FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Grizzlies are in San Angelo, Texas, for the first round of Indoor Football League playoffs against the San Angelo Stampede Express today, and the game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. ADT.

The Grizzlies ended the regular season 9-5, setting a franchise record for regular-season wins while finishing second in the Pacific North Division of the Intense Conference behind the Billings Outlaws (12-2). The Stampede Express finished 10-4 in the Lonestar East Division behind the Arkansas Diamonds (11-3).

“They’re a tough team,” Grizzlies coach Sean Ponder said of San Angelo. “They run a conventional offense and are disciplined.”

The Stampede Express look to their strengths — their rushing game. IFL Offensive Rookie of the Year running back Derrick Ross averages just under 60 yards per game and has registered 26 touchdowns this season.

Ponder said the Grizzlies game plan is to simply play their style of football. The Grizzlies’ strength will be a direct battle against Ross. The Fairbanks defense has allowed just 59.8 rushing yards per game during the regular season.

The momentum the Grizzlies have coming into today’s game is due in a large part to the three home victories to wrap up the regular season. The Grizzlies beat the La Crosse (Wis.) Spartans, Kent (Wash.) Predators and Colorado Ice in consecutive weekends earlier this month.

“Winning three games at home like that is obviously a positive motivation,” Ponder said. “We won some close games this year, so our guys feel good about playing pretty much anybody.”

As Ponder’s been saying for weeks, it’s “must-win football” now.

“It’s that time of year where you win or you go home,” he said.

“Everybody’s playing their best football. We have to go to Texas with our best game.”

Ponder and his staff spent the past week relaxing to prepare for tonight’s game.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I was able to play a little golf and relax this week. You never know when we’ll be home or not again, so this was kind of the last hoorah.”

Although Ponder said he feels sad about perhaps spending his last week in Fairbanks for some time, he knows that he and his team are ready to be in the San Angelo Coliseum tonight.

“All in all, the team and coaches are feeling good about the players and the way we’re playing,” he said. “The Grizzlies organization is giving us every opportunity to succeed, so we’re going to try and make Fairbanks proud.”

Contact staff writer Renee Thony at 459-7583.