Bandits and Beef meet for 56th time

Sioux City Bandits @ Omaha Beef April 4th – 6:30pm CT Liberty First Credit Union Arena

The 56^th meeting between the Omaha Beef and the Sioux City Bandits takes place Saturday at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. The Beef led the all-time series 31-24 as Omaha has won eight consecutive games. But for the first time since 2015 the Beef have lost their first three games after suffering a 26-34 loss to the Southwest Kansas Storm. The Bandits enter Saturday's game holding a 1-1 record, following their 39-34 defeat at Pueblo last week.

Omaha started to generate more offense last week as new quarterback James Summers helped the team gain 203 yards on 44 plays. Summers went 16 of 22 for 217 yards while throwing three touchdowns and one interception. His favorite target was Dequan Dudley who had six receptions for 95 yards and three touchdowns. The Beef are currently 7^th in scoring offense with 26.3 points per game, while putting up 165 yards per game (7^th). On the season Dudley has seven receptions for 104 yards and has returned nine kickoffs for 141 yards. Korrell Koehlmoos has caught seven pass for 67 yards and one touchdown. Omaha averages 65.7 ypg on the ground with David Ross as the leading rusher carrying the ball 22 times for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Kicker Chase Contreraz has gone 8 for 10 on extra points attempts and one for three on field goals attempts.

The Beef defense is 9^th in points allowed this season averaging 46 points per game and the 7^th most in yards allowed at 201.3 yards per game. Defensive back Jaylen Perkins leads the team with 20 tackles and has one of the team’s four interceptions. Terrance Jackson, Ponce Deleon, and Jonathan Adams have the other three interceptions. Rudy Ngougni has the only sack for the Beef to go along with his nine tackles and one blocked kick. Omaha signed former LB Key Black this week to help. Black played for the Beef in 2023 and 2025 and in 18 games collected 65 tackles and six sacks.

This game features the two teams who have held onto the ball for the least amount of time with the Bandits averaging 27:42 and the Beef 24:07 while getting 3.9 yards per play compared to the Bandits 6.5 yards per play.

Sioux City goes to Ralston after failing to score on their last drive and losing to Pueblo last Saturday. In the last minute, the Bandits had a chance to take the lead, but their fourth-down attempt came up short. They began their season at Amarillo, winning 53–6 and will play four away games in the first five weeks. Their first home game will not happen until April 18^th. Former Beef running back Jeff Mack II leads Sioux City rushing attack carrying the ball 19 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns as the team averages a league best 107 ypg. The Bandits have two veteran quarterbacks, Verlon Reed and Lorenzo Brown who have taken snaps this season. Reed played last week in Colorado, going 12 for 23 and 102 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while Brown played vs Amarillo and completed eight of 12 passes for 158 yards and five touchdowns. Damond Powell leads the team with 10 receptions for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Kicker Dylan Kames has gone seven for ten on extra point attempts and missed his only field goal attempt.

Linebacker Fred Hardgrove anchors Sioux City's defense, recording 14 tackles, a sack, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and an interception.  Laronji Vason-McCoy has three interceptions and ten tackles, while NAL week four defensive player of the week, Dajon Emory leads the team with three sacks and four tackles for loss.

Omaha is off next week while the Bandits travel to Dodge City to face the Storm. The two teams will meet for the 57^th time May 16^th when the teams meet at the Tyson Events Center.

OTHER NOTES: 

Transactions this week: WR Jordan Barton returns from injured reserve, signed LB Jaylen Johnson, LB Key Black, OL Travis Anderson, WR Lorenzo Thompson, released LB Raymond Cutts, WR James Jones III, WR Brentley Allen and put OL Reggie Patrick on injured reserve.

Beef are 17-11 vs Bandits as the home team and 14-13 @ Sioux City.

Last loss to Sioux City was April 30, 2022, at Sioux City.

Bandit’s coach Erv Strohbeen is 17-15 vs Omaha.

The Bandits are 8-7 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena and Sioux City has outscored Omaha 2277 to 2259 in the 55 games.

Coming into this season Jeff Mack II was 4^th on Omaha (2016,18, 23-25) career rushing yards (365-1283 yds) and 10^th on Sioux City career list (2017, 2021, 2025) with 176 attempts and 642 yards and over nine indoor season has rushed 606 times for 2019 yards.

Omaha Beef Coaches Show at Goose’s Bar & Grill in downtown Papillion.

2026 Omaha Beef Schedule (0-3)

Projected Starters

NAL Player of the Week Awards-

Otis Odom – Week 1 Special Teams POW

Web information

Livestream – NAL Network

Website – beeffootball.com

Facebook- facebook.com/TheOmahaBeef