 2 minute warning with a 52 yard TD pass to Richard Robinson. Houston had time to score but couldn't get close enough, so the half ended 14-14.
Portland got the ball to start the 3rd and Oswalt promptly threw away all the momentum the Storm had gained with his 3rd interception of the game. This led to a tiebreaking FG, and the Houston defense struck again later in the quarter. Oswalt threw his 4th INT, leading to a 2 yard Bryan Franklin TD pass to Jim Dallas, giving Houston a 24-14 lead.
The Houston defense followed that up with a three and out while the offense went on a 13 play, 73 yard TD drive to put the game away. Stone Cold Steve Austin ran it in from 5 yards out, making the score 31-14 early in the 4th. Portland wouldn't go down without a fight as Oswalt found Robinson again for a long TD, this one covering 66 yards. The 2 point try failed and Houston had a time consuming drive end in a punt. Portland turned it over on downs, allowing Houston to tack on 3 for a 34-20 final score. The Gamblers now face division rival Oklahoma for the right to go to World Bowl XXVI.
Washington Federals 31 New Jersey Generals 24
New Jersey began the season with a 37-17 loss to the Washington Federals, and it ended today against Washington as the Federals bounce the 2 time defending champs out of the playoffs. New Jersey got the ball first and had to punt, pinning Washington at their own 2. Washington wasted little time getting out of the hole as Tristan Arnold found Oliver Jeter for a 98 yard catch and run TD to give the Federals a quick 7-0 lead. New Jersey went three and out before Arnold fired a 47 yard TD pass to William Sheppard for a 14-0 lead after 1 quarter of action.
Washington added a FG early in the 2nd to extend their lead before both defenses took over for a bit. Don Ferguson would throw not one, but two interceptions in the quarter, resulting in 7 more points for the Federals. Washington missed a FG following the first INT but cashed in with a 3 yard TD pass from Arnold to Jeter and the Federals led 24-0. Don Ferguson then found Paul Cox for a 75 yard TD in the final minute of the half to pull within 24-7.
Not much happened in the 3rd quarter or the first half of the 4th, but New Jersey got within 24-10 thanks to an Al Borland FG with 6 minutes to play. New Jersey would recover the onside kick and turned that into a 13 yard TD pass from Ferguson to Jeff Lebowski, making the score 24-17. This time the onside kick failed but the Generals defense forced a three and out. David Koresh would tie the game at 24 with an 11 yard TD run inside the 2 minute warning. Washington's offense woke up just in time as Tristan Arnold found William Sheppard for a 75 yard TD that gave the Federals a 31-24 lead 1 play after the Generals tied it. New Jersey would drive into FG range as time was running out, but they needed a TD and ended up turning it over on downs. The three-peat dream is over and the Washington Federals advance to the Conference Championship against the winner of our next game.
Orlando Renegades 16 Shreveport Steamer 9
Neither team has ever played in a World Bowl but the winner of today's game will be one step closer to changing that narrative. Shreveport got the ball first but Tony Romo threw an interception, leading to a Scott Mueller FG and a 3-0 Orlando lead. Romo then led Shreveport on a 12 play FG drive to tie it and Trey Lyons led an 11 play FG drive to retake the lead 6-3 early in the 2nd. In the middle of the 2nd, last week's hero Scott Randall lost a fumble, giving Orlando the ball in great field position. Trey Lyons threw a 6 yard TD pass to Jason Amen, and praise the Lord, Orlando now led 13-3.
13-3 was the halftime score and Orlando got the ball to start the second half, going three and out. Shreveport then went on a 16 play, 77 yard drive and they had a 1st and goal at the 3. Three straight runs netted no yards and they had to settle for a FG, cutting the lead to 13-6. Orlando then went on a 10 play drive and extending their lead early in the 4th with a FG, making the score 16-6. Shreveport answered with a 9 play FG drive to get within 7 and they got the ball back with 3:07 to play.
Shreveport moved down the field methodically, eating clock as they attempted to tie the game. They had a 1st and 10 at the Orlando 21, but Tony Romo was sacked, leading to a turnover on downs. One kneeldown by Trey Lyons and the Renegades stay at home to play Washington for the right to play in World Bowl XXVI.
