Mexico’s ONEFA – Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Futbol Americano (National Student Organization of American Football) – heads into the quarterfinal playoffs this weekend.
The ONEFA is the a league in Mexico made up of most of the public university American football teams in the nation. In 2015, the Auténticos Tigres took the title defeating the UNAM Pumas CU 16-7.
The structure of the playoffs in the ONEFA is a little challenging even for some experts. The playoff teams are drawn from two conferences, the Green and the White conferences. The Green conference teams are more heavily weighted with the top two teams ranked #1 and #2 overall. The first two teams from the White conference are ranked #5 and 6 in the ranking.
Green Conference
Nevertheless the Auténticos Tigres who finished first overall with an 8-1 record will host the fourth place team in the Green conference, the Acatlán Pumas. This one should be easy to predict as the Tigres demolished the Pumas in the regular season 72-0.
The two Eagles teams, the 7-1 UACH Águilas and IPN Águilas Blancas (6-3) will play in the other Green matchup. The Águilas Blancas prevailed in the regular season game 13-6, scoring the game winning touchdown on a fumble recovery.
White Conference
From the White conference the 7-2 UAdeC Lobos will host the 4-5 UNAM Pumas in one match up while in the other the 6-3 UAEM Potros Salvajes take on the 4-5 UACh Toros Salvajes. Late in the regular season the Potros defeated the Toros 10-3 in a tight game.
The winners will move on to the semifinals November 18/19 while the conference finals are scheduled for November 25/26.
The ONEFA championship final will be held December 2/3.