I-29 rivalry between the Beef and Bandits meet for the 57th time

Omaha Beef @ Sioux City Bandits May 16th – 7:10pm CT Tyson Events Center

Throw out the records between the 2-5 Omaha Beef and 5-2 Sioux City Bandits as the 57th meeting will take place Saturday in Sioux City at the Tyson Events Center. Both teams rolled their opponents last week as Omaha beat the Louisiana Rouxgaroux 56-6 while the Bandits won 65-18 over Amarillo Warbirds. Since 2000 the Omaha Beef are 206-126 while the Sioux City Attack/Bandits are 199-147. In the I-29 battle Omaha owns a 31-25 advantage, 26-25 in the regular season, and are 14-13 in games played in Sioux City (14-11 at TEC). Until the first meeting this year, won by the Bandits 26-6, Omaha had won eight in a row. Currently Omaha is in the sixth and final playoff spot as the Sioux City sits as the two seed.

Omaha’s Vincent Espinoza, the eighth different player to throw at least one pass this season, threw five touchdowns, three of them to Dequan Dudley, in his first game with the team in the win over the Rouxgaroux. David Ross added 49 rushing yards and scored one touchdown and the defense picked off Louisiana four times. 

Omaha averages 62 rushing yards per game, led by David Ross with 36 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Tabyus Taylor has added 115 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries in two games.

Dequan Dudley, 9th in NAL with 9.3 points per game and 4th in receiving yards average, with a 48 ypg, leads the team with 17 receptions for 288 yards and nine touchdowns. Teammates Conliffe Devanaire (7 rec 153 yds 4 TD), Lorenzo Thompson (7 rec 137 yds 2 TD), Cameron Alves (5 rec 31 yds), and newcomer Ivan Corbin (4 rec 43 yds 1 TD) follow suit. Dudley is also second in all-purpose yards averaging 92.2 ypg.

Chase Contreraz is 1 of 7 kicking field goals and 22 of 27 on extra point tries. Contreraz is first in the NAL with an 81.5 percent success rate on PAT kicks.

Defensively Jaylen Perkins and Jayshawn Washington are tied with 31 tackles this season followed by Brandon Munoz (25), Terrance Jackson (21) and Jaylen Johnson (20). Munoz leads the team with four sacks (5th in NAL) and nine and a half tackles for loss and is third on the team with four pass breakups and has registered three safeties in the last two games. Perkins, who had three interceptions last week and was named NAL Defensive Player of the Week, leads the team with four this season and is first in NAL with ten pass breakups.

The Beefense is third in scoring defense (33.3), first in total defense (166.9 ypg), second in passing defense (51.2 pct completion rate, 107.1 ypg) and third in rush defense (59.7 ypg). They are allowing opponents to convert 40 percent of their third downs and 29.2 percent of their fourth downs plays.

Sioux City is led by quarterback Lorenzo Brown who threw six touchdowns last week, five of them to Brandon Sherperd vs Amarillo. Brown, who went 14 of 17 passing for 98 yards and two touchdowns last time vs Omaha is completing 62.9 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. He is 5th in total offense at 165.7 ypg and first in passing efficiency at 117.1. In that April 4th meeting Dylan Karnes kicked two fields as Sioux City scored 10 points off two Beef turnovers. Omaha ran four more plays and gained 12 more yards than Sioux City who controlled the clock winning the time of possession 38:26 to 21:34.

The running attack was led by Jeff Mack (3rd in NAL with 36.9 ypg) who gained 258 yards on 72 carries and scored six touchdowns this season, but he was released on Thursday. Brandon Sheperd (8th in NAL receiving yds 39.3 ypg) is the Bandit’s leading receiver with 22 receptions for 275 yards and eight touchdowns, followed by veteran Fred Bruno (3rd in NAL scoring 11.2 ppg and 9th with 35.8 in receiving ypg) with 12 receptions for 179 yards and three touchdowns, Jadon Johnson 12 receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns. 

Rookie kicker Dylan Karnes has improved as the season has progressed making 6 of his 15 field goals and 23 of his 30 extra point tries. He is first in total points scored kicking (41) and first in FG percentages.

Sioux City has the NAL’s top scoring defense, allowing just 25.4 points per game, and ranks second in total defense at 183.7 yards per game. The Bandits also lead the league in third-down defense, holding opponents to 25.4 percent, but rank sixth on fourth down at 42.9 percent.

Carlton Watkins and Laronji Vason-McCoy lead the Bandits in tackles with 43 and 41, respectively, ranking seventh and eighth in the NAL. Vason-McCoy also has a team-high five of Sioux City’s 13 interceptions, the most in the league. The Bandits rank second in the NAL with 12 sacks, led by Dajon Emory’s five, which rank second individually. Sioux City will also gain the services of Ben Pister who was signed on Thursday.

Omaha hits the road next week traveling to Denver to play the Colorado Spartans in their last road game of the regular season.

Other Notes:

Recent Transitions: No transactions this week.

Watch party will be held Saturday night at Hurrdat Sports Bar & Grill.

Touchdowns for Heroes – The Omaha Beef and Liberty Law Group are teaming up to raise funds for the Nebraska Warriors, a local no-profit dedicated to serving the veterans in Omaha and the surrounding communities. During the May 23 home game vs Colorado Spartans every touchdown scored the Beef and Liberty Law Group will be donating $100. If you would like to help visit the Beef Facebook page or call the office for more information.

Omaha Beef Coaches Show at Goose’s Bar & Grill in downtown Papillion starts at 6pm.

Omaha Beef Youth Football Camp is Back! Calling all young athletes! Join the Omaha Beef for our Annual Kids Camp on May 30th from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM at Iowa West Sports Complex! This is your chance to learn directly from Omaha Beef players and coaches—develop your skills, improve your game, and have a blast on the field! Camp features hands-on instruction and skill building, including an official Omaha Beef Camp T-shirt, and provides a ticket to any Omaha Beef home game. Register now—space is limited! https://www.cognitoforms.com/…/_2026OmahaBeefFootballCampMay30

Omaha Beef Hall of Fame will induct its 2026 class during the May 23rd game vs Colorado.

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

2026 Omaha Beef Schedule (2-5)

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

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.