The Likeliest Underdog To Make It To Call of Duty Champs
The Call of Duty League postseason is a few weeks away and the anticipation is growing by the day. The 12 inaugural teams are set to duke it out on the esports’ grandest stage with $4.5 million dollars on the line. Of course, heading into the event, there are around four favourites to take home the lion’s share of the prize pool. Atlanta, Dallas, Florida, and Chicago have all won two Home Series and should be considered the top contenders. However, it seems like every Call of Duty Champs sees at least one underdog make it far against all odds. For 2020, we believe that team could be OpTic Gaming Los Angeles.
OpTic Gaming’s chances at COD Champs
OpTic began the year looking like a true contender to win any Home Series event they attended. After all, the roster boasted budding superstars and proven veterans that have multiple tournament wins under their belt. Of course, we all know how the year started for the once-prominent organization.
Essentially, the roster couldn’t find its groove whatsoever. They were losing maps left and right and it didn’t seem like because of a lack of talent. Instead, the roster in place simply didn’t mesh well with each other. Over the course of the season, OpTic has attempted to find a roster that does mesh well, replacing veterans with amateurs and substitutes.
While there were some ups and downs, it seems like OG has finally found the right balance of talent. The roster just made it to another semi-final at CDL Toronto with its two new amateur players, being Zack "Drazah" Jordan and Darien "Hollow" Chverchko. It’s with this squad that OpTic holds the highest chance to make a run out of all of the other underdogs in the CDL postseason.
As a disclaimer, we didn’t count teams like the Toronto Ultra or New York Subliners as underdogs. Since both rosters just won a Home Series event, they should match up well with the previously mentioned favourites. So, once those rosters were excluded, we felt OpTic stood the best chance to make a run.
Click to enlargeWhy? The team has only been improving with each event that Drazah and Hollow have been a part of. They went from not winning many maps to reaching a semi-final and even beating the Chicago Huntsmen in the process. It’s clear that Drazah and Hollow have provided a spark that could pole-vault OG into a higher standing than they would’ve reached previously.
The additions of both Drazah and Hollow give OpTic a heavy edge in every Search and Destroy map. The two young guns are prodigies in this mode and allow for the other veterans on the roster to play more laid back. However, they’ll need to get better at Hardpoint if they stand any chance. That’s by far their weakest mode - and the other squad’s best mode. Although, if veterans like Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat and Kenny “Kenny” Williams can perform as they did at CDL Toronto, the roster stands a real chance in every map they play.
In reality, though, it’ll be tough for the squad to make a run. OpTic is in the loser’s bracket, after all, meaning they’ve got to play more matches than anyone to reach Call of Duty Champs. However, we’ve seen teams from the loser’s bracket make deep runs before. COD Champs is the last event of Modern Warfare, so teams will give it their all and it’s doubtful many players will care how many matches they have to endure.
If OpTic can get past the loser’s bracket, they stand a real shot at taking down some of the top teams in the CDL. We saw them do it against the Huntsmen last event, so who’s to say more upsets aren’t in the cards for this roster?
Images via Call of Duty