The 2024 German Football League season kicks off on Saturday, and perhaps the best matchup of the weekend is the contest between the host Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns and the Allgäu Comets.
Last season, these teams finished at the top of the GFL South standings with each team finishing at 9-3. They faced off one time, on July 9th, when the Unicorns secured a 24-21 victory on the road and handed the Comets their first loss on the season. Schwäbisch Hall raced out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and held on for the rest of the way. That game allowed the Unicorns to finish atop their division via a tiebreaker. With favorable playoff seeding, they made it all the way to the GFL championship game, while the Comets lost in the first round against a strong New Yorker Lions team.
Watch live PPV. Allgäu Comets @ Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, May 11, 17:00 CET (5 pm, 11 am EDT)
These teams also shared some similarities in various statistical categories last season. Both teams scored over 30 points per game while allowing just over 20 points per game. However, the Comets’ offense was pass-oriented, while the Unicorns relied on a ground-and-pound approach. The Comets did lose their star quarterback Javarian Smith to the Hamburg Sea Devils of the ELF in the offseason, so we shall see how their offense looks with a new guy under center.
The new quarterback for Allgäu is Xeavier Bullock, a 24 year old recent graduate from Lake Erie College in Ohio who is entering his first professional season this year. We shall see how he performs in his debut against a strong Unicorns defense. On the other hand, Schwäbisch Hall signed a veteran quarterback this offseason in Conor Miller, who is entering his fifth season in Europe. With such a disparity in experience between Bullock and Miller, one would think that the latter would be in a better position to succeed on Saturday.
These foes will meet again in August, but this first matchup is a great way for the teams to set the tone for the 2024 season.