In a key matchup of the German Football League weekend as the final playoff spot in the GFL South is up for grabs, the fourth place Allgäu Comets (5-4) are on the road to take on the Saarland Hurricanes (4-5) who sit right behind them in fifth.
This is the first meeting between these two teams this season. The winner will advance to the GFL playoffs while the loser is out.
Allgäu are looking to get back to the playoffs and put up a stronger showing than last year when they suffered a crushing 50-13 loss at the hand of the Dresden Monarchs in the 2021 quarterfinals.
On the other hand, Saarland enter this game looking to dethrone Allgäu for the rights to the last playoff spot. Coming off of a huge 62-28 win over the Ravensburg Razorbacks last week, the Hurricanes are aiming to continue to right the ship and make the playoffs yet again. Saarland was able to make it out of the first round last year, before they too suffered an embarrassing loss to Dresden, 37-0 in the semifinals.
The Hurricanes opened the season with a revolving door at quarterback as original starter Jack Lindsey went down with a season-ending injury in the opening game against Schwäbisch Hall and it wasn’t until Daniel Smith (Villanova) arrived in the fifth game against Frankfurt that the problem was solved. In between, three other quarterbacks were used. Smith has been superb since arriving and has thrown for 1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns in the five games he has played. In last week’s win over Ravensburg, he threw for 296 yards and five scores. Two of his favorite targets in the last five games have been Marian Menden who has 361 yards receiving and five touchdowns on 19 catches most in the last four games, and Jan Pietsch who has 12 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown in the last three games. Marvin Fuchs leads the team with 39 receptions for 474 yards and six touchdowns.
Allgäu has the fourth ranked offense in the GFL having scored 348 points in nine games. The Comets’ passing game is the key led by former Bismark Bucks of the Indoor Football League quarterback Kenyatte Allen Jr. He has been having a great season for the club, leading the way with 2,685 yards passing and 36 touchdowns, a 69.3 completion percentage, 298.3 yards per game and a 196 passing efficiency. His main weapon, wide receiver Derrick Harvey, has been effective with the ball himself; with 15 touchdowns, 1,076 yards for the season, 5.6 receptions per game, a league-best 21.5 yards per catch and 119.6 yards per game to show for it.
The Comets’ defense has also been playing well. Linebacker Neil Padden has been a force and is the third leading tackler in the GFL with 79 total tackles. His teammate, Mario Wokocha is the sack leader with 13 for the year so far with defensive lineman Johannes Wagner just behind him with nine.
Allgäu Comets @ Saarland Hurricanes, Aug. 27, 17:00 CET (5 pm, 11:00 am ET)
