The NAL regular season is over, folks; it’s been an absolute ride… The 2026 season has been everything you could ask for. We watched the absolute unit that is SWK has run through the NAL on nail-biters and last-second heroics. Witnessed Omaha have the worst five-game run since 2014. Only to Storm back to 5-5. It has been a blast, and week 13 was just another example of how good the football and overall product are in the National Arena League. We cover everything from crushed perfection, sad endings, and the first round of the playoffs, all in NAL review.
NAL Game Reviews
Sioux City 49 SWK 42
Unbeaten no more! In what ended up being one of the top 4 games of the year, we got the best version of Lorenzo Brown. We also got a serviceable version of Trae Self; sometimes it just comes down to who scores last or who gets ahead early. This was a perfect example of that, and maybe even the catalyst that the Storm needs to really make a playoff run, as 10-0 would have been nice, but 0-1 in the NAL playoffs would have hurt worse. The Bandits came in at 5-4, coming off a 39-11 rout at the hands of the Liberty, needing some kind of morale booster headed into the playoffs.
It was a not-so-uncommon slow start for the Storm that saw them struggle to put points on the board in the first quarter, only mustering up 6, while Sioux City had no real issue. The scoring would start on the very first kickoff, with a one-point rouge on a wild bounce. The ensuing drive would end rather quickly, Justin Gilbert diving for an interception, leading to a methodical drive to the end zone for the Bandits, topped off by a Brown-to-Bruno catch. This dragged the lead to 8-0 Halfway through the first, and only three snaps into the game for SWK.
Only five snaps into the game, the score rose to 8-6, on a Self to Peirce 37-yard bomb to the end zone. We all knew the contest was going to get wild when we saw a score just one play later, making for 20 points in just 6 plays. The scoring would stop in the first, as we were treated to an absolute barn burner for fifteen minutes, 30 combined points, ultimately ending the first half 29-22.
Though the first half was an offensive clinic, the second half wouldn’t be, it was painfully clear that Coach Lobban had adjusted, and the Bandits’ secondary was doing all they could to lock down Self, who only completed 55% of his passes. It was also an uncharacteristically bad day for the SWK secondary, allowing several demoralizing one-play drives. All this led to the Storm playing from behind for essentially the entire game.
The Bandits took their second multi-score lead on a Shepard snag with just under ten to go in the third. The 13-point lead, coupled with more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions for Brown and a 46-yard day for Caldwell, would prove to be just a bit too much. It felt like even when SWK drew the lead down, even tying it with 6 minutes to go, the Bandits offense would respond just as quickly.
Ultimately, the game would come down to what would have been a game-tying drive to force overtime; instead, we saw Self exit the game with what could be a season-ending injury. The Storm lacks really any depth at QB, which only expedited the turnover on fourth down. In the end, it was a battle for pride and team, and it just felt like the Bandits were destined to win. The injury leaves more questions for SWK heading into their first-round bye; hopefully, we see them find their answer.
Pueblo 42 Amarillo 18
It has been a tough season for the Warbirds, and this was the route we all expected. It is difficult to find your drive when you’re 1-8 coming in when your opponent needs the win to potentially earn a first-round bye. However, for at least the first fifteen, it was fairly close. The Warbirds would actually score first, about halfway through the first, on a toss cut back and break away run to the end zone. Jo-El Shaw would return the favor just one play later. The second wouldn’t see much separation, but just enough to
If you can take away anything from Amarillo, it was an absolute fight for nearly the entire game despite a growing lead for the Punishers. It was apparent after the first that the talent, size, and overall ability mismatch was too substantial to overcome, but it didn’t stop the Warbirds from putting it all on the line just one last time. 1-9 is rough, but having class and playing through to the end is respectable. Hats off to you, Coach Johnson, your staff, and the players.
The second wouldn’t see much separation, but just enough to keep Amarillo at arm’s length. Amarillo had a legitimate chance to tie with under thirty seconds left in the half, but squandered it away with a wild throw into the end zone for an interception. The second half finally saw a bit of separation, as Pueblo continued to score, while the Warbirds’ offense faltered down the stretch.
Neither of the Amarillo passers, Powell or Croft, managed to complete more than half of their passes, matching TD and interception totals at one. This, paired with a standard offensive and defensive day from the Punishers, finally led to an 8-0 Fourth quarter. This essentially acted as a tune-up for Pueblo, who takes a week off on a well-earned first-round bye.
Omaha 63 Louisiana 33
The Omaha Beef came into the season finale in a spot that seemed impossible a month and a half ago. Win and finish at 5-5 on the season and solidify the in-season turnaround. Vincent Espinoza was near perfect on the night, throwing 4 touchdown passes while only throwing 2 incompletions.
The ground attack duo of Ross and Antoine tallied a combined 79 yards and 4 touchdowns. David Ross also had a big impact, receiving as he had a huge reception and adding another touchdown. The Beef defense stepped up yet again in this game, holding the Louisiana offense to less than 100 yards passing and forcing multiple turnovers. In a game they were supposed to win big, they did just that.
Louisiana came into this game knowing the end of a disappointing season was almost over. Chauncey Lowman struggled, completing only 40% of his pass attempts for only 90 yards. The pressure allowed virtually all games, making it difficult for the offense to ever get into a rhythm. Dajon Richard had a solid effort, gaining 32 yards and scoring a touchdown on the ground while adding 2 receptions to his night as well.
The Rouxgaroux defense had trouble stopping the Beef offense all game. Minus a few good moments and a forced fumble, Louisiana looked outmatched. One thing you can say about this team is that they kept playing until the end, and while it may seem like a consolation prize for this season, it does show this team never quit.
In a game that was not supposed to be close, it wasn’t. In the blink of an eye, it felt like the Beef were up multiple scores, and by the end of the first quarter, it was already a three-score game. The game would show two teams in two different directions as one offense played nearly flawlessly and the other couldn’t seem to get out of their own way.
By the time halftime came around, it was a one-sided score in favor of the Beef. Louisiana slowed the Beef offense down a little bit in the second half, but the first-half lead was a bit too much for them to overcome. At the final buzzer, it was 63-33 in favor of Omaha, and the regular season was over. For Omaha, they begin preparing for a playoff game, and for Louisiana, they go into the offseason with many things to work on if they want to be more competitive next year.
Colorado 43 Salina 39
It might look like it’s over; it may feel like it’s over, but in indoor football, it’s never truly over until the clock hits zero. Each of these teams had a bit to play for coming in, Colorado to finish with a non-losing record, and Salina an outside shot at a playoff bye. If you missed the last sixteen or so minutes, you missed one of the best comebacks all season, and the Liberty went down in absolutely heartbreaking fashion.
Tracey Brooks, like he tends to do, really got things going for Liberty in the first half. His typical downhill running and ability to get open underneath played a huge role in Salina gaining their 16-point first-half lead. He would snag three of his four total touchdowns, all in the first half. The other side of the ball also proved to be a bit much for the Spartans in the first thirty minutes,forcing a turnover on downs more often than they allowed a first down. It felt like there was nothing Kilgo could improvise to beat the timing of Salinas’ secondary; ball after ball would be knocked to the turf.
All the while, Salina exploded in second to the tune of 26 points. The scoreboard read 32-16 as everyone trotted off the field for halftime. Most couldn’t shake the feeling that this was starting to seem like a typical Colorado effort.
The third quarter would start to look very similar to the first two,but only for the first half of the third, as Colorado would march down the field to the end zone on an over-the-wall catch to cut into the deficit. Brooks would respond on the very next drive, taking off from just inside the Spartans’ fifteen on a toss-then-cutback walk-in touchdown. This, as mind-numbing as it sounds, was the last score for the Liberty. They would go a full 22 minutes without a score!
The Salina offense would sputter, and while Colorado steadily chipped away at the lead, there wasn’t any extraordinary play, only consistency. They would go on to steadily score, Kilgo Stacking five touchdowns, four in the air on 15 completions. Even with the abysmal output, Adams and the Liberty still had a chance. They would drive all the way down to the Salina Ten. Newbold would take things into his own hands with less than a minute to go, snagging the ball in the endzone for an interception on fourth down, effectively ending any chance the fellas from the Sunflower state had.
It was a text book example of why you don’t give up, and it makes us all wonder if this is the kind of game that saves your job if you are Coach Shaw. The first round of the playoffs will be just the same as this one, only in Salina.
Playoff Preview
Omaha (6) at Sioux City (3)
Haven’t we seen this one before? Maybe?
Well, of course, we have the longest running rivalry in all of arena and indoor ball gets a third edition just this season. Not only is this game huge for both, but it also breaks the game-a-piece split from the regular season. Each comes in on a completely different set of circumstances. Omaha, while 5-5, is arguably on the hottest streak of anyone in the sport. It’s no small feat to fire your head coach, elevate staff, start 0-5, and then finish as they have on a five-game winning streak. The insane comeback had to go through the Bandits, who, by all accounts, aren’t sitting as pretty as Omaha, but may have just sparked something.
Sioux City, in week 13, just proved its any given weekend, anyone can lose. They showed up and staged a come-from-behind win attempt from SWK. We have said it over and over, this Bandits Offense goes how Brown goes, if he is loose and prepared, he could go for 4+ touchdowns and never look rattled. If he isn’t? Well, it could result in an eleven-point effort as we saw in Week 12.
This one is extremely hard to pinpoint; it’s a rivalry game, it’s two teams in very different places, and you can never really tell which way the score will lean. If you’re Omaha, you have to really lean on your offense to control the pace of play, while hoping your defense can contain and play the short passing game smartly.
If you’re the Bandits, it’s really the same: keep the defense in front of the ball and make Omaha earn every yard. Their QB, Espinoza, is more than capable of making the plays; it will be the mistakes that decide the game, as both teams are well prepared and well coached, just look at the overall progress just on the offense since Omaha parted ways with Negron.
Our Prediction:
Omaha by 4+
Colorado (5) at Salina (4)
Considering that we just saw this game, the assumption is lean Spartans, right?
Well, no, at any level of football, it’s difficult to beat an equally talented team twice, much less one that seems to have a talent edge on you. Coach O’Neal and his staff will use this week to scheme and polish an offense that all but died in the second half.
In the same realm of thinking, Fred Shaw and Company will use everything that worked and build on what they did right. If they can emulate the fourth quarter for an entire game, they have more than a chance to advance. The biggest Battle of the entire game is going to be one-sided: Colorado trying to master offensive consistency. As we saw last week, the Salina offense can have an above-board day and still lose. This will all come down to Kilgo finding ways to make positive plays, Taylor finding plus yardage, and limiting dumb penalties.
If Salina can play up to what we have come to expect from them, they will be fine. If they can put together three or four quarters of football that look like the second quarter, they will walk away with a multi-score win. Playing to their strengths, spreading the ball around, and finding Brooks in the flat to the tune of 26 points in fifteen minutes will be hard to repeat, but it’s not impossible. Considering what is on the line here, we think they will!
Our Prediction
Salina By 10+
It’s been a wild, over-the-top, expedited growth kind of year for the National Arena League, and we are staring at the end, only five games left before we crown a champion. We have no doubt the Playoffs will be just as fun as the regular season was! If you are looking for an even deeper look, check out Around the Indoor Football World this Saturday at 7 am Central!
Need to Catch Up?
National Arena League (NAL): Week 12 Review
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