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Sports season
American: East, South National: West, Central
The 2013 Arena Football League season was the 26th season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 23, 2013, with a five-game slate, the first of which to kick off being between the Utah Blaze and the Pittsburgh Power , and ended on July 27, 2013, with the Utah Blaze and Cleveland Gladiators as the last game to kick off.[ 1] [ 2] The Arizona Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Soul by a 48–39 score in ArenaBowl XXVI to conclude the league's playoffs.[ 3]
The league dropped to 14 teams during the offseason. The Kansas City Command ceased operations on August 23, 2012,[ 4] as well as the Georgia Force on October 14, 2012.[ 5] The Milwaukee Mustangs suspended operations for 2013, eyeing a return to play in the 2014 season.[ 6]
It was announced on November 13, 2012, that the league had reached an agreement with CBS Sports Network to air 19 regular-season games, as well as two playoff games. The network was scheduled to air the league's "game of the week" each Saturday. The main CBS network was to televise ArenaBowl XXVI on August 17, 2013.[ 3]
Regular season standings [ edit ]
Eight teams qualify for the playoffs: four teams from each conference, of which two are division champions and the other two have the best records of the teams remaining.[ 7]
Key: Conference and division champion • Division champion • Clinched playoff berth
a Cleveland finished in second place in the East Division based on their greater point differential in head-to-head competition with Pittsburgh.
b Jacksonville clinched the American Conference's No. 1 seed based on their win over Philadelphia.
c Orlando clinched the American Conference's No. 3 seed based on a greater conference record than Tampa Bay.
d Chicago clinched the Central Division based on their greater point differential in games against common opponents with San Antonio.
Conference Semifinals
Conference Championship
ArenaBowl XXVI
1
Jacksonville
69
4
Tampa Bay
62
1
Jacksonville
59
American Conference
2
Philadelphia
75
2
Philadelphia
59
3
Orlando
55
A2
Philadelphia
39
N1
Arizona
48
1
Arizona
59
4
San Jose
49
1
Arizona
65
National Conference
3
Spokane
57
2
Chicago
47
3
Spokane
69
Note: Due to "arena conflicts," the Chicago Rush did not host the playoff game.[ 8]
Conference semifinals [ edit ]
Conference championships [ edit ]
Date
Kickoff
Away
Home
Final score
Game site
Recap
August 17
1:00 p.m. EDT
Philadelphia Soul
Arizona Rattlers
Arizona, 48–39
Amway Center
[ 15]
Offense
Position
First team
Second team
Quarterback
Erik Meyer , Spokane
Nick Davila , Arizona
Fullback
Derrick Ross , Philadelphia
Odie Armstrong , Arizona
Wide receiver
Adron Tennell , Spokane Joe Hills , Tampa Bay Anthony Jones , Philadelphia
Rod Windsor , Arizona Reggie Gray , Chicago Jeron Harvey , Jacksonville
Center
Brennen Carvalho , Philadelphia
Billy Eisenhardt , Arizona
Offensive lineman
Christian Johnson , Philadelphia Rich Ranglin , Arizona
Michael Huey , Arizona George Bussey , San Jose
Defense
Position
First team
Second team
Defensive end
Joe Sykes , San Antonio Bryan Robinson , Philadelphia
Mike Lewis , Iowa Jerry Turner , Jacksonville
Nose guard
Tim McGill , San Antonio
Jason Stewart , San Jose
Middle linebacker
Francis Maka , San Jose
Aaron Robbins , Jacksonville
Jack linebacker
Jamar Ransom , San Antonio
Huey Whittaker , San Jose
Defensive back
Clevan Thomas , San Jose Virgil Gray , Arizona Terrance Smith , Jacksonville
Rayshaun Kizer , Philadelphia Arkeith Brown , Arizona Fred Shaw , San Antonio
^ "AFL Announces 2013 Schedule" . Arena Football League . November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013 .
^ "2013 AFL Schedule" (PDF) . Arena Football League . November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012 .[dead link ]
^ a b "AFL, CBS Sports Network Sign Two-Year TV Agreement" . Arena Football League . November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012 .
^ "Kansas City Command bows out; new team forms in new league – Kansas City Business Journal" . Bizjournals.com. August 23, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012 .
^ "Force Fold" . www.oursportscentral.com . OurSports Central. October 14, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012 .
^ "Milwaukee's AFL franchise announces that it will go dormant for the 2013 season" . Milwaukee Mustangs . Archived from the original on 2012-12-17. Retrieved November 13, 2012 .
^ "Playoff Qualification, Selection of Teams" . Arenafootball.com . Archived from the original on 2013-08-07. Retrieved July 28, 2013 .
^ "Week 19 AFL Playoff Scenarios (Updated 7/26, 4:15 PM)" . Arenafan.com . July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013 .
^ "Shock hold off the Rush in 69-47 win" . Spokane Shock . Arenafan.com. August 2, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013 .
^ "Sharks Cap Incredible Comeback with 69-62 Win Over Storm" . Jacksonville Sharks . Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013 .
^ "Soul defeat Predators to advance, 59-55" . Philadelphia Soul . Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013 .
^ "SaberCats Fall 59-49 to Rattlers in Close One in the Desert" . San Jose SaberCats . Arenafan.com. August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013 .
^ "Sharks Fall to Soul in Conference Championship, 75-59" . Jacksonville Sharks . Arenafan.com. August 10, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013 .
^ "Shock fall to the defending champs 65-57" . Spokane Shock . Arenafan.com. August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013 .
^ Jeff Sims (August 17, 2013). "Rattlers Repeat as ArenaBowl Champs" . Arenafan.com . Retrieved August 18, 2013 .
American Conference National Conference
East Division South Division
Central Division West Division