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The Call of Duty League continues to have a nutty 2020 season. And that's even aside from the gameplay dramatics, which included the Atlanta FaZe suffering their first loss of the brief season and the first home series finals to extend past three games—let alone into all five.

After going 3-3 in group play, the Dallas Empire turned it on for the finals and slid into the grand finals following a 3-1 win over the Optic Gaming Los Angeles squad. Then, they shut down the Minnesota Rokkr's reverse-sweep effort and clutched out the map-five win.

This pushes the Empire up the standings and, perhaps most importantly, nets some tidy winnings from the CDL's $6 million prize pool for Dallas' players: Clayster, Shotzzy, Illey, Crimsix and Huke.

Saturday, March 7

Group Play

Atlanta FaZe 3-0 Florida Mutineers

Minnesota Rokkr 3-1 Seattle Surge

Dallas Empire 3-1 New York Subliners

Los Angeles Guerrillas 2-3 Optic Gaming Los Angeles

Atlanta FaZe 3-0 Dallas Empire

Florida Mutineers 3-1 New York Subliners

Minnesota Rokkr 0-3 Optic Gaming Los Angeles

Seattle Surge 3-0 Los Angeles Guerrillas

Sunday, March 8

Group Play

Dallas Empire 3-0 Florida Mutineers

Minnesota Rokkr 3-0 Seattle Surge

Finals

Optic Gaming Los Angeles 1-3 Dallas Empire

Atlanta FaZe 2-3 Minnesota Rokkr

Dallas Empire 3-2 Minnesota Rokkr



Situated in Los Angeles, the weekend was as Hollywood as can be. Michael B. Jordan clutched a Call of Duty 2 v. 2 during a game break, and the Los Angeles Rams' Todd Gurley, paired with Vine star KingBach, was disrespectfully knifed in the face by Jordan's teammate, COD commentator Miles Ross. Not to have his sport outdone, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kyle Kuzma made his own appearance.

And if that weren't enough surrealist entertainment to make you question reality, the home series finals between the Dallas Empire and Minnesota Rokkr went from a calm 2-0 to an uncomfortably close five-mapper in a matter of moments.

And, considering the gravity of the situation, I think we can forgive the commentators for absolutely losing their minds during Rokkr's map-four clutch.

Dallas was streaky throughout the weekend but came through when it mattered.

A sign of what was soon to come, the infamous Crimsix got the mojo going with a calm 2K in Dallas' first match Saturday against the New York Subliners.

Then, Huke sent Dallas into Sunday with all the confidence that a 4K brings.

On Sunday it all came together. The Empire went 6-1 across two matches to get into the grand finals series and then went up 2-0. The Rokkr persevered, pushed the game to five and, in a sequence of pure resiliency, Dallas clutched it out.

Now Dallas sits at third in the CDL point standings with 80 points, a narrow 10 behind the tied Atlanta FaZe and Chicago Huntsmen. The Rokkr slide up to fourth with 70 points.

In what should be a hyped occasion, each team will be attending Dallas' homestand in two weekends and trying to add to its point total.