The Exeter Demons are set to take on the Nottingham Trent Renegades for the Division 1 Trophy game as both teams look to maintain their undefeated records.
The Demons have cleared out the South-West division, putting up an impressive 476 points while conceding just 76. After their first ever undefeated regular season campaign, the Demons blitzed through their three playoff games including a 75-0 win over KCL Regents.
Offensively, Exeter’s star-studded offensive line have been true difference makers, with the likes of Dresden Monarchs’ lineman Ben Burghes dominating every opposing defensive line.
Complementing the power of the Demons’ O-line has been the speed and finesse of Seyi Paul, who picked up north of 1,000 yards on the ground with 13 touchdowns, while power back Carl West racked up 898 yards and a whopping 15 scores.
On the Demons’ defense, a physical front-seven including FSU (NCAA DI) transfer target Emmanuel Oyebadejo and former NFL Academy edge rusher Owen Beaumont, have proven too much to handle for most teams, while Ben Hellett (Lohja Crusaders, Finland) and Tom Seager (Bristol Aztecs) have been big-time playmakers in the defensive backfield.
Nottingham Trent are coming off a 45-6 semi-final win over the Manchester Tyrants, claiming their 11th straight victory.
The Renegades’ offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Chris Venegas , averaged a division-leading 37.5 points per game over the regular season on their way to promotion, while their defense conceded just 52 points, also good for first in the division.
Their prior playoff matchup saw Trent overcome the 7-1 Leeds Gryphons, who were favored by many to be the team representing the North in the final. The Renegades handed the Gryphons a 32-22 loss to end their season.
The two undefeated sides will face each other to kick off a big day for BUCS American football, leading up to the Premier division final.
