IFL Week 19 Picks
- Trey
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
Goodness gracious, we are coming up on the end of the regular season. Don't be sad that it is almost over, be happy that we have an absolute banger of a playoff run ahead of us.
Before we dive into this upcoming week of picks, let's review how we did last week:
IFL Week 18 Review
Orlando -3 - Loser
Orlando wins, San Antonio covers 55-54
GB-Iowa Under 87.5 - Winner
Combined for 86 points phew
Tulsa -1.5 - Winner
Tulsa wins and covers, 57-49
Fishers -6.5 - Winner
Fishers wins and covers, 49-35
Tucson +13.5Â - Loser
Arizona wins while Tucson falls apart, 41-25
Northern Arizona -7.5Â - Winner
Northern Arizona dominates, 71-33
San Diego +8.5Â - Winner
San Diego wins outright, 52-38
5-2 in the final full seven-game slate of 2026! While the pursuit of the illustrious 7-0 week eluded us this season, we hit 6-1 multiple times this year and we've already locked in our best year of picks to date.
Orlando's road woes did me in, but most of the winners were pretty comfortable and having multiple in the same slate is one of the best feelings in the world.
But we're on to the next week. We've got a quaint little five-gamer ahead of us, with most of the games only featuring one team playing for anything while their opponent is looking to go out with pride, which can make for some chaotic endings... especially with some of these spread numbers.
LET'S FIND SOME WINNERS!
2026 IFL Record: 64-37
Iowa Barnstormers @ Jacksonville Sharks (Saturday 7/18 @ 7PM ET)
The Play: Iowa +21.5
I know, I know, I KNOW. EVERYBODY RELAX.
composes self
Okay, hear me out. This Sharks defense has been struggling in recent weeks, as the team has allowed 54, 54, 62, & 57 points in during their 4-game losing streak that has them holding on for dear life heading into the playoffs.
Insert an Iowa Barnstormers team that will be (presumably) starting indoor football veteran Aaron Aiken at QB, who has a lower ceiling than you would hope for but has a higher floor than most of the Iowa QBs have had so far this season.
The Iowa WR group has upside and David Elder has proven to be a playmaker on special teams and out of the backfield. This will ultimately just depend on how well the Iowa defense weathers the storm as Sammy Edwards continues to get better at the QB spot.
I still think Jacksonville wins, but this has the makings of the "closer than it should be" game of the week.
Prediction: 48-40 Jacksonville
Quad City Steamwheelers @ Tulsa Oilers (Saturday 7/18 @ 7PM ET)
The Play: Over 84.5
The white Tulsa Oilers play host to the under-performing Quad City Steamwheelers in a game that Tulsa needs to clinch a playoff spot and keep their hopes at the number two seed alive. But I like the Total more than I like the spread for Tulsa in this one.
QB TJ Edwards has been playing great football in the back half of the year and RB Caleb Ramseur has brought outstanding balance to the offense. I think we see a big TJ Edwards aerial attack in this game, but I don't think Quad City will go quietly into the night.
Quad City WR Quian Williams is from Oklahoma and will be making a homecoming return, so expect him to get in the mix early and often. Quad City should put up more fight in this one (barring any last minute roster or lineup changes), so gimme the Over and let's have some fun.
Prediction: 54-48 Tulsa
New Mexico Chupacabras @ San Diego Strike Force (Saturday 7/18 @ 10PM ET)
The Play: San Diego -20.5
As mentioned on Indoor Football Weekly earlier this week, in this game you have a talented roster with a great coaching staff vying for the number one seed and home field advantage in the Western Conference playoffs...
...and the other we have no idea who is healthy enough to start at QB.
Gimme the Strike Force at home in a blowout.
Prediction: 60-32 San Diego
Arizona Rattlers @ San Antonio Gunslingers (Sunday 7/19 @ 4PM ET)
The Play: Over 76.5
I hate the spread in this game, and here is why: If San Diego wins their game against New Mexico, that locks in San Diego at 1, Vegas at 2 & Arizona at 3 in the Western Conference playoffs. This game essentially becomes meaningless for the Rattlers, so I would expect them to not necessarily go full throttle with Max Meylor in this one.
HOWEVER, with the limited roster sizes, they'll still have the majority of the offensive firepower going.. and the offense has proven that they can still be impactful with QB Drew Powell at the helm.
San Antonio is coming off of back-to-back one point losses in which they scored 42 & 54 points, with QB Joaquin Collazo looking fantastic against the Pirates. If we see San Antonio even put up 35-40, this total should hit with ease. The 10.5 number just scares me, in both directions. Give me the Over on a lower than average total and call it a day.
Prediction: 44-39 Arizona
Northern Arizona Wranglers @ Tucson Sugar Skulls (Sunday 7/19 @ 7:30PM ET)
The Play: Over 84.5
Don't look now but the Northern Arizona Wranglers have a scorching hot offense!
Coach Hendrix has this team trending in the right direction while going 2-0 since taking over as interim head coach. The offense is buzzing, Manny Higuera is crushing deuces and the special teams can pop off at a moment's notice.
For Tucson, I anticipate a big bounce back performance from this offense that laid an egg against a talented Rattlers squad last week. The Sugar Skulls are 3-0 in their last three home games while averaging 46 PPG during the winning streak.
Give me another high scoring shootout in the desert, just like Wyatt Earp and co did in the OK Corral. POINTS!
Prediction: 50-46 Tucson