Week three of CDL Major I Qualifiers starts up this afternoon following a hiatus over the holiday season

(Gray News) - The Call of Duty League (CDL) is finally back from its holiday season hiatus, with the third weekend of qualifiers for the Boston Breach Major starting this afternoon. Two weeks of qualifying are already done and dusted, and the season standings are already beginning to show which teams are separating from the pack.

New York Subliners, Atlanta FaZe, and, impressively, the Miami Heretics all sit atop the standings with perfect 3-0 match records. The Heretics also have a 9-2 game record to start their inaugural season, putting them in rarified air above FaZe in the number one spot. FaZe is close behind, though, boasting a 9-3 game record.

OpTic Texas and Toronto Ultra are the only other teams to have a match-win percentage over 50%. Seattle Surge sits on that 50% line with a 2-2 record, while the remaining teams fall significantly below that line. Minnesota RØKKR is in the worst position so far, remaining winless through two weeks.

These statistics and records are still only a first glance at what teams may offer this season. By no means does the first two weeks of qualifying define a season. We have already gotten glimpses of greatness from teams currently at the bottom of the leaderboard. For example, Isaiah ‘Gwinn’ Gwinn clutched an ace in the map five Search and Destroy round eleven against Legion to get Royal Ravens their only match win of the season. So, going into the third weekend of qualifiers, don’t immediately count out the teams bringing up the rear.

Unfortunately for struggling teams, this weekend looks to be their most demanding test yet. There isn’t a single matchup between the top five this weekend, meaning all the matchups are between the top and bottom of the standings. The match this weekend with the most level playing field in terms of ranking is Ultra versus Surge, who sit 5th and 6th currently. This match will be the match to watch on Friday, mainly because the other two are potentially blowouts. That is unless RØKKR and Guerrillas have something up their sleeves.

Match Schedule for Friday, January 12:

• Los Angeles Guerrillas vs. Atlanta FaZe - 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Seattle Surge vs. Toronto Ultra - 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Minnesota RØKKR vs. New York Subliners - 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST

Saturday brings the chance for Surge to upset the Heretics. This match will kick off the day and looks to be the best shot at someone breaking the Heretics’ undefeated streak. Following that match, the Breach and Guerrillas will head-to-head to try and edge closer to an even record. Next, Ultra will try to fend off the Thieves to maintain their positive record. To close out the day, OpTic will take on Legion in what should be a straightforward match for OpTic.

Match Schedule for Saturday, January 13:

• Miami Heretics vs. Seattle Surge - 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Boston Breach vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas - 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Toronto Ultra vs. Los Angeles Thieves - 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST
• OpTic Texas vs. Vegas Legion - 7:30 PM EST / 6:30 PM CST / 4:30 PM PST

Sunday brings the battle of the bottom, with RØKKR taking on the Royal Ravens in the second match of the day. Once again, the day is full of potential sweeps, with FaZe taking on Legion, Subliners challenging the Thieves, and the Heretics needing to thrash Breach if they want to stay on top. While that may seem uneventful, no match is ever a sure thing. One undefeated team may just walk away from Sunday, receiving the first blemish of their season.

Match Schedule for Sunday, January 14:

• Vegas Legion vs. Atlanta FaZe - 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Minnesota RØKKR vs Carolina Royal Ravens - 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• New York Subliners vs. Los Angeles Thieves - 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST
• Boston Breach vs Miami Heretics - 7:30 PM EST / 6:30 PM CST / 4:30 PM PST

Overall, this weekend’s matches will be a decisive factor in the seeding for Major I in Boston. Teams who have struggled so far must show up against teams already looking comfortable in stride. If they don’t, the gap between the top and bottom will widen significantly, and some teams will find themselves already headed for the loser’s bracket.

The excitement kicks off today at 3 PM EST, 2 PM CST, and 12 PM PST. Tune in to the Official CDL YouTube Channel to watch this weekend’s matches.

Gray Television is an investor in OpTic Gaming.