TUCSON - The Tucson Sugar Skulls are looking to get back to .500 against the Duke City Gladiators on Saturday night in Albuquerque. 

Looking for the same result

In the two teams' last of three matchups in 2021, Tucson pulled away for a four-point 63-59 win over the Gladiators on August 14. The point total was the Sugar Skulls' highest scoring game of the season by seven points. In fact, Tucson saw so much success against the Gladiators' defense that the three games against Duke City accounted for all three of the Sugar Skulls' top-three scoring outputs of the year.

Furthermore, two of the Gladiators' five worst defensive performances of 2021 (by points allowed) – including their worst – came against the Sugar Skulls. The 63 Sugar Skull points Duke City allowed on August 14 was its worst of the season, while the 55 points on May 30 were the team's fifth-worst mark.

Don't think we've gone away

Despite a 1-2 start to the season, the Sugar Skulls offense has been among the best in the IFL so far in 2022. Tucson ranks second in points scored per game, while being tied for first in touchdowns scored. In terms of total yards gained, the Sugar Skulls rank second with a 230-yard average, while 169.5 of those yards come via the passing game, a number that also ranks second in the IFL.

When Tucson throws the ball, it's arguably the best team in the league. The Sugar Skulls' 10.3 yard average on passing plays ranks first in the IFL by almost an entire yard.

A balanced approach

Despite such an explosion offensively from Tucson against the Gladiators in 2021, there wasn't exactly an exact science to it. In the three games against Duke City, the Sugar Skulls passed for 324 total yards while rushing for 298. Tucson threw 11 touchdown passes, exactly even with the amount they scored rushing the ball.