TUCSON, ARIZONA – When a team is on a three-game losing skid, the ideal remedy probably isn't to take on the defending league champion to try to end it.

That's the position the Sugar Skulls, 3-4, find themselves in as they await the arrival of the Iowa Barnstormers, 6-1, for a game abundant with back stories.

Sugar Skulls Head Coach Marcus Coleman and two of his assistants, Hurtis Chinn and Malcolm Nelson, were all assistants to Barnstormers Head Coach Dixie Wooten for their championship run last year.

Two Sugar Skulls players, linebacker Zach Allenand defensive lineman Keith Jones Jr., were part of that team. A third Skulls player, defensive back Dee Maggitt Jr., was an all-league player for the Barnstormers in 2017.

With the Sugar Skulls coming in with three straight losses, Coleman said he's more concerned with just winning a game than with who it might be against.

"It won't be any different than facing anybody else to tell you the truth," he said this week. "You'll talk to some of the guys. The coaches will talk. But I don't think a victory will be any more special than any other because of where we are. We're trying to get a win. There are no personal feelings about this. It's all business."

Costly turnovers and a porous defense last week have been the story of the losing streak. The Quad City Steamwheelers scored on every offensive possession in a 72-54 victory last week in Moline, Illinois. Turnovers were the difference in losses by six points and 14 points to the Nebraska Danger and Arizona Rattlers the previous two weeks.

"It's mainly been execution," Coleman said. "The effort is there, but it's my job to have a plan in place. We've been making some changes and doing things differently. So far it's been good. Guys have been moving around a lot faster, not thinking as much, just going out and playing."

After starting 6-0, the Barnstormers dropped their first game of the season last week against the Sioux Falls Storm, 36-32. In a game that went back and forth, the Storm won on a touchdown throw from quarterback Lorenzo Brown Jr. to receiver Kent Shelby with one second remaining. Iowa quarterback Daquan Neal went 19-28 with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown and defensive back Tyrell Pearson had an interception and a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Barnstormers will look to get more from their offense against a Tucson defense that averages allowing opponents 51.4 points per game

Both teams are looking for redemption after losses this past week. Expect Barnstormers head coach Dixie Wooten and Sugar Skulls head coach Marcus Coleman to have their teams prepared and ready for this game. Wooten and Coleman know each other well, as Coleman spent the past two seasons under Wooten as the Barnstormers defensive coordinator. Fans can watch the action live at 6:00 p.m. CST on YouTube.