Soul Move up to No. 2 as Rattlers Drop to Fourth in Media Poll Shakeup
Published on August 5, 2015 under Arena Football League (AFL) News Release
LAS VEGAS - The East Division champion Philadelphia Soul (14-3) moved up to No. 2, while the Arizona Rattlers (13-4) - champions of the West Division - fell to No. 4 in the latest AFL Media Poll.
Philadelphia shot up one spot in the latest Poll following a 61-28 victory over the New Orleans VooDoo (3-13-1) last week. However, it was the top-ranked San Jose SaberCats' (16-1) handling of the Rattlers, 56-29, that really caused this week's shakeup in the rankings. The Rattlers tumbled two spots to No. 4, enabling the South Division champion Orlando Predators (11-6) to move up from fifth to third in the latest Poll.
The No. 1-ranked SaberCats will attempt to join the 2014 Cleveland Gladiators as the only teams in AFL history to finish the regular season with a 17-1 record as they travel to Anaheim for a matchup with the LA KISS (4-13). Kickoff is set for 10:00 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN3. Also on ESPN3 earlier in the evening, the Soul will preview their AFL Quarterfinal matchup in a game against the Cleveland Gladiators (8-9). Kickoff for the first of back-to-back games between the two teams over the next two weeks is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Arizona will look to get back in the win column heading into the playoffs as they host the Portland Thunder (5-12) Saturday night on CBS Sports Network. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Orlando - fresh off defeating their AFL Quarterfinal opponents, the Jacksonville Sharks (9-8) - will face off with a Florida foe once again in Week 20 as they host the Tampa Bay Storm (7-10) in the "War on I-4". The Sharks will try for one more win as well against the New Orleans VooDoo (3-13-1) on Saturday night. Kickoff for both matchups is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
The AFL Media Poll consists of voters from television, radio, and newspaper outlets who regularly cover the League in their respective markets, along with national personalities from ESPN and CBS Sports, who provide game and studio commentary about the Arena Football League.
August 5 AFL Media Poll
Rank Team (1st Place Votes) W-L Points Last Week
1. San Jose SaberCats (16) 16-1 192 1
2. Philadelphia Soul 14-3 176 3
3. Orlando Predators 11-6 154 5
4. Arizona Rattlers 13-4 147 2
5. Jacksonville Sharks 9-8 131 4
6. Cleveland Gladiators 8-9 111 6
7. Tampa Bay Storm 7-10 91 8
8. Spokane Shock 6-11 83 7
9. Portland Thunder 5-12 61 10
10. LA KISS 4-13 49 9
11. Las Vegas Outlaws 5-11-1 36 11
12. New Orleans VooDoo 3-13-1 17 12
Arena Football League Stories from August 5, 2015
- Soul Move up to No. 2 as Rattlers Drop to Fourth in Media Poll Shakeup - AFL
- Sea Best Seafood Commercial Earns National Recognition - Jacksonville Sharks
- Thunder Enter Desert Dual with Confidence - Portland Thunder
- San Jose SaberCats vs Los Angeles KISS Game Preview - San Jose SaberCats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
