The 2002 AF2 season was the third season of the AF2. The league champions were the Peoria Pirates, who defeated the Florida Firecats in ArenaCup III. This is also the first time that both conferences have the same division name (in that case, the American Conference Southern Division and the National Conference Southern Division, respectively). It is also the only season where both conferences have four divisions each, a la the 2002–present era of the NFL.
Standings[]
| Team | Overall | Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins | Losses | Percentage | Wins | Losses | Percentage | |
| American Conference | ||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||
| Cape Fear Wildcats | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 |
| Richmond Speed | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 |
| Norfolk Nighthawks | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 4 | 4 | 0.500 |
| Roanoke Steam | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 5 | 0.375 |
| Greensboro Prowlers | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 |
| Northeastern Division | ||||||
| Albany Conquest | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 11 | 1 | 0.917 |
| Rochester Brigade | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| New Haven Ninjas | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 5 | 7 | 0.417 |
| Mohegan Wolves | 3 | 13 | 0.187 | 2 | 10 | 0.167 |
| Eastern Division | ||||||
| Macon Knights | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Augusta Stallions | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Carolina Rhinos | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Columbus Wardogs | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Southern Division | ||||||
| Tallahassee Thunder | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
| Florida Firecats | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 5 | 6 | 0.455 |
| Jacksonville Tomcats | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 7 | 3 | 0.700 |
| Charleston Swamp Foxes | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 2 | 4 | 0.333 |
| National Conference | ||||||
| Southern Division | ||||||
| Tennessee Valley Vipers | 13 | 3 | 0.812 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Birmingham Steeldogs | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
| Pensacola Barracudas | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 6 | 6 | 0.500 |
| Mobile Wizards | 0 | 16 | 0.000 | 0 | 12 | 0.000 |
| Central Division | ||||||
| Tulsa Talons | 14 | 2 | 0.875 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Arkansas Twisters | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Memphis Xplorers | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Midwestern Division | ||||||
| Peoria Pirates | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 6 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Quad City Steamwheelers* | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Wichita Stealth | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Louisville Fire | 2 | 14 | 0.125 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 |
| Western Division | ||||||
| Bakersfield Blitz | 9 | 7 | 0.562 | 7 | 2 | 0.778 |
| San Diego Riptide | 7 | 9 | 0.437 | 5 | 4 | 0.556 |
| Hawaiian Islanders | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 4 | 5 | 0.444 |
| Fresno Frenzy | 4 | 12 | 0.250 | 2 | 7 | 0.222 |
- Green indicates clinched playoff berth
- Purple indicates division champion
- Grey indicates best regular season record
* Despite the Steamwheelers having a winning season, the team was banned from the playoffs this year for rule violation.
American Conference Playoffs[]
| Round 1 | Semifinals | A.C. Championship | |||||||||||
| 8 | Rochester | 26 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Albany | 31 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Cape Fear | 46 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Albany | 30 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Richmond | 48 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Cape Fear | 57 | |||||||||||
| 7 | Florida | 43 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Cape Fear | 23 | |||||||||||
| 7 | Florida | 43 | |||||||||||
| 6 | Tallahassee | 31 | |||||||||||
| 7 | Florida | 44 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Macon | 28 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Augusta | 41 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Macon | 57 | |||||||||||
National Conference Playoffs[]
| Round 1 | Semifinals | N.C. Championship | |||||||||||
| 4 | Arkansas | 32 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Tulsa | 34 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Birmingham | 53 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Tulsa | 34 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Birmingham | 65 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Tennessee Valley | 51 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Birmingham | 33 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Peoria | 79 | |||||||||||
| 7 | San Diego | 40 | |||||||||||
| 6 | Bakersfield | 27 | |||||||||||
| 7 | San Diego | 12 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Peoria | 22 | |||||||||||
| 8 | Wichita | 36 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Peoria | 37 | |||||||||||
Arena Cup III[]
| Arena Cup III | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||||||
| A7 | Florida | 47 | |||||||||||
| N3 | Peoria | 65 | |||||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||||||