With over 200 Omaha fans who made the trip up to Sioux City cheering their every move, the BEEF won their seventh in-a-row and move to 8-2 on the season, best in the UIF. The win also keeps Omaha in first place of the UIF's Western Conference, leading by a half-game over Sioux Falls who sits at 7-2 and a game and a half on Billings who sits at 6-3.
After Sioux City made the first touchdown of the evening, Omaha tallied the next 10 points to close out the first quarter with a 10-6 lead. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter as the BEEF took the lead for good just before halftime at 23-20 thanks to a three-yard pass from James McNear to Blake Fuchtman. In the second half, the scoring explosion continued as the teams combined for 57 points on eight touchdowns and a field goal. Twenty-eight of the 57 points came in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter alone. The BEEF's Chris Eads recovered a late on-side kick attempt, his second of the night, to seal the victory for the team.
BEEF Head Coach Steve Warren was pleased with his team's effort on Saturday.
"It was a good win," Warren said. "It was a hard fought battle. The offense and defense both played well but there is still room for improvement."
McNear led the BEEF offensively, tallying 210 yards of total offense (52 rushing and 158 passing) and throwing six touchdown passes (to four different receivers). Defensively, Brent Hafford made a team-high 13.5 tackles and also intercepted a pass. On special teams, Ricky Lebeda contributed 11 points on two field goals (50 and 44 yards) and five extra points while Rollins returned five kicks for 88 yards.
With the win, along with a Colorado Ice loss to Wichita on Saturday night, the BEEF have clinched a playoff spot for 2008, their ninth in nine years. The UIF's Western Conference is still very much up for grabs as the BEEF, the Billings Outlaws and the Sioux Falls Storm all vie for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Every game is crucial as the UIF moves into its final weeks of the season.
The BEEF return home Saturday for a crucial conference clash with the Billings Outlaws. The game, which is being billed as "Armed Forces Night," begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are 50% off for Armed Forces personnel with military ID. Free stadium horns will be given out to the first 1,500 fans. In addition to the game, the BEEF's pre-game meal will be held at Texas Roadhouse, 520 N. 155th Plaza in Omaha, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to join the BEEF for their pre-game meal at Texas Roadhouse. Fans are also encouraged to attend the BEEF Boardwalk before every home game, which will have games, music and entertainment out near the entrance of the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
The BEEF are in their ninth year of Professional Indoor Football in Omaha, NE. Home games are played March through June. All home games start at 7:00pm at "The Slaughterhouse" - Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Beef are a member of the United Indoor Football Association, the premier indoor football league in America. The Omaha Beef are committed to making a positive difference in the Omaha area through football, fun and community service. For more information about the BEEF call (402) 346-BEEF (2333) or log on to www.BEEFFOOTBALL.com.
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