BILLINGS, Mont. – The Tri-Cities Fever finished the regular season in a disappointing way Saturday night, falling 68-40 to the defending Indoor Football League champions Billings Outlaws at MetraPark Arena.

The good news is it looks like the Fever will get chance at some redemption against the defending champs next week in the first round of the playoffs.

The Fever (7-7) and the Outlaws (12-2) are expected to open the IFL playoffs next Sunday in Billings. The Outlaws are 3-0 against the Fever this season.

The loss ends a spectacular second-half turnaround for the Fever in its first IFL season. Tri-Cities won six of its final eight games to make the playoffs. It is the first time since 2007 that the Fever organization has qualified for the playoffs. And the seven wins, matches the total wins the Fever had in 2008 and 2009 combined.

If the Fever wants to continue this great late-season surge and get a different result next week, it needs to slow down Billings quarterback Chris Dixon and be more efficient on offense.

Dixon, the two-time reigning league MVP, completed 22 of 25 passes for 259 yards and six touchdowns Saturday night. Meanwhile, Fever quarterback Houston Lillard struggled, completing just 20 of 33 passes for 182 yards and four touchdowns. He did throw three interceptions and fumbled once. One interception was returned for a touchdown and the fumble was also returned for another score.

The Fever stalled out early on offense allowing Billings to jump out to a quick 20-0 lead. The Fever would only get as close as 13 points the rest of the way.

Billings led 41-20 at halftime and lead grew to 48-20 early in the third quarter when Lillard was intercepted and his pass returned 37 yards for a score.

Brandon Copeland led the Fever with seven receptions for 45 yards and one touchdown. Johnny Walker had six catches for a team-high 75 yards and a TD.

The Fever defense that was allowing just 32 points per game in its last three wins, had given up that many points Saturday night with more than five minutes left in the first half.