# 2018 Houston Outlaws season

The 2018 Houston Outlaws season was the first season of the Houston Outlaws's existence in the Overwatch League. Outlaws qualified for the Stage 1 playoffs but fell to the London Spitfire in the semifinals. The team did not qualify finished with a regular season record of 22–18, missing the season playoffs.

## Preceding offseason

On October 31, 2017, Houston Outlaws announced their inaugural season roster, consisting of the following players:
* Matthew "Clockwork" Dias
* Lucas "Mendokusaii" Håkansson
* Jiri "LiNkzr" Masalin
* Jake "Jake" Lyon
* Austin "Muma" Wilmot
* Matt "Coolmatt" Iorio
* Shane "Rawkus" Flaherty
* Christopher "Bani" Benell
* Daniel "Boink" Pence
* Alexandre "SPREE" Vanhomwegen

## Regular season
### Review

On January 11, the Outlaws played their first regular season Overwatch League match, a 3–2 loss to the Philadelphia Fusion. One week later, on January 17, Houston claimed their first victory after sweeping the Shanghai Dragons 4–0. Houston went on to qualify for the Stage 1 playoffs but fell to the London Spitfire in the semifinals.
Houston entered their last regular season match against the New York Excelsior needing a win to keep their season playoff hopes alive. The Outlaws had a 2–1 lead after three matches, but New York won the next three straight to take the win 3–2. The team finished with a regular season record of 22–18.

## Final roster
### Transactions

Transactions of/for players on the roster during the 2018 regular season:
* On February 16, Outlaws signed Russell "FCTFCTN" Campbell.
* On March 30, Outlaws signed Jung "ArHaN" Won-hyeop.

## Standings
### League

| Pos | Div | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | PCT | MW | ML | MT | MD | Qualification |
| 1 | ATL | New York Excelsior | 40 | 34 | 6 | 0.850 | 126 | 43 | 4 | +83 | Advance to season playoffs semifinals |
| 2 | PAC | Los Angeles Valiant | 40 | 27 | 13 | 0.675 | 100 | 64 | 7 | +36 | Advance to season playoffs semifinals |
| 3 | ATL | Boston Uprising | 40 | 26 | 14 | 0.650 | 99 | 71 | 3 | +28 | Advance to season playoffs quarterfinals |
| 4 | PAC | Los Angeles Gladiators | 40 | 25 | 15 | 0.625 | 96 | 72 | 3 | +24 | Advance to season playoffs quarterfinals |
| 5 | ATL | London Spitfire | 40 | 24 | 16 | 0.600 | 102 | 69 | 3 | +33 | Advance to season playoffs quarterfinals |
| 6 | ATL | Philadelphia Fusion | 40 | 24 | 16 | 0.600 | 93 | 80 | 2 | +13 | Advance to season playoffs quarterfinals |
| 7 | ATL | Houston Outlaws | 40 | 22 | 18 | 0.550 | 94 | 77 | 2 | +17 | |
| 8 | PAC | Seoul Dynasty | 40 | 22 | 18 | 0.550 | 91 | 78 | 3 | +13 | |
| 9 | PAC | San Francisco Shock | 40 | 17 | 23 | 0.425 | 77 | 84 | 5 | −7 | |
| 10 | PAC | Dallas Fuel | 40 | 12 | 28 | 0.300 | 58 | 100 | 7 | −42 | |
| 11 | ATL | Florida Mayhem | 40 | 7 | 33 | 0.175 | 42 | 120 | 5 | −78 | |
| 12 | PAC | Shanghai Dragons | 40 | 0 | 40 | 0.000 | 21 | 141 | 2 | −120 | |

## Game log
### Preseason

2018 preseason game log :
Preseason (0–2)
1
December 7
Dallas Fuel
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
2
December 8
Seoul Dynasty
2
1
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA :

### Regular season

2018 game log (Regular season record: 22–18) :
Stage 1 (7–3)
1
January 11
Philadelphia Fusion
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
2
January 13
New York Excelsior
3
1
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
3
January 17
Houston Outlaws
4
0
Shanghai Dragons
Burbank, CA
4
January 18
Dallas Fuel
0
4
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
5
January 25
Houston Outlaws
4
0
Florida Mayhem
Burbank, CA
6
January 27
Los Angeles Gladiators
0
4
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
7
January 31
Houston Outlaws
3
1
San Francisco Shock
Burbank, CA
8
February 02
Seoul Dynasty
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
9
February 08
London Spitfire
1
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
10
February 10
Houston Outlaws
3
2
Boston Uprising
Burbank, CA :
Stage 2 (5–5)
11
February 22
Houston Outlaws
3
2
London Spitfire
Burbank, CA
12
February 24
Boston Uprising
0
4
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
13
March 01
Houston Outlaws
2
3
Philadelphia Fusion
Burbank, CA
14
March 03
Houston Outlaws
0
4
New York Excelsior
Burbank, CA
15
March 08
Houston Outlaws
0
4
Los Angeles Valiant
Burbank, CA
16
March 09
Florida Mayhem
2
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
17
March 15
Houston Outlaws
2
3
Los Angeles Gladiators
Burbank, CA
18
March 17
San Francisco Shock
3
1
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
19
March 22
Shanghai Dragons
0
4
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
20
March 22
Houston Outlaws
3
1
Seoul Dynasty
Burbank, CA :
Stage 3 (4–6)
21
April 05
London Spitfire
2
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
22
April 07
Houston Outlaws
0
4
Boston Uprising
Burbank, CA
23
April 12
Philadelphia Fusion
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
24
April 14
New York Excelsior
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
25
April 19
Houston Outlaws
3
1
Florida Mayhem
Burbank, CA
26
April 21
Houston Outlaws
3
0
Dallas Fuel
Burbank, CA
27
April 25
Los Angeles Valiant
1
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
28
April 27
Los Angeles Gladiators
3
2
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
29
May 02
Houston Outlaws
2
3
San Francisco Shock
Burbank, CA
30
May 05
Seoul Dynasty
4
0
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA :
Stage 4 (6–4)
31
May 17
Houston Outlaws
4
0
London Spitfire
Burbank, CA
32
May 18
Boston Uprising
1
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
33
May 23
Houston Outlaws
1
3
Los Angeles Gladiators
Burbank, CA
34
May 25
San Francisco Shock
4
0
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
35
June 01
Houston Outlaws
3
0
Shanghai Dragons
Burbank, CA
36
June 02
Florida Mayhem
1
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
37
June 06
Dallas Fuel
1
3
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA
38
June 09
Houston Outlaws
0
4
Los Angeles Valiant
Burbank, CA
39
June 14
Houston Outlaws
3
1
Philadelphia Fusion
Burbank, CA
40
June 15
Houston Outlaws
2
3
New York Excelsior
Burbank, CA :

### Playoffs

2018 playoff game log :
Stage 1 Playoffs (0–1)
Semifinals
February 10
London Spitfire
3
1
Houston Outlaws
Burbank, CA :