Five things to watch for in 2025 UFL Championship Game
And then there were two.
It all comes down to this, as the DC Defenders take on the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL Championship Game on Saturday evening at The Dome of America's Center in St. Louis.
The Panthers handled the Defenders in the teams' singular meeting earlier this season — a 38-14 victory in Week 6. However, Michigan head coach Mike Nolan knows this time will be very different, with the 2025 title on the line.
"They're a better football team, and I'd like to think we are a better football team too," Nolan said. "I think it will be a very good game. They are very explosive on offense. … We've got two really good offenses going to battle in this football game, and you've got two really good defenses as well, so I think it will be an entirely different game than the first one for all kinds of reasons.
"It's a lot more meaningful, and I think their team has improved an awful lot since we played them last time. They were going through a lot of transitions with the coaching change in the middle of the season and things like that, and they were just adapting to the new things. … Right now, they're running on all cylinders. They're doing a real good job."
Defenders head coach Shannon Harris recently earned UFL Coach of the Year honors for how he deftly handled the departure of former head coach Reggie Barlow and ex-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, leading DC to a 6-4 regular-season record, a postseason berth and a spot in a spring football championship for the second time in three seasons.
Harris and the Defenders throttled the St. Louis Battlehawks on their home turf last week, 38-16, in the XFL Conference title game. Their reward? Facing a Michigan squad that is peaking at just the right time after defeating the defending champion Birmingham Stallions on the road in the USFL Conference title game, 44-29, to advance.
Here's a closer look at what to watch for in the 2025 UFL Championship Game. 1. How can the Panthers slow down Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu?
The engine of the Defenders' offense all season and the most impactful player in the UFL, Ta'amu will be tough to contain for a Michigan defense allowing 292 passing yards a contest — the fourth-worst mark in the regular season.
Ta'amu finished first in passing touchdowns (17) and second in passing yards (2,153) during the regular season. He totaled 204 passing yards and a score in last week's win over the Battlehawks. If the Panthers want to win Saturday's title game, defensively they must limit the Defenders' explosive passing game led by Ta'amu.
The Defenders have balance on offense, too. Deon Jackson ran for 110 yards and two scores on 21 carries last week. 2. How can the Defenders bottle up Michigan's running game?
In the previous matchup between these two teams, the Panthers rolled up 213 yards on the ground on their way to a convincing victory at Ford Field. Toa Taua has been the catalyst for Michigan's running game. He finished the regular season sixth in the UFL with 356 yards and led the league with six rushing touchdowns. Taua kept it going in the postseason, picking up 85 rushing yards and three scores in Michigan's win over Birmingham.
The Defenders have struggled to stop the run, however, allowing 118 rushing yards per contest in the regular season. They also allowed the second most rushing touchdowns (12) and the most yards per carry (4.8) in the UFL this year. 3. Who will win the turnover battle?
One of the areas Michigan has struggled with this year is forcing turnovers. The Panthers finished with just 10 takeaways during the regular season — only the Memphis Showboats (2-8) had fewer during the year (five).
The Defenders forced 16 turnovers and finished with a plus-5 turnover differential during the regular season, while the Panthers finished with a minus-2 turnover differential over that same span. The Panthers did win the turnover battle last week against the Stallions, however, coaxing three takeaways and losing a fumble.
"In order to win a championship, you want to play a clean game," Nolan said. "It's very difficult for any team — this goes for DC or us — to win any game, especially a championship game if you're not playing a clean game." 4. Who is the X-factor for the Panthers?
Quarterback Bryce Perkins, the 2025 UFL Offensive Player of the Year, finished second in passing touchdowns (nine) and completion percentage (69%) and fourth in passing yards (1,342) despite missing three games with an ankle injury. What makes Perkins difficult to contain is his ability to create chunk plays with his feet. Perkins finished with 269 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns for the Panthers during the regular season. Only the Battlehawks' Max Duggan rushed for more yards as a quarterback (299). Perkins rushed for 34 yards and a score last week.
How the Defenders attack Perkins and his ability to run the ball will go a long way in deciding this game's outcome. 5. Who are the X-factors for the Defenders?
The Defenders led the UFL in tackles for loss (59) and finished third with 22.0 sacks. One of the reasons for their success defensively has been the one-two pass-rushing punch of defensive ends Derek Roberson and Andre Mintz.
The Defenders were the only team in the UFL with two players who finished with at least five sacks. Both Roberson and Mintze totaled 5.5 sacks each, while All-UFL performer defensive tackle Joe Wallace finished second in the league in tackles for loss (10) and totaled 4.5 sacks.
The Defenders' front seven has the tough task of slowing down Michigan's running game and putting consistent pressure on Perkins in the passing game if they want to wear the crown this year.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams .
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League DC Defenders Michigan Panthers
recommended
Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brad Marchand's Seven-Word Comment on Maple Leafs Speculation
Brad Marchand's Seven-Word Comment on Maple Leafs Speculation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Florida Panthers veteran Brad Marchand isn't shutting down the Toronto Maple Leafs talk, just under two weeks from entering free agency. Advertisement Marchand is coming off a postseason where he posted 10 goals and 20 points in 23 games, helping the Panthers secure their second consecutive Stanley Cup. The veteran will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after completing his eight-year, $49 million contract. Marchand only needed seven words and a comment on Instagram to NHL insider Nick Kypreos' bold prediction that he'll sign with Toronto to fuel all sorts of speculation. '(Expletive) dawg… the people wanna see it?' Marchand wrote, reacting to the insider's comments about his potential signing with Toronto. That comment follows Kypreos' appearance on "Leafs Morning Take" on Friday, where he said Marchand's signing with the Maple Leafs is the only possible outcome of the veteran's free agency. Advertisement 'I don't know how he doesn't end up as a Maple Leaf,' Kypreos said. The insider argued that Marchand, underpaid on his last deal while still with the Boston Bruins, will be looking to make up for lost earnings, and no team can offer more financially or commercially than Toronto. Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Navarro-Imagn Images Marchand's 10 goals and 20 points in 23 playoff games this spring reaffirmed his value. At 37, he remains one of the league's most clutch postseason performers, with 158 points in 180 playoff games. While the Panthers are still considered contenders to re-sign Marchand, the Leafs are considered serious players in the race, depending on how they handle their own pending free agents. Advertisement Toronto is projected to have over $25 million in cap space and has been open about its need to change its 'DNA,' as general manager Brad Treliving put it, but that cap room already has Mitch Marner's $10.9 million and John Tavares' $11 million removed from it. Related: Panthers' Brad Marchand Addresses Future Immediately After Winning Stanley Cup Related: Panthers GM Reveals Offseason Spending Plans Ahead of Free Agency This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Panthers rout Oilers in Game 6 to win back-to-back Stanley Cups
Panthers rout Oilers in Game 6 to win back-to-back Stanley Cups originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Déjà vu. The Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 on Tuesday to win the Stanley Cup for the second straight year. Sam Bennett collected the Conn Smythe trophy with 15 goals across Florida's run. Advertisement It's the same exact outcome as last season, when the Panthers avoided losing a series 3-0 by winning Game 7 versus the Oilers with Sam Reinhart scoring clutch goals. But this time, he scored lots of them. Reinhart started the scoring within the first five minutes of the opening period, stealing the puck away, splitting two defenders then rounding it home. Matthew Tkachuk then added the second for Florida with 46 seconds remaining in the period. With Eetu Luostarinen doubled on the right wing, he laid it off for Tkachuk, who faced no defensive reinforcement and drilled it home. Reinhart then added a second late in the second period, but it came in unusual fashion. Carter Verhaeghe flipped an unexpected shot toward the net before falling to Aleksander Barkov, who shot and saw it deflect off Reinhart and in. Reinhart's hat-trick came with 6:34 on the clock in the third period, as Barkov logged another assist thanks to an empty net. It became the first playoff hat-trick by a Panthers player in franchise history. But he wasn't done there. Advertisement Just moments later on another empty net, Reinhart got a wrist shot off while falling. Of course, no Panthers player has scored four goals in a playoff game. Reinhart's fourth tied the Stanley Cup record for most in a final, last done so by Montreal's Maurice Richard in 1957. Edmonton didn't come away empty-handed, however. It responded shortly after through Vasily Podkolzin, who rounded the keeper off a Jake Walman assist, silencing the crowd for a brief moment. The Panthers became the 11th franchise to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the expansion era in 1967-68. The last team to do so was the Tampa Bay Lightning, who beat the Dallas Stars in the 2020 final before repeating the following year over the Montreal Canadiens. Advertisement This occasion is a bit different, though. While Tampa Bay beat two separate opponents, Florida handed Edmonton consecutive heartbreaks. The last team to suffer such a fate was over 50 years ago, when the Canadiens took down the Boston Bruins twice in 1977 and 1978. Edmonton still has five Stanley Cups in its trophy cabinet, but it's been multiple decades since a new addition. The Oilers have won it all in 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1989–90. The Oilers are also one of the last Canadian teams to lift the Cup, as Canada's drought is equally as parched. Montreal is the last Canadian franchise to hoist the silverware, having done so over the Los Angeles Kings in 1993. Florida is among the franchises capitalizing on the U.S. momentum. This win marks the team's second ever Stanley Cup, so it's a team relatively new to the major title scene. Advertisement Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also became the first coach in NHL/NFL/NBA/MLB history to win multiple championships after winning none over his first 25 seasons, via Opta Stats. Maurice previously coached the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets before joining Florida in 2022. The Panthers then reached the final in 2023, but lost to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Safe to say that experience shaped Florida's future for the better. If they can retain unrestricted free agents Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Bennett, among others, the Panthers may very well be on the hunt for a rare three-peat.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Seth Jones Wins Stanley Cup With Panthers Following Trade From Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks made a big trade with the Florida Panthers on March 1st that sent Seth Jones to Sunrise in exchange for Spencer Knight and a 2026 first-round pick. The 30-year-old defenseman didn't get what he was promised in Chicago and eventually became disgruntled. By the mid-way point of the 2024-25 season, it became clear that the Blackhawks would move him if a team was willing to make a fair deal. The defending Stanley Cup champions did. Advertisement When Jones got to Florida, he became 'one of the guys' on defense instead of 'the guy'. With other stars like Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling in the mix, it's a lot easier to play your game to the best of your ability. Jones and Florida made it to the Stanley Cup Final. This is the third year in a row that Florida made it to the big dance, but it is the first time that Jones has been this far. On Tuesday night, Jones and the Panthers won the Stanley Cup. He went right from the struggling Blackhawks to a team that won the Cup in the same year. During his run to the ultimate prize, Jones had 9 points over the four rounds. There were big goals, plays made, and the defensive performance his team needed to shut down the opposition. Advertisement Jones and the Panthers had to face stars like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, and Mikko Rantanen, amongst others. Without him on the back end, winning the Cup would have been that much more difficult for Florida. It turned out to be a great move. This was an overall incredible trade deadline for Bill Zito, Florida's GM. In addition to trading for Seth Jones, he also acquired Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins. Throughout the playoffs, Marchand was one of Florida's best forwards. He would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy if Sam Bennett hadn't scored 15 goals during the postseason. Now that Jones' name will be engraved on the Cup, he will spend the entire summer celebrating. For going through what he has since coming to Chicago, he deserves it. He was always respectful and deserved the right to be happy with the way things turned out for him. The Blackhawks are happy knowing that they have an extra 2026 first-round pick in addition to Spencer Knight, who is a young, promising goalie. If he becomes an above-average starter in the long term, both teams are winners with this trade. Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
