LIVE STREAM PPV: Eurobowl XXXI – New Yorker Lions v. Frankfurt Universe (7p CEST, 1p EDT)

Eurobowl XXXI: Meeting of the American football heavyweights

Two of the top American football clubs  in Europe – the Samsung Frankfurt Universe and the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions – will face each other Saturday, June 10 in a battle for the continental crown, Eurobowl XXXI. The Lions and head coach Troy Tomlin enter the game as defending champions while head coach Markus Grahn’s Universe are the reigning EFL Bowl-champions from 2016.

So far, these teams have never played each other in either German Football League play or in Eurobowl action.  This makes this is a highly anticipated matchup for countless European American football fans.

To reach the Big6 final, the New Yorker Lions first defeated Holland’s reigning champions, the Amsterdam Crusaders (20-6) and then the Spanish champion Badalona Dracs (54-14).
The Universe defeated the Milano Seamen from Italy on their way to the final (38-12) but lost against the Berlin Rebels in a close game, 11-10 advancing to the final by virtue of having a better points differential.

 

So far, the 2017 German Football League (GFL) season has run according to plan for both teams. Both the Lions and the Universe are unbeaten after four games.

Frankfurt’s offense is ranked second in the GFL averaging 46.8 points a game with the Lions in fourth with an average of 45.2. The Universe have the best defense in Germany so far this season allowing just five points per game while Braunschweig is right behind giving up 5.8.

Lions quarterback Casey Therriault has thrown for 1,173 yards and 15 touchdowns but Frankfurt running back Silas Nacita is averaging 120 yards a game and leads the league in scoring with nine touchdowns in four games.

The name of Frankfurt’s head coach Markus Grahn is deeply rooted in the history of his opponents, the Lions. The 48 year old Grahn launched his American football career as a member of the Lions and as a coach, he won the GFL Championship three times in 1997, 1998 and 1999 with the Braunschweig Lions.

Both teams boast rosters containing some of the elite of European American football. Both rosters are filled with German national players as well as internationally renowned players. The Frankfurt Universe will play without starting quarterback Mike Wegzyn, who suffered season-ending a foot injury in the Big6 group stage against the Berlin Rebels.  His backup, Sonny Weishaupt will carry the load of the Universe offense.

This will be a showdown.

However, Braunschweig’s head coach Troy Tomlin is, as always, cautious:

“It’s going to be a difficult and hard-fought game, it’s all about the crown of Europe. We can do this only if we do our best, remain disciplined and flawless, and execute our tackles and blocks very accurate.”

LIVE STREAM PPV: Eurobowl XXXI – New Yorker Lions v. Frankfurt Universe (7p CEST, 1p EDT)

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