Game Info

Matchup: Iowa Barnstormers (6-2) @ Green Bay Blizzard (2-7)
Arena: Resch Center
Location: Green Bay, WI
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: 1040am WHO
Radio Play-by-Play: Joe Stasi

The Iowa Barnstormers improved to 7-2 on the season this Saturday when they defeated the Colorado Crush (2-8) 33-21 at Wells Fargo Arena.

Although the win did not advance the team into a playoff spot, the Barnstormers are pacing for a playoff spot

7-2 Start has Iowa Barnstormers Pacing for Playoff Spot

The Wichita Falls Nighthawks gave the Storm their first loss of the season on Saturday winning 44-36, which put Iowa one game back of Sioux Falls for first place in the conference.

Although the Barnstormers are so close to first, they currently do not hold a playoff spot. The top two teams in the United Conference will earn trips to the playoffs and Wichita Falls owns the final spot over Iowa by half a game.

“If you want one of those two spots, you have to play your best and you have to win,” defensive back DaeJohn Love said. “It won’t be easy, we know that.”

Iowa is on the right track though.The team has rattled off five-straight wins to improve to 7-2 on the season – their best start since 1996.

A large part of the team’s success belongs to the defense. The unit is third in the IFL in scoring, part of which is due to Love.

“It’s a testament to our defense,” Love said. “When we are all on one page [good things] tend to happen. We communicate and really help each other out. It’s almost like we all play the same position.”

Love leads the Indoor Football League (IFL) in interceptions, earning his fifth on Saturday.

“Jamie [Bender] is doing a great job of putting me where I need to be and giving me the confidence to play [in tough situations],” Love said.

However, the Barnstormers are wanting more.

Ever since coach Dixie Wooten took over at the end of 2016, he has talked about bringing a winning culture back to Iowa.

“Des Moines is a great city, and all they need is a football team that wins,” Wooten said. “We want to come in and dedicate ourselves to bringing a product that Des Moines loves.”

Dixie Wooten and Company Trying to Bring Back the Atmosphere

Now, the Barnstormers are on their way to their first winning season in eight years.

“We are trying to bring back tradition like when Kurt Warner was here,” Bender said. “We’re trying to get the fans involved, and the only way to do that is to keep the wins coming.”

Iowa saw their biggest crowd of the season on Saturday with 6,942 people at the well, and it was evident in the crowd.

“I want to see 10,000 [fans] like the AFL days,” Love said. “Right now we are moving towards that playoff race. It’s important to have that fan support. It makes us play well. That energy is ridiculous. I think I speak for the entire Barnstormers organization, that when our fans get involved, it really drives us.”

The crowd keeps getting bigger for they keep getting closer to a playoff spot, but now the question of if they will make it has arose.

The Barnstormers will face the Green Bay Blizzard (2-8) this week, while the Sioux Falls Storm and Wichita Falls Nighthawks will be taking on some heavier competition.

This week the Nighthawks will face the Nebraska Danger while Sioux Falls is in a United Bowl rematch with the Spokane Empire.

For Iowa to get to the playoffs, they will need to pass one of those teams.

“Now people are starting to come and join the party with us,” Wooten said.

That’s exactly what the Barnstormers need.

IFL Standings

Main Photo Credit: Connor Ferguson, Last Word on Sports