Here’s a look back at Week 5’s action and provide a sneak peek of Week 6’s storylines.
Week 6 is here for the Esports Collegiate Conference (ESC) Overwatch 2 regular season! Feb. 27 will be the last week till the break. Last week brought the beginning of the midseason and the double header week reshaped the standings greatly going into Week 6.
Only two undefeated teams, Ball State and Miami, remain after last week's crazy action. Those two teams are set to play in Week 8 against one another in the Redbird Rivalry. However, they still have two matches to get through against some solid opponents.
ESC Week 5 recap
With double the amount of matches played last week, we saw some major changes in the standings. Some teams were able to get a major advantage on the race to the top eight seeds.
Major winners of the week included Northeastern and Kent State as they took both of their matches and kept their standings within the top five teams. Northeastern was able to knock down Akron to a (4-2) record and now holds the tiebreaker. Kent State held off against Bowling Green and kept them near the top of the standings going into Week 6.
The losers of the week consist of Toledo, Northern Kentucky, Buffalo, and Central Michigan. After last week's action, none of these schools won their matches and now sit at the bottom four spots in the standings. The midseason will have to be a reset for these teams and their only hope for top eight seeding in the playoffs is a flawless run in the second half of the regular season.
ESC Week 6 preview
Two major ESC rivalries have a huge impact on the standings in Week 6. The Battle of the Bricks and the Wagon Wheel rivalries swing into full force and are going to shake up the top half of the standings. This week's streamed matchup takes a look at two teams in the bottom half that are looking for any type of momentum for the second half of the season. A win for either school could set them up for success as the season moves forward.
These are all storylines heading into Week 6. Continue reading to find out more about these storylines.
ESC Week 6: Broadcasted match of the week
The ESC broadcast continues this week with the University of Toledo facing off against the the Eastern Michigan on the official ESC Twitch account. For the games that will not be on the broadcast, check out the individual streams from each school's broadcast channels linked below their previewed match.
Toledo versus Eastern Michigan (Overwatch 2): Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. EST*
The University of Toledo (0-6) are meeting up against Eastern Michigan University (2-4) on this week's featured broadcast. Toledo continues to look for their first ESC Overwatch 2 win in program history. They may have a chance to secure it against the Eastern Michigan roster.
For Eastern Michigan, this will be their first time on the official broadcast and a chance to show off that they can be a top eight team in the conference. A win for Eastern Michigan will keep them in the running for playoff contention and hopefully give the roster some confidence heading into the back half of the regular season.
Can Toledo pull off their first Overwatch 2 win in program history this week? Will Eastern Michigan solidify themselves as the best Michigan school in the standings? Tune in to this week's broadcast to see who comes out victorious.
ESC Week 6: Highlighted matches
Ohio versus Miami (Overwatch 2): Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. EST*
The Battle of the Bricks is here in Week 6! Ohio University (5-1) are going against Miami University (6-0) in a major battle for first, second, or third place in the standings. The first school took their first loss last week to Ball State after a thrilling fifth map.
Ohio proved they are a top contender this year in the ESC after last week's performance. Although the results show a loss, they played extremely well and gave the game away towards the end, allowing Ball State to take the win. This team has another tough opponent this week against Miami University as Miami also comes in undefeated.
The last time these teams recently met, Miami took the series. Will Ohio be able to take down this undefeated roster? Or will they lose once again on the brink of victory?
Akron versus Kent State (Overwatch 2): Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. EST*
The Wagon Wheel Rivalry continues in Overwatch 2 this week with the University of Akron (4-2) versus Kent State University (4-2). This match means everything to these rosters, especially with where they both sit in the standings. Currently, both teams are tied for 5th place. A win puts either school in top four contention and gives the massive head-to-head tiebreaker later on in case it's needed.
The Zips are coming off a 0-3 loss to Northeastern. A bounce back against your biggest rival is a big way to set the tone for the second half of the season. Kent State, on the other hand, has been on the winning side the last two weeks and only have losses to two of the top three teams in the conference.
This match should be a close one and has the potential for a map five. Whoever brings the most energy has the best chance of coming out victorious this week.
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