Beef travel to Kansas looking to make sixth straight championship game

Riding a six-game winning streak, the 6-5 Omaha Beef travel to Dodge City, Kansas, for Saturday’s semifinal matchup against the 9-1 Southwest Kansas Storm. Omaha is seeking its sixth straight championship game appearance and enters with a 5-4 all-time record against Dodge City teams, including a 3-0 mark against Southwest Kansas and a 2-2 record in Kansas. The game pits Southwest Kansas’ top-ranked total offense, averaging 222.7 yards per game, against Omaha’s No. 1 total defense, which allows 174.0 yards per game.

Southwest Kansas was undefeated until the last game of the regular season when they lost to the Sioux City Bandits 49-42 in Sioux City. The Storm defeated Omaha 34-26 on March 28 in Dodge City after they were tied heading to the fourth quarter. The Storm scored twice in the quarter while the Beef only scored once. James Summers played quarterback for the Beef going 16 of 22 passing for 217 yards and three touchdowns and one interception. Omaha only gained 40 yards on the ground as Dequan Dudley made six receptions for 95 yards and three touchdowns. Matt Struck was the Storm quarterback at the time and only threw for 105 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions as they rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns as a team.

During its six-game winning streak, Omaha has averaged 5.5 yards per rush attempt, up from 3.1 over its first four games, along with 92.5 rushing yards per game, 129.3 passing yards per game, 221.8 total yards per game, and 6.2 yards per play. Over that same stretch, the Beef forced 10 interceptions and three fumbles. Defensively, they have held opponents to 3.2 yards per rush attempt, 44.0 rushing yards per game, 110.0 passing yards per game, 154.0 total yards per game, and 3.8 yards per play. In Omaha’s first four games, those figures were 57.4 rushing yards, 95.4 passing yards, 152.8 total yards, and 3.7 yards per play offensively, while allowing 70.6 rushing yards, 127.4 passing yards, 198.0 total yards, and 4.4 yards per play defensively.

Quarterback Vincent Espinoza has completed 55 of 91 passes for 632 yards, 18 touchdowns, and just two interceptions, ranking eighth in the NAL at 126.4 passing yards per game. He has also rushed 24 times for 199 yards and three touchdowns, ranks second in the league with 39.8 rushing yards per game, and is fourth in total offense at 166.2 yards per game. He also leads the NAL in passing efficiency with a 111.8 rating. David Ross has 35 carries for 185 yards and four touchdowns during the winning streak. During that span Devanaire Conliffe has 23 catches for 279 yards and eight touchdowns, Dequan Dudley has 12 receptions for 233 yards and seven scores, and Lorenzo Thompson has 11 catches for 133 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Chris Perry and Jaylen Perkins each have four interceptions during the streak, while Brandon Munoz has recorded 22 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, three safeties, and a fumble recovery.

For the season, David Ross has rushed for 228 yards on 59 carries with six touchdowns. Conliffe leads the team in receiving with 25 catches for 316 yards and nine touchdowns, while Dudley has 24 receptions for 399 yards and 11 scores. Dudley has also returned 30 kickoffs for 554 yards, an 18.5-yard average, and is averaging 103.6 all-purpose yards per game.

Kicker Chase Contreraz has converted 42 of 51 extra-point attempts (82.4 percent 1^st in NAL) and has made three field goal in the last three games.

Jaylen Johnson leads Omaha defense with 39 tackles while adding 2 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Jaylen Perkins, who didn’t play last week vs Sioux City, has 38 tackles, five interceptions, and nine pass breakups. Brandon Munoz continues to cause chaos for opponents’ offensive lineman has 37 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and four pass breakups, ranking second in the NAL in sacks and first in tackles for loss. Terrance Jackson has added 32 tackles, one interception, and seven pass breakups. The Beefense does get back lineman Jayshawn Washington, who returns from the injury reverse list.

For Southwest Kansas, Jaden Sutton has carried the ball 88 times for 393 yards and 18 touchdowns, ranking third in the league at 39.3 rushing yards per game and third in scoring at 11.6 points per game. Quarterback Trae Self has completed 78 of 120 passes for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, ranking third in the NAL with 146.5 passing yards per game and third in passing efficiency at 99.9. Demarius Washington leads the team with 49 receptions for 690 yards and 16 touchdowns, ranking second in receptions per game, first in receiving yards per game, tied for first in touchdown catches, and eighth in scoring at 9.6 points per game. Wide receiver/ running back Mason Pierce has 32 catches for 360 yards and three touchdowns, ranks ninth in receiving yards per game, and has added 20 kick returns for 412 yards, good for fourth in the league at 20.6 yards per return. He is also third in all-purpose yards at 95.1 per game.

Defensively, Evan DiMaggio leads Southwest Kansas with 78 tackles and ranks second in the NAL at 7.8 tackles per game, but he will miss the matchup after being placed on 14-day injured reserve Wednesday. His absence is significant for the Storm, as he also leads the league with seven sacks and ranks third with 12.5 tackles for loss. Southwest Kansas signed LB Vincent Dileo II on Thursday; Dileo played for the Storm in 2024 before signing with the UFL’s Dallas Renegades. The Storm defense ranks second in average points allowed, while defensive back Shaquez Bond has 76 tackles and ranks third in the NAL at 7.6 per game. Up front, Jyaire Stevens has 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss, while Josiah Silver has added 21 tackles, four sacks, and nine tackles for loss.

The Storm brought in veteran kicker Dillion Burkhard during the last game of the regular season and he went three of five extra point tries and made a 37-yard field goal.

Other Notes: 

Recent transactions: DL Jayshawn Washington return from IR, DeAnthony Hall-Steele placed on 14-day IR

The Beef are making their seventh straight playoff appearance. (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) There was no season in 2020 due to Covid.

Watch party @ Goose’s Bar and Grill in Papillion Saturday night starting at 6pm.

The fourth seed Salina Liberty will travel to second seed Pueblo this Saturday with the winner advancing to face the winner of Omaha and SW Kansas the following weekend for the NAL Championship.

You can listen to the game on Bluffs Country 106.9 FM and radio/audio stream at BluffsCountry.com and the Bluffs Country app.

Omaha Beef Youth Football Camp – June 28^th 3-6pm at Iowa West Sports Complex. For more information go to beeffootball.com or the Beef Facebook page.

2026 Omaha Beef Schedule (6-5)

Projected Starters

NAL Player of the Week Awards-

Otis Odom – Week 1 Special Teams POW

Giovanni Sanders – Week 8 Offensive POW

Jaylen Perkins – Week 10 Defensive POW

Vincent Espinoza – Week 11 Offensive POW

Chris Perry – Week 11 Defensive POW

Chase Contreraz - Week 12 Special Teams POW

Web information

Livestream – NAL Network

Website – beeffootball.com

Facebook- facebook.com/TheOmahaBeef

Radio

Bluffs Country 106.9 FM and radio/audio stream at BluffsCountry.com and the Bluffs Country app.