The Iowa Barnstormers (9-2) have shown this season that they can hang around with mostly every team in the Indoor Football League (IFL). This week, team’s defensive unit faces the best quarterback in the IFL in Wichita Falls Nighthawks’ Charles McCullum.
Iowa Barnstormers defense Faces Charles McCullum
The Barnstormers will travel to Wichita Falls, TX to face the Nighthawks (9-2) on Saturday, with a spot in the IFL playoffs on the line.
This season, the playoff implications for the league say the top two teams in each conference will qualify for the postseason.
“The pressure that Wichita Falls and Sioux Falls have put on us this season makes every game, the biggest game,” quarterback Travis Partridge said.
Wichita Falls and Iowa are tied for second place in the United Conference.
The Nighthawks bring one of the best offenses in the IFL, led by 2016 league MVP McCullum.
“[To stop McCullum on Saturday, we have to] be where we’re supposed to be,” defsensive back Dee Maggitt Jr. said. “He’s going to trust his receivers and their play calling.”
McCullum leads the IFL in with 210.7 passing yards per game and 54 total passing touchdowns.
“If we’re where we are supposed to be, we’ll get opportunities to get turnovers,” Maggitt Jr. said. “Once we get those opportunities we’ll have to capitalize.”
Capitalizing on opportunities is exactly what the Barnstormers have done all season.
Last week the Barnstormers scraped by the Cedar Rapids Titans (1-10) thanks to a game-clinching interception by Maggitt Jr.
“[Last week], we beat ourselves,” Maggitt Jr. said. “However, I’ll take our DB’s over a lot of receiving corps in this league.”
Iowa and Wichita Falls will kick off at the Kay Yeager Coliseum on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
IFL Standings
| Indoor Football League Standings | ||||
| United Conference | ||||
| Position | Team | Record | GB | |
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 10-1 | ||
| 2 | Wichita Falls | 9-2 | 1 | |
| 3 | Iowa | 9-2 | 1 | |
| 4 | Green Bay – e | 2-10 | 8.5 | |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids – e | 1-11 | 9.5 | |
| Intense Conference | ||||
| Position | Team | Record | GB | |
| 1 | Arizona | 7-4 | ||
| 2 | Spokane | 7-5 | 0.5 | |
| 3 | Nebraska | 6-5 | 1 | |
| 4 | Salt Lake | 3-8 | 4 | |
| 5 | Colorado | 3-9 | 4.5 | |
e – Eliminated from the playoffs.
x – Clinched playoff spot.
y – Clinched conference.
z – Clinched home field advantage through playoffs.
Week 14 Schedule
Thursday, May 18
Colorado Crush 45, Spokane Empire 36
Saturday, May 20
Iowa Barnstormers at Wichita Falls Nighthawks | 7:05 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Titans at Sioux Falls Storm | 7:05 p.m.
Green Bay Blizzard at Nebraska Danger | 7:05 p.m.
Salt Lake Screaming Eagles at Arizona Rattlers | 8:00 p.m.
Main Photo Credit: Connor Ferguson, Last Word on Sports
