2023 Pre-Season Minor League rankings for Indiana.

Brien Mitchum

Press Box Report

From the Press Box Pre-season Indiana rankings

#1 Fort Wayne Tigers-MCFL

#2 Lake County Warriors-MCFL

#3 Indy Bison Blue-MCFL

#4 Indiana Tornadoes-BCFL

#5 Indy Bison Red-BCFL

#6 Michiana Thunderhawk’s-MCFL

#7 Indy Assassins-MCFL

#8 Southern Indiana Bobcats-BCFL

#9 Mid State Titans-UFL

#10 Kentuckiana Calvary (now River City Rams)-BCFL

It’s my turn to rank the teams in Indiana for 2023 pre-season, that’s correct another ranking based on feelings and not actual rankings. Normally I am not too concerned with the state rankings but since there has been a few dropped why not. So, let’s get into it…

#1 Fort Wayne Tigers-MCFL

The Tigers rebranded from the Wolverines but not doubly had the furthest run into the 2022 season than the other Indiana teams and the best record in the state. Loosing in the conference championship to the eventual champs the Motor City Outlaws, going into the 2023 season playing in the rebranded MCFL, playing in the rebranded MCFL, that seems to be shaping up to be a powerhouse 2A league.

The Tiger’s return all of their key components on both sides of the ball, Tigers look to continue their championship ways, and get another bid to nationals with back-to-back conference championship appearance and winning the BGFL championship in 2021. They might have lost a few self-proclaimed “All Star” players, but the important key players are returning the ones that have bought in for the last few years and that is what makes a championship team.

They definitely have a top team in Indiana. with talent and experience, they are my #1 going into the 2023 season. And as usual have targets on them and the usual doubters that come out of the woodwork every season, which for coach Q and his team only fuels the fire, and passion for grinding and getting to that championship once again.

#2 Lake County Warriors-MCFL

This may put some critics undies in a bunch LCW are due for a big season getting to the conference championship 3 years in a row and losing a tough one last year. The Warriors will be most likely returning core players on both sides of the ball as well and we all know that coach Thompson is working hard to get his team ready for the season.

#3 Bison Red-BCFL

Doesn’t matter how you put it; Bison Red are still the team known formerly known as the Indy Firehawk’s regardless the choice to merge with the newly formed Bison organization and become the Bison red and playing in two leagues and chance for two championships could be a genius move or it could backfire we shall see. However, Coach Ellis and the staff in the Bison red camp are doing a tremendous job of getting their team ready for the 2023 season and will be taking the “Firehawks” to Miami to play in a national bowl game. Look for them to make a run in the BCFL similar to what they accomplished in the UFL last year.

Congratulations to Coach Ellis and his team and staff for the ticket to Miami, best of luck and bring home that victory.

#4 Indiana Tornados

The Tornadoes luck in the last few years has been less than great, back-to-back championship appearances with back-to-back losses, 2022 didn’t look any better but they did make a run late in the BCFL season getting an upset in the playoffs then to fall short. Then into the off-season they merge with the short-lived Indy Jags rebrand their logo and seem to be having a fresh start about them, the Nadoes have been around for a long time and have been a top minor league for years in the Indy area and look to get back on top of that mountain, I think the combined talent that the Jags would have brought to the field combined with the talent that the Tornadoes still have will equal some problems for a lot of teams.

We will see how the season goes for them; I think if they can get a good start out of the gate then they might catch that roll they need to make that championship push. I can see them finishing in the top 5 maybe the top 3 in the state.

#5 Bison Blue-MCFL

Now it is going to Suprise a lot of people that someone is not putting all mighty Bison at #1, a brand-new team that has not played one game yet, they are expected to do great things over in the Bison organization and I have no doubt that they will, however I can’t justify calling them #1 at this time, I am more of a prove me wrong type of person so until the season starts or they play a preseason game my opinion won’t change. Can they be #1 yes, they can be, will they be #1 that remains to be seen. I am not giving them the championship before the season starts like some of the fan boys already have. There is lots of competition in the MCFL so anything can happen on any given Saturday.

Now what I do love about the Bison is what they are doing, as an organization they seem to be doing it right from the ownership and front office to getting a great head coach, and bringing in high caliber players that have proven themselves, now some would say that they are poaching players, and I don’t agree, players are going to go where they think it is beneficial to them, the true team players will go with a championship in mind and that is the goal they are trying to get to, so if they think it’s a good fit then they will go to where that is, this is Minor League Football players pay to play so why would the loyalty be with one organization.

I do see the Bison having a good first year but is there to much hype.? Will that affect them and give them an illusion of grandeur? They have to stay humble and not let that get to their heads and inflate them. We shall see what the season brings us and how they do in pre-season have not seen anything in concrete yet if they have anything scheduled for pre-season. One thing for sure is that they are not ducking any challenges that are put in front of them or at least that is what they are saying, who will challenge the Bison this 2023 MCFL season.

As anything can happen with new teams the Indy Fire hawk’s shocked Indiana last season then got beat by the Outlaws and bounced in the first round of the playoffs, so we all know it can be any teams Saturday. They have signed some big names in the state of Indiana so far in the off season but having all the all-star players won’t get you a championship, players need to buy into the system that the coaches are putting in place and so far, it looks to be that the players are doing that.

#6 Michiana Thunderhawk’s-MCFL

I have the T-Hawks at #4 and I feel that is being generous, they have been absent for two years, and the last year that they played they got booted out of playoffs pretty early and that was the year that the West Michigan Patriots won the BGFL championship, they came into that last year as defending BGFL champs if I remember correctly. But they have regained some of their former players that played in Ft Wayne after they closed up shop, but what do they bring to the table as far as competition? That remains to be seen, they may stay in the top 5 of the state, and looking at the division they are in for the MCFL, they will most likely have to face some tough competition, Bird Gang which are a national championship team who are normally are a 3A team and of course the LCW those two will be their biggest hurdles to overcome for sure.

#7 Indy assassins-MCFL

I don’t know much about the Assassins except that they did make it to the BGFL championship in 2022 and they did beat the Indy Firehawks in fall ball, rumors are they had a beefed-up roster that is why they won but that’s not against the rules and it’s fall ball!! Which up until this fall, I had never heard of so, anyways I digress they will have a tough road this year with the new teams coming into the league and will be in the same conference with Indy Bison, FW Tigers and will for sure have to play those teams once if not twice in a 10-game season so they have their hands full for sure. I don’t know for sure if they will climb the ladder of rankings will have to see how the first few weeks of the season go for them and what they do.

#8 Southern Indiana Bobcats-BCFL

Another “new” team forged from a former team somewhat, the Bobcats are based in Southern Indiana and that is where the Cutters were, so I am sure a lot of Cutters joined up with the Bobcats, but they are not the Cutters they are in fact the Bobcats and have to forge their own identity and so far it seems that the coaching staff and the ownership is doing a good job at making their own legacy in minor league football in the Southern Indiana area.

#9 Mid State Titans-UFL

The newly rebranded Mid State Titans out of South Bend Indiana are the lone UFL team, once again they will try their hand at completing a season heck getting through the first week will be a victory, as last year they had a rough go at it and ended up closing down mid-season or so but credit to them for not shutting down permanently. Hopefully it will be a better year for them, but it won’t be easy at all with some tough teams in the UFL, we shall see how it goes.

#10 Kentuckiana Calvary or (River City Rams)-BCFL

Well, you would think that finally winning a championship you would want to come back and at least defend that title….But for the Calvary that is not the case, word is that they disbanded and started a new team and jumped to the BCFL, at this point I am not sure they would be an Indiana team but for all intents and purposes I am going to say that for now they are, at least for this article.

There are my Indiana team pre-season rankings, does it mean anything, maybe to some for bragging rights, but at the end of the day there is no trophy, this is just to cover the teams and as always, it’s my opinions take it for what it is, don’t get feelings hurt if you’re not ranked #1.

Look for more coverage of all the local leagues and team previews here in the coming weeks.

About The Author