Beef wins sixth straight and advance to semifinals with 47-36 win over Bandits.

Sixth seed Omaha traveled to Sioux City on Saturday and defeated the Bandits 47-36 to advance to the semi-finals and will travel to Pueblo, Colorado next Saturday to take on the two seed Punishers. The Beef now are 6-0 all-time vs Sioux City in playoffs and now have won six straight games after starting the season losing their first five games. The defense with two interceptions, special teams with two field goals and five of six extra points and an efficient offense helped the Beef advance and now lead the all-time series 33-25.

The Omaha defense set the tone from the first drive as the person who helped win the game the last time in Sioux City, Chris Perry picked off Lorenzo Brown and returned it 29 yards as the Beef took a 7-0 lead 2:23 into the game.

Sioux City responded with a three-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jadon Johnson, but Dylan Karnes missed the extra point try and it was 7-6 Beef.

Devanaire Conliffe’s 11-yard touchdown reception with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter put the Beef up 13-6. Conliffe finished the game with four receptions for 21 yards.

Fred Bruno had a one-yard rush that made it a one-point game at the 6:44 mark of the second quarter, but Karnes missed the extra point try and the Beef still had the lead.

Sioux City took its first lead with eight seconds remaining in the first half as Bruno caught a nine-yard pass from Brown and added the two-point catch and it was 20-13 Bandits. The ensuing kickoff was cut off short and set the Beef up for a 35- yard field goal try which Chase Contreraz made as time expired for the first half and it has 20-16 Bandits at half. Bruno only had that one catch and gained only five yards on four carries for the Bandits.

Omaha got the ball to start the second half and retook the lead as Lorenzo Thompson caught a six-yard pass and with Contreraz kick it was 23-20 Beef with 12:24 remaining in the third quarter. It was a lead that they would never get up for the rest of the game. Thompson finished the game with three catches for 30 yards.

The Beef got a big defensive stop to start the fourth quarter as Brown’s pass was low and the offense took over on downs and after three straight rushing plays, they scored as Espinoza went in from three yards and increased the lead to ten points.

The Bandits started to drive again, but Omaha’s Keyshawn Cobb made his first interception as the defense made another stop as the Beef took over with 10:07 remaining. Espinoza made the lead 17 points with a 29-yard dash five plays later. Espinoza would finish with 57 yards rushing on six carries.

Johnson’s six-yard touchdown reception and Bruno’s two-point catch made it 37-28 Omaha with 5:00 remaining. Johnson was the Bandits leading receiver with six catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.

Omaha made it 44-28 after Dequan Dudley took a short pass and 36 yards later the Beef had a 16-point lead with 2:39 remaining. Espinoza finished the game going 10 of 17 passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions while Dudley made two receptions for 43 yards.

Sioux City scored 32 seconds later as Raheem Harvey caught a 32-yard pass and Meints caught the two-point pass and it was 44-36. Lorenzo Brown would end the game going 13 of 26 with four touchdowns and two interceptions while passing for 176 yards.

Contreraz sealed the game with a 45-yard field with eight seconds left and the Beef are now bound for Colorado and the semifinals.

Omaha was led by Brandon Munoz seven tackles and recorded a half a sack with teammate Jaylen Johnson who ended the night with six tackles. Ponce Deleon and Terrance Jackson finished with five tackles. Sioux City was led on defense by Carlton Watkins 11 tackles while Juan Moore added nine.

OTHER NOTES:  

Any questions call the Beef office at 402.346.2333.

2026 Omaha Beef Schedule (6 -5)

Beef All-Time records vs. (As of 6/6/26)