The Strike Force has announced its 2020 regular-season schedule, which will consist of 14 games over 17 weeks featuring seven home games. All home games will be on either Saturday at 6 p.m. or Sunday at 3 p.m.
The Strike Force will open on the road against the Bismarck Bucks of North Dakota (March 6). The football team will have two, three-game homestands including two games (April 17 and June 5) against in-state rivals the Oakland Panthers at Pechanga Arena. Oakland, one of two expansions teams in the IFL this season, along with the newly announced team of Frisco, Texas.
San Diego’s home opener will be on Saturday, March 14 against the Cedar Rapid River Kings, under the direction of head coach Victor Mann, former CIF coach of the year. The Strike Force will look to silence the Bucks and the Kings to start the season as head coach Burt Grossman returns having his first official offseason with San Diego to rebuild and reconstruct his roster.
“We’re excited to have a schedule and to be able to begin game-planning for our opponents,” said Grossman. “It’s been a productive offseason for our staff and have a full timeline to prepare has been paying off. We’ve added a lot of experience to our roster along with a number of exciting young prospects we hope San Diego football fans are just as excited about the upcoming season as we are.”
The Strike Force’s schedule features three matchups with the Tucson Sugar Skulls (April 10 and 24, June 19) and Spokane Shock (March 27, May 29, June 26). Tucson, lead by head coach Dixie Wooten, two-time IFL coach of the year and 2018 IFL champions, return first-team All-IFL running back Mike Jones. Spokane brings in new head coach Billy Back with his 106-38 record over 10 seasons including five championships, led by newly signed two-time MVP quarterback Charles McCullum. Another schedule feature will be two-time CIF League Champions Duke City who join the IFL for the 2020 season.