Beef win on last second field goal, secure playoff berth

Chase Contreraz hit a 37-yard field goal as time expired, and the Omaha Beef beat the Colorado Spartans 30-27 Saturday at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. With the victory the Beef have claimed a playoff spot for the 21^st time in team history and improved their record to 4 and 5 with their fourth straight win.

Omaha was down 27-14 with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter but closed the gap to seven after Ivan Corbin took a short pass and ran 23 yards for the score. Chris Perry picked off Spartans quarterback Javin Kilgo and took it to Colorado one yardline with 8:32 remaining.  Vincent Espinoza tied the game with a two-yard rush. Both teams had a chance to break the tie on their next possession, but each team could not move the ball.  The Spartans tried a 59-yard field goal with thirteen seconds remaining only to have Dequan Dudley return the short kick to the Colorado 23 yardline with three seconds remaining. Contreraz then hit the winning kick, only his second field goal of the season, and the Beef were celebrating.

Colorado opened the scoring as Bizzet Woodley caught a five-yard pass from Kilgo with just under six minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Beef tied it at 7 when Devanaire Conliffe grabbed a 17-yard pass from Espinoza near the end of the quarter.  The Spartans scored the next two touchdowns as Steven Newbold caught a nine yard and 28-yard strike from Kilgo to increase the lead to 21-7. But just before halftime David Ross had a 16-yard touchdown rush, and it was 21-14 at halftime. Brean Michel five-yard touchdown reception gave Colorado a 13-point lead, but that would be the final time they scored as the Beef put up 16 unanswered points.

The Beef defense was able to hold Colorado under their scoring average (44.9 ppg) and offensive yardage (232.6 ypg) as it was the fewest points scored by the Spartans this season. Kilgo finished the game 14 of 31 for only 168 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

Espinoza only threw 13 passes for the game, completing five of them, two of them for touchdowns and only 65 yards. He added 59 rushing yards on eight carries and scored once. Ivan Corbin was the leading receiver with three receptions for 40 yards.  Newly signed back D’Nerius Antoine gained 28 yards on five carries.

Trey Dudley-Giles was the leading Beef tackler with five as Freedom Akinmoladu and Brandon Munoz recorded sacks.

Alexis Rosario had five receptions for 64 yards while Newbold finished with four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Dillion Thomas made eight tackles and had a sack. Brian Robinson had a late interception to stop a Beef drive while Cory Henry registered a sack for the Spartans.

Omaha will hit the road next weekend as they travel to play the Louisiana Rouxgaroux next Saturday hoping to improve their playoff seeding. Omaha and Colorado are 4-5 while Sioux City is 5-4. The second and third seed has Pueblo and Salina tied at 6-3 and SW Kansas as the top seed locked up at 9-0. Salina will travel to Colorado; Amarillo will go to Pueblo and SW Kansas travels to Sioux City next weekend. So, the NAL might ended up with two different three way ties that will use tiebreakers to decided playoff seedings.

OTHER NOTES:  

Coach’s show is this Monday from 6-7pm at Goose’s Bar and Grill.

Any questions call the Beef office at 402.346.2333.

2026 Omaha Beef Schedule (4 -5)

Beef All-Time records vs. (As of 5/23/26)