Ultimus Bowl I

Ultimus Bowl I

Colorado Yeti (NSFC) Arizona Outlaws (ASFC) 6 29
1 2 3 4 Total COL 0 6 0 0 6 ARI 10 6 6 7 29
Stadium	Outlaw Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
MVP	Lincoln Jefferson, Wide Receiver

Ultimus Bowl I was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Simulation Football League (NSFL) for 2016 (S1). The American Simulation Football Conference (ASFC) champion Arizona Outlaws defeated the National Simulation Football Conference (NSFC) champion Colorado Yeti, 29-6, to win the inaugural Ultimus. The game was played at Outlaw Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.

Background

Teams

The NSFC was represented by the Colorado Yeti, while the ASFC was represented by their second seed Arizona Outlaws. These two teams met in the first Ultimus Bowl to crown the first-ever NSFL champion.

Colorado Yeti

Main article: 2016 Colorado Yeti season

The Yeti won six of their first seven games to start 2016 (S1), establishing themselves as one of the hottest teams in the league. However, Colorado stumbled through the second half of the regular season, losing five of their next six. In a pivotal regular season finale, Colorado defeated the Yellowknife Wraiths, 20-10, to secure home-field advantage for the NSFC Championship Game with a record of 8-6-0.

Arizona Outlaws

Main article: 2016 Arizona Outlaws season

The Arizona Outlaws boasted the highest-scoring offense in the NSFL, scoring 277 points over the 14-game regular season. However, they also had a strong defense, anchored by award-winning defensive lineman Jayce Tuck and defensive back Isaiah Rashad. The Outlaws concluded the regular season with a 9-5-0 record, despite a Week 14 loss to the Orange County Otters, the team they would face in the ASFC Championship.

Playoffs

Main article: 2016 NSFL playoffs

Colorado defeated the Wraiths 13-6 to win the inaugural Glacies Trophy as champions of the NSFC in a rematch of their regular season finale. The Yeti trailed 6-3 at halftime, but took the lead in the third quarter on a Logan Noble touchdown pass to D.J. Law. Colorado added a 57-yard field goal from Bojo Kicksit in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

Arizona and Orange County competed for the first Solis Trophy, with the Outlaws winning 36-13 to avenge their Week 14 loss. The Outlaws scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, one from each phase of the game. None Stormblessed returned a kickoff 97 yards for the first score, giving Arizona a 22-15 lead. Reg Mackworthy followed with a seven-yard touchdown rush, and Jaylon Lee iced the game with a 13-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Pre-game notes

The Yeti and Outlaws first met in Week 13. In that contest, the Outlaws won at home, 15-0, with all 15 points coming in the second quarter. Arizona outgained Colorado, 388 yards to 194, in that game.

While the NSFL prepared to crown its first champion, there was also considerable buzz considering the league's first expansion. Six teams competed in the NSFL in 2016, and that number would grow to eight in 2017 (S2) with the addition of the Las Vegas Legion and the Philadelphia Liberty. One member of the Yeti, Vikian Marmeladov, commented publicly on the possibility of being selected in the Expansion Draft, making the Ultimus Bowl his final game with Colorado.

"It's definitely in the back of my mind that this might be my last game as a Yeti," Marmeladov said. "It sucks in a way since we’ve built such chemistry and got on a strong foot but at the same time it's kind of flattering to looked at by an expansion team."

Game summary

First Quarter

The Outlaws kicked off to Colorado to start the game, and promptly forced a three-and-out to regain possession. However, Arizona saw marginal success moving the football on their first drive and followed with a punt of their own. The first score of the game came on Colorado's second possession, as Ryan Flock intercepted Logan Noble for a 24-yard touchdown return. The Yeti would punt again on their ensuing drive, leading to a 25-yard Adrienne Nugent field goal to give Arizona a 10-0 lead.

Second Quarter

Colorado's offensive struggles continued into the second quarter, and the Yeti punted the ball back to Arizona with 13:17 remaining in the half. The ensuing Outlaws drive concluded with another touchdown, as a 32-yard pass by Vincent Draxel to Lincoln Jefferson moved Arizona to the goal line for a short strike to Stormblessed. Nugent missed the PAT attempt, leaving Arizona with a 16-0 advantage.

Colorado scored their first (and only) points of the game in the second quarter, with a pair of Kicksit field goals.

Third Quarter

Colorado slowed down the Arizona offense in the third quarter, limiting the Outlaws to a pair of field goals. Wyatt Fulton sacked Draxel on a critical first-and-goal play to slow down what had been an 11-play, 70-yard drive, which ended with a 31-yard Nugent field goal. Still, that field goal gave Arizona a 22-6 lead after three quarters.

Fourth Quarter

Arizona scored the lone touchdown of the fourth quarter, as King Bronko concluded a seven-yard drive where he exchanged snaps with Draxel under center with a touchdown pass to Wes Washington. The Yeti continued to struggle moving the ball against Arizona, with their last gasp ending on a 4th-and-28 turnover on downs to close a drive mired by two sacks and a penalty. The Outlaws would run out the clock following this turnover to secure victory.

Game statistics

Statistical comparison

Statistic	Colorado Yeti	Arizona Outlaws
First downs	7	8
Third down efficiency	2/14	9/20
Fourth down efficiency	0/2	0/0
Net yards rushing	58	89
Rushing attempts	18	34
Yards per rush	3.2	2.6
Passing – Completions-attempts	16/34	24/41
Interceptions thrown	1	0
Net yards passing	165	305
Total net yards	223	394
Fumbles-lost	0–0	0–0
Penalties-yards	8–69	3–15
Time of possession	24:44	35:16
Turnovers	1	0

Box score

Ultimus Bowl I: Arizona Outlaws 29, Colorado Yeti 6

	1	2	3	4	Total
Yeti (NSFC)	0	6	0	0	6
Outlaws (ASFC)	10	6	6	7	29

at Outlaw Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona

• Date: 22 January, 2017
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. EST

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP COL ARI 1 10:03 — — — ARI Interception returned 24 yards for touchdown by Ryan Flock, Adrienne Nugent kick good 0 7 1 2:53 12 56 5:08 ARI 25-yard field goal by Nugent 0 10 2 10:15 4 62 2:39 ARI Stormblessed 5-yard touchdown reception from Vincent Draxel, Nugent kick failed 0 16 2 6:29 9 43 3:41 COL 37-yard field goal by Bojo Kicksit 3 16 2 2:07 8 44 2:54 COL 24-yard field goal by Kicksit 6 16 3 9:42 7 43 2:50 ARI 32-yard field goal by Nugent 6 19 3 1:41 14 63 6:18 ARI 31-yard field goal by Nugent 6 22 4 5:42 7 61 4:56 ARI Wes Washington 6-yard touchdown reception from King Bronko, Nugent kick good 6 29 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see wp:Glossary of American football. 6 32