The OpTic Texas Hosted CDL Major II Weekend is Here, and Elimination Round One starts Friday Afternoon

(Gray News) - The Call of Duty League’s (CDL) second Major, hosted by OpTic Texas, began Thursday with the first round of the winner’s bracket. Eight teams competed to decide which four would move on to winner’s round two and which four would fall to the first round of the loser’s bracket. Amongst all the teams scrapping for immunity from the threat of elimination, one stood above the rest in significance.

The eighth-seeded Boston Breach took down the Los Angeles Thieves, owners of the number one seed at Major II. The Thieves looked hot coming into Major II following a first-place finish in Minor II and an appearance in the Grand Finals at Major I. They were also undefeated in Major II qualifying. The Breach’s biggest accomplishment this season going into Major II was a round two finish in Minor I. The Breach won both Hardpoints and the first Search & Destroy to beat the Thieves 3-1 and move on to winner’s round two. With the Breach’s victory over the Thieves, they are now the furthest they have been in a tournament in 2025.

The Thieves now face the possibility of elimination sooner than they thought, as their first match in the elimination bracket is this afternoon. The schedule for Friday’s matches is as follows -

Schedule of Matches for Friday, March 21st:

• Los Angeles Thieves vs. Miami Heretics - 1:30 PM EST / 12:30 PM CST / 10:30 AM PST
• Carolina Royal Ravens vs. Vegas Falcons - 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Minnesota RØKKR vs. OpTic Texas - 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Toronto Ultra vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 - 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST
• (Winner of Thieves v. Heretics) vs. (Winner of Royal Ravens v. Falcons) - 7:30 PM EST / 6:30 PM CST / 4:30 PM PST

The Thieves take on the Miami Heretics in Friday’s first match. The Heretics were the first team just below the cutline for the winner’s bracket after qualifying ended, so ipso facto for Major II, they are the best of the worst. The Heretics also finished third at Major I. While it may seem like the Thieves should be wary of another potential upset, fans should consider another factor in this series. These two teams have already faced each other three times this season, and The Thieves have not lost a single time. That flawless record includes the Thieves sweeping the Heretics not once but twice at Major I, including the Elimination Finals match. There’s always a chance for the tides to turn in the CDL, as we saw for the Breach, but recent history suggests the Thieves will hold off elimination for at least another round.

Next on Friday’s agenda is the Carolina Royal Ravens versus the Vegas Falcons. It feels disrespectful to say this match is all but decided, but until the 0-17 Falcons can say they have won a series this season, they can’t even be considered an underdog. They feel more akin to the 08’ Detroit Lions. It’s hard not to listen to the nagging thought saying this might be the one because who doesn’t want to see someone finally succeed? But, it’s better to look past the heart and go with the brain on this one.

The Minnesota RØKKR face OpTic Texas at the halfway point of this afternoon’s matches. OpTic are the reigning CDL World Champions. Usually, that would lead someone to conclude that they are a force to be reckoned with in any series they play. Their best finish so far this season is a semifinal in Minor I. They were 1-6 when the Major II qualifiers ended. OpTic, on all accounts, looks to be in shambles. They have changed their roster going into the tournament, dropping Kenny and adding Skyz. This series will be the first to show whether that decision was valid or an attempt at finding answers to an unknown problem. RØKKR is no slouch as an opponent and can hang with the best when they’re on. OpTic have gone far in elimination brackets at home in the past, making it hard to discount them from being a threat this weekend, given they have the hometown advantage. The Greenwall is strong, but unless they have quickly fixed their ongoing woes, RØKKR may be stronger.

The Los Angeles Guerrillas are pitted against Toronto Ultra in Friday’s final set series. The Guerrillas are another team that have struggled to find their footing this season. They reached the second round of a tournament for the first time at Minor II, so they are progressing in the right direction, but Ultra is nothing if not consistent. They have finished in the top five in qualifying for both Majors and reached at least the second round in every tournament. Ultra should be the pick in this one.

Friday’s final match will be between the winners of the Thieves versus the Heretics and the winners of The Royal Ravens versus the Falcons. Tune in to the official CDL YouTube channel to watch today’s matches. Coverage should start 30 minutes before the first match. CDL Major II will continue throughout the weekend, with the Grand Finals deciding the winner at 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST on Sunday, March 23rd.

Gray Television is an investor in OpTic Gaming.