This weekend is the final set of online matches taking place for the Boston Major II lan. The Call of Duty League will showcase its typical 10-match schedule across three days. These matches are the last opportunity for teams to earn CDL points overall and for Stage 2.
After the final match on Sunday night, the community will know what the bracket will look like to start at the Boston Major next weekend. In this article, I predict all 10 matches taking place. Based off of those predictions I can list the first round matches for every team at the Major next weekend.
The number next to each team is their current ranking in the Boston Major II points standings.
Fri, Jan 27th
3pm- Florida Mutineers(8) v. London Royal Ravens(11)
Royal Ravens win 3-1
The new look Florida Mutineers (Davpadie for Brack) take on the London Royal Ravens in the first matchup of the weekend. Both teams have made very recent roster changes amidst struggles since the start of the season. Many in the community are questioning Mutineer’s decision to bring in substitute David “Davpadie” Maslowski for Carson “Brack” Newberry. I like the Royal Ravens to win 3-1 mainly because of Florida’s respawn woes.
4:30pm- Vegas Legion(9) v. New York Subliners(4)
Subliners win 3-1
The Major 1 Champion New York Subliners have continued to be one of the top teams in the game since their championship at Raleigh. NYSL will take on the recently struggling Vegas Legion, after their 3-2 defeat to Faze on Sunday. Vegas are 1-2 in this stage thus far, but have not looked consistent enough to win big matches like this. Legion will win map 2 but drop all three respawns en route to a 3-1 defeat to Subliners.
6pm- Atlanta Faze(6) v. Los Angeles Guerrillas(5)
Faze win 3-2
The final match on Friday features a rematch between Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson and his former team, Faze. After a three-man roster swap bringing together LAG Academy and Arcitys, the Guerrillas have looked legit. They are easily one of the best hardpoint teams in the game, but need to improve in the other two modes. Faze are coming off a weird weekend in which they were swept 3-0 by Rokkr and then upset Subliners, 3-2. The Atlanta Faze will find a way to win this series, potentially through a Neslo (winning series without taking a hardpoint).
Sat, Jan 28th
3pm- Los Angeles Guerrillas(5) v. Toronto Ultra(2)
Ultra win 3-1
This is probably the toughest turnaround of the season for any team thus far. LAG has to square off against Faze Friday night and then Toronto Ultra in the first match on Saturday. Ultra have been one of the best teams in the game and have only lost to top-seeded Optic in this stage.The Guerrillas have been impressive since their roster change but this weekend will put a dent in that. Along with Faze, the Ultra are too strong overall and will win this series 3-1. LAG would still potentially be looking at a winners bracket spot if they are sitting 2-3 after their matches.
4:30pm- Vegas Legion(9) v. Optic Texas(1)
Optic win 3-1
Very similar to LAG, the Vegas Legion have a brutal two-match schedule this weekend. After opening with probably the games best team on Friday (NYSL), the Legion then have to face off against the number one seed in Stage 2 so far, Optic Texas. After Seth “Scump” Abner stepped down to retire, ‘XEO’ and Brandon “Dashy” Otell have looked prime to continue the brick wall’s historic legacy. They had a massive showing last weekend in their first matches as a team, when they knocked off both the Seattle Surge and Toronto Ultra. Vegas is one of the league’s best in Search and Destroy but Optic’s pace and talent are just too much for some teams, Legion included. Legion may win map 2 but will lose the series, handedly.
6pm- Boston Breach(3) v. Florida Mutineers(8)
Breach win 3-1
This is the first of two matches this weekend for Breach that they will be heavily favored in. This will be Florida’s second game of the weekend with their new roster, but I do not think it will change anything. It is looking like the Mutineers just do not have the talent to compete every match with some of the CDLs top teams. With that said, Boston has been good since their disappointing Major I performance.That could have potentially been a fluke, though, because of a sudden change they had to make due to sickness.
7:30 pm- Seattle Surge(12) v. New York Subliners(4)
Subliners win 3-1
I predict Saturday night is going to be a better match than the community expects, but the Subliners will still win. The Seattle Surge, who are currently last in Stage 2, have been in super-bad form. Since their runner-up finish at Raleigh Major I, Surge have not won a match. Led by young superstars, Amer “Pred” Zulbeari and Daunte “Sib” Gray, Seattle’s issue remains the same. Dating back to the formation of this team, they have been inconsistent. Seattle will pull an upset, but it will not be in this fast paced matchup. Subliners will handle business this weekend on their way to a top-3 seed next week at Boston Major II.
Sun, Jan 29th
3pm- Minnesota Rokkr(7) v. Seattle Surge(12)
Surge win 3-2
The Seattle Surge, no matter the outcome v. NYSL will need to refocus their minds quickly to the Minnesota Rokkr. Surge played in the last match Saturday night and then in this match-up, the first match of Sunday. I mentioned previously that Surge will pull an upset this weekend and I think this is the opportunity. Last weekend Rokkr displayed a new form no one had seen from them after they swept Faze. With that said, I still think this team’s inconsistency and simply poor form on Map 1’s will get them into trouble in this match. At this point of the weekend, Surge are almost 100% likely to start in the loser’s bracket. But, that would net a nice boost of confidence going into the Boston Major II Lan next week. I’ll take Surge in an upset in a lengthy series, 3-2.
4:30pm- Los Angeles Thieves(10) v. Boston Breach(3)
Thieves win 3-2
The defending World Champion, Los Angeles Thieves, have also run into a similar set of their own problems. Much like last season, Thieves have started the Modern Warfare II season incredibly slow. With that said, because I am feeling an underdog day on Saturday, I think Thieves can win this series. As I mentioned briefly before, Boston Breach has looked good since their unexpected placing at Major I. I do believe they can turn heads on Lan next weekend in their home Major. The community has been talking about Breach being one of the best teams online. That will change in this match-up. Similar to last year, Thieves will just have Boston’s number online, again. Expect a close series.
6pm- Optic Texas(1) v. Atlanta Faze(6)
Faze win 3-2
Take a moment to thank the CDL… for putting this match-up as the weekend finale before Boston Major II next weekend. As of about 10 days ago, many people would have had much less confidence in what this series can produce. But, after the re-addition of “Dashy”, Optic
Texas have been the best team in Stage 2 matches. They are currently first atop the standings at 3-0. On the other side the Atlanta Faze sit in sixth-place with a 2-1 record. The Atlanta Faze are one of the best teams in the game at the moment but they have shown signs of inconsistency. According to current Stage 2 rankings, this will be the third upset I am taking on Sunday. I think this has the potential to be one of the best series of the weekend because of the talent and similar pace in the match. I will take Faze to win a 3-2, map five potentially round 10 or 11, Search and Destroy.
With every match completed at this point on Sunday, the bracket match-ups for next weekend’s Major are very easy to plug-in. This is how I think the bracket at Boston Major II will look to start:
Winners Bracket
(1) Toronto Ultra v. (8) Los Angeles Thieves
(4) Atlanta Faze v. (5) Boston Breach
(2) New York Subliners v. (7) Minnesota Rokkr
(3) Optic Texas v. (6) Los Angeles Guerrillas
Losers Bracket
(12) Vegas Legion v. Loser of TOR/LAT
(9) London Royal Ravens v. Loser of ATL/BOS
(10) Seattle Surge v. Loser of NYSL/MIN
(11) Florida Mutineers v. Loser of Optic/LAG
Featured Image Courtesy of the Call of Duty League
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