The 2020 season is almost upon us, and with that comes a bunch of articles we’ll be writing to try to pass the time until the first kick of the IFL’s 11th season on the turf. The first, we’ll break down every team’s 2020 schedule. The way we’ll grade it will be based off how favorable it is for the team and their hopes of a 2020 United Bowl Title, not how entertaining the matchup may be.
ARIZONA RATTLERS: D-
The Rattlers are one of four teams who won’t play their first game until 14 days after the season begins. They then will play for TEN consecutive weeks before finally getting their third and final bye. But the grueling schedule isn’t the only thing the Rattlers should worry about. They have to go to Iowa, and Sioux Falls in their only match-ups with those two teams in 2020. They also have the misfortune of playing the Sugar Skulls in back-to-back weeks as part of a home and home series. Add all those reasons on top of not getting to play Bismarck or Cedar Rapids? Tough scene.
BISMARCK BUCKS: C-
The Bucks need all the help they can get in 2020 and they don’t get a lot of help initially as they’ll have to run through the gauntlet of San Diego, Sioux Falls, Spokane, and Iowa before finally facing off against expansion Frisco in Week 5. The Bucks do see their opponents ease a bit following those first four weeks but they’ll play 11 games in a row before getting their first bye week. Their final two byes take place consecutively to close out the regular season but at least they’ll be well rested for the offseason right?
CEDAR RAPIDS RIVER KINGS: A
Don’t know which schedule maker was paid off here but the River Kings might as well hold a parade now for how favorable their schedule is. No Arizona, no Sioux Falls, no Spokane, and no Oakland. Plus, they’re bye weeks will take place after playing 3 games, 4 games, and 2 games with a stretch of 5 games to close out the regular season. The only reason this isnt an A+ is because of three straight games away from home toward the back end of the schedule as this team could sneak into the playoffs.
DUKE CITY GLADIATORS: B-
There’s a little bit of everything there for Duke City, usually matchups against Arizona and Sioux Falls will hurt you but if there’s a team ready for that challenge it is this Gladiator team which is as big a wild card as any heading into 2020. They won’t play at home until Week 5 but five of their last six games will be played at home.
FRISCO FIGHTERS: C
When you’re the new kid people pick on you. That’s kind of what happened to Frisco in their inaugural schedule release. Their first and third bye weeks will take place in week 1 and week 17. So the team has essentially only one week off all regular season. You match that with having to play consecutive road games everytime they leave the lone-star state and things look tough. Fortunately, they’ll get Duke City and Cedar Rapids twice.
GREEN BAY BLIZZARD: B
The opponents are incredibly favorable for Green Bay in 2020, unfortunately the Blizzard will join three other franchises who won’t touch the field until Week 3. The Blizzard won’t have to deal with the Rattlers or the Shock in 2020 and have a great shot to get hot in the back-end of the schedule with the Storm being the only playoff team the squad will face in their last 5 contests.
IOWA BARNSTORMERS: B-
Unlike Green Bay, Iowa won’t have to wait until week 3 to play. They will have to wait until week 2 and then get their second bye week in week 3. Despite having only one week off in their final 14, the team doesnt have to play the Shock, and only has consecutive road games once on their schedule. They’ll also get three games against Bismarck to add to their win totals.
OAKLAND PANTHERS: C-
Oakland’s front office has done everything in their power to put together a championship roster in year one, their schedule will do everything to try and keep that from happening. The Panthers will use two of their three bye weeks up by week 5 and will endure brutal stretches on the road as they’ll play three in a row on the road prior to their final bye, and finish the season with three road games in their last four contests. On the bright side, the Indoor Cats will avoid Sioux Falls in year one.
QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS: B-
In their first IFL season, Quad City played well at home, they have a great support system in Moline and they’ll get to play most of their tougher opponents at home at least once. Sioux Falls and Arizona will each make trips there before QC returns the favor. The team will play the Barnstormers on the road both times but will only have to make one trip to the West Coast, to face the Rattlers.
SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE: B
Arguably the most improved team in 2020 has a schedule which will allow them to accomplish just that. They’re one of the few teams in the league that will get all three of their bye weeks in the regular season. They also will get to play their final three games at home. plenty of home games at the end does mean plenty of road games at the beginning though, as the team will not play a down of football in San Diego from March 15th all the way until April 18th.
SIOUX FALLS STORM: A
It’s not like that defending United Bowl Champs needed any help, but they got it anyway. They won’t have to face Arizona once during the regular season, they also won’t have to face potential problem San Diego. The team will get two chances to beat up on Bismarck, two matchups against Duke City, and will also entertain expansion Frisco. One of their two matchups against Iowa will take place in the final week of the regular season with seeds most likely already decided. The only reason this schedule doesn’t get an A+ is the way the bye weeks turn out for the club, they’ll play every weekend from March 29th all the way until May 29th, a full two months without a break.
SPOKANE SHOCK: D
It doesn’t get much more challenging that what lies ahead of the Spokane Shock. Two dates with Arizona, two with Sioux Falls, two with Tucson, and they’ll also have a date on the road in a hostile environment against Quad City. Take this unfavorable schedule and add in two of the three bye weeks before week 3 even kicks off. Billy Back has his work cut out for him.
TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS: C-
When you look at the front of the Sugar Skull schedule matchups with Cedar Rapids and Duke City may fool you into thinking Tucson has an easy schedule, but that’s where the intensity increases for the second year franchise. They’ll play rival Arizona three times, Spokane twice, and will only play consecutive home games once in 2020. The team will avoid Sioux Falls during the regular season.
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