Coed 3: Life Outside the Big 5 – FlagPlus Football League

Not every team dominates the headlines — but that doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. These are the squads living just outside the top 5, some still battling for playoff positioning and a chance to make noise in August.

Call them dark horses, spoilers, or just a little inconsistent — but they’re all still here. And come playoff time, that’s all that matters.

STEEZERS (6-4)

MVP: Charles-Etienne Cloutier

There’s something gritty and chaotic about this team — and it works. The STEEZERS don’t do anything quietly. They play fast, talk loud, and force you to keep up with their pace. Gabriel Leroux is a gunslinger at QB — not always perfect, but never afraid to take shots and test deep coverage. With 27 passing touchdowns and 1000 yards, he keeps defenses honest, and if he gets into a rhythm, things get dangerous fast.

But the real star here is Charles-Etienne Cloutier. He’s a stat sheet stuffer — 10 touchdowns on offense, 8 interceptions on defense, and one of the most impactful two-way players in Coed 3. He plays with an edge, and when he’s on, STEEZERS are on. Xavier Talbot, Leo Duchesne, and Myriam Ouellet add reliability on offense, while Lily-Rose Beauregard and Mathile Commerie help round out a deep female rotation.

Defensively, they’re streaky — capable of forcing turnovers and making big stops, but they’ve also been burned by big plays. They allow 28.3 points per game, which won’t cut it in playoff-level matchups against top teams unless they clean up the deep coverage. Still, with Cloutier flying around and Leroux doing just enough, this is a team you can’t afford to sleep on.

Vulturez (5-4-1)

MVP: Emma Townsend-Asselin

Vulturez are a team with range — high highs, low lows, and enough in between to make every game feel like a coin flip. When they’re clicking, they’re a challenge to play against. The 22:25 TD-INT ratio from Magali Deslandes might raise eyebrows, there’s no denying she’s one of the most aggressive QBs in Coed 3. She isn’t afraid to challenge tight windows, and when she connects, it’s for big gains.

Their biggest strength? Depth and athleticism. Emma Townsend-Asselin sets the tone. She’s one of the most impactful female players in the division — physical and always around the ball. Whether she’s locking in defensively or creating separation on offense, she brings fire every snap. Benjamin McMahon plays with a chip on his shoulder and does everything — 7 receiving touchdowns, 17 tackles, 5 interceptions. Lea Bigras is a quiet star, with strong hands, strong routes, and big-play ability with an insane catch radius.

The defense is opportunistic — 17 interceptions and decent pressure in key moments — but at times they’ve struggled to close out games. They’ve played in multiple one-score contests this season, and that experience could come in handy if they find themselves in a grind-it-out playoff battle. If they bring the right energy, they’ve got the raw pieces to spoil someone’s season.

DreamKillers (4-4-1)

MVP: Noémy Fortin Hurtubise

DreamKillers are the biggest wild card in the middle of the pack — and maybe the biggest threat to any top seed’s playoff hopes. They’ve already shown they can beat elite competition, handing Ghosted their only loss of the season back in Week 1. But defensive inconsistency has been the story since.

Noémy Fortin Hurtubise gives them a real shot in any game. She’s calm under pressure, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and has the best TD-to-INT ratio in the division. Her chemistry with Jean-Daniel Ratté is off the charts — 83 catches, 757 yards, and 18 touchdowns is video game production. He’s a matchup nightmare, always open, always attacking space.

But this team isn’t one-dimensional. Nicolas Katerelos and Marc-André Gauthier are both underrated weapons. The defense has potential, while streaky, has real playmakers. Raphaël Gagnon is a ball hawk, and Elyse Bourdages is one of the most under-the-radar rushers in the division.

If the DreamKillers find consistency on the defensive side of the ball, they’ll be a nightmare matchup. No one wants to see them in Round 1 — and if their Week 1 version shows up again, it might not be the last round they play.

Vicious & Delicious (4-6)

MVP: Olivier McDuff

Vicious & Delicious might have one of the best names — and when they’re locked in, they’ve got the game to match. There’s plenty of raw talent on this roster, and when it all clicks, they can put up points fast and cause problems for even the most structured teams. But too often, they’ve been their own worst enemy.

Dylan Boudreau has thrown for nearly 1,600 yards and 36 touchdowns, but his 16 interceptions are hard to ignore. When he’s in rhythm, he can carve you up with quick reads and deep shots, but the turnover bug has made their offense feel like a roller coaster. That said, he’s not doing it alone. Olivier McDuff has been a standout two-way force — he leads the team in tackles and interceptions and adds 13 receiving touchdowns. He’s the tone-setter.

Jeremy Champagne and Samuel Maranda are steady options, and Chloe Gauvin quietly does a lot of the little things that keep the offense moving. They’re unpredictable — and that makes them dangerous.

On defense, they’ve racked up 17 picks and can make momentum-swinging plays, but they also give up big yardage (over 200 yards per game) and tend to get burned by deep shots or blown coverages. If they can tighten up the back end and play mistake-free on offense, they’ll have a puncher’s chance against anyone.

Shadow Squad (4-5)

MVP: J.J. Fortuna

Shadow Squad is a team with serious bite when they’re firing. Their record might not jump off the page, but this is a group that has been in just about every game, and their ability to hang with top-tier opponents makes them a potential bracket buster come playoff time.

At the heart of it all is J.J. Fortuna — their WR1 who does almost everything. With 705 yards and 16 touchdowns, he’s been the security blanket, deep threat, and red zone go-to all in one. On both sides of the ball, he’s steady, composed, and always seems to show up in the clutch.

Pierre-Alain Itilus leads the offense with 26 passing touchdowns, when he’s confident and on time, he gets the ball out quickly into the hands of playmakers. Yiani Dafniotis brings great instinct to the defense with 11 sacks on the season. Defensively, they’ve forced 12 interceptions — a number that shows this group knows how to make plays.

If they can steady the ship and avoid falling behind early, they’ve got the veteran presence and athleticism to turn heads in the postseason.

Mixed Signals (3-5-1)

MVP: Bakley Charles

There’s no sugarcoating it — Mixed Signals have struggled to find rhythm on both sides of the ball. They’ve got flashes of potential, but inconsistency has plagued this group all season. With just three wins and a -23 point differential, they haven’t been able to string together full games.

Jean Gardy is a fearless quarterback, but sometimes fearless can look like reckless. A 15:18 TD-to-INT ratio tells the story of an offense that lives and dies by the deep ball. Gardy has the arm to hit big plays, but it’s been too much boom-or-bust. Bakley Charles has been the clear go-to — he creates separation, eats up yards after the catch, and has kept the offense alive in tight spots.

There is hope though, Jeremie Pierre-Saul hasn’t had a huge breakout yet, but he’s shown glimpses of field-stretching ability — averaging 13.1 yards per catch and scoring twice in limited work. If Gardy and Pierre-Saul can continue developing chemistry, it could open up the offense in ways we haven’t seen yet.

Defensively, Samuel Jean-Jacques remains their anchor, but they’ve given up points in bunches, and their inability to get off the field. If Mixed Signals want to do more than just make playoffs, they need sharper decision-making, more help for Bakley, and a defense that punches back.

Tight Ends (3-6)

MVP: William Hutchison

Tight Ends have had moments — just not enough of them. At 3-6, they’ve shown fight, but they haven’t consistently looked like a playoff-caliber team. The offense has been all over the place, with a passing game that never really settled into a rhythm and a defense that’s allowed nearly 30 points per game.

Pranav Sharma is a rollercoaster at QB. When he’s on, he can sling it with confidence. When he’s not, the offense can get stuck in neutral. The 25:17 TD-to-INT ratio is a reflection of that volatility — they can light up the scoreboard or give away momentum at the same time. Still, Sharma leads the team in passing and rushing yards, and without him, they likely wouldn’t be in the mix at all.

William Hutchison has been their most complete and consistent player. He leads the team in touchdowns and interceptions, makes smart defensive reads, and has a knack for showing up when it matters. Emma Beisswanger has also been a standout. She’s got 7 touchdowns on just 11 catches — that’s insane efficiency. She’s a legitimate weapon, especially at finding the end zone. Throw her the ball more.

Tight Ends will need a near-perfect game to win in the playoffs, but they’ve got the kind of pieces that can surprise someone if it all clicks at once. That’s a big “if” though.