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Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
UFL Championship Game By The Numbers: Defenders win with near-perfect game
The 2025 UFL Championship Game was a thriller from start to finish. In the end, Jordan Ta'amu and the DC Defenders took down Offensive Player of the Year and regular-season MVP Bryce Perkins and the Michigan Panthers , 58-34. Here are the numbers to know after Saturday's tilt: 6: Shannon Harris was named interim head coach of the Defenders just six days before the first game of the regular season after Reggie Barlow accepted the head coaching position at Tennessee State. That didn't stop Harris from earning UFL Coach of the Year honors or winning the 2025 championship title. 11: The Defenders were nearly perfect on offense in Saturday's title game. They had 11 offensive drives and didn't punt once. They scored on their first 10 drives, as they put up eight touchdowns and two field goals before finishing the game kneeling on the final drive. Overall, the high-scoring game featured 23 drives and only had three punts. 46-6: The Panthers were leading 13-6 after the first quarter, but the game turned drastically in the second quarter when the Defenders rolled off 25 unanswered points. Following a Michigan score, DC then rolled off another 21 unanswered points, ultimately going on a 46-6 run from the start of the second quarter to the start of the fourth. 58: The Defenders provided plenty of offense in the title game, as their 58 points scored shattered the UFL record for most points in a single game (regular or postseason). The previous record was held by the Arlington Renegades, who put up 47 points in a regular-season game in 2024. 92: The 92 combined points between Michigan and DC also set a UFL single-game record, breaking the mark set just last week in the USFL Conference title game (73 points) between Michigan and the Birmingham Stallions. 168: Michigan receiver Malik Turner set a UFL single-game record with 168 receiving yards on 10 catches. He also became the first UFL player with three receiving touchdowns in a game. 190: While the Defenders had the top-ranked passing offense in the league during the regular season, their run game was a big part of their playoff success. After running for a season-high 187 yards on the ground vs. the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL Conference title game, the Defenders topped that mark with 190 yards on Saturday night. 338: While it came in a losing effort, regular-season MVP QB Bryce Perkins set season highs with 338 passing yards and four passing touchdowns on Saturday. Perkins was able to overcome a late-season ankle injury to help Michigan put up 44 points in the Panthers' USFL Conference title game win and 34 points in their UFL title game loss. 390: UFL Championship Game MVP Jordan Ta'amu set a UFL record with 390 passing yards. The former Ole Miss QB went 21 for 28 for 390 yards and four touchdowns en route to leading his team to the title. He finished the season with 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions over the course of his 11 starts during the season (regular and postseason). 1,014: The 2025 UFL Championship Game was the first game with over 1,000 yards of offense in league history. DC's 580 yards of offense was a single-team record and the game's combined 1,014 yards also set a new bar for the UFL. 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
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Defenders' rout of Panthers in UFL title game proves who the true MVP is
At the start of the fourth quarter, DC Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu stood among his teammates as they chanted "M-V-P! M-V-P!" before sealing a 58-34 rout of the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL Championship Game on Saturday. Ta'amu's evening was made that much sweeter with newly minted UFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and All-UFL QB Bryce Perkins standing on the opposite sideline. Ta'amu, the league's leader in passing touchdowns, continued what is the most impressive season by a passer in UFL history with 390 passing yards, completing 75% of his passes (21 of 28) for four touchdowns — in three quarters. At halftime, Ta'amu had completed 16 of 20 passes for 320 yards, as everything the Defenders did offensively worked. His counterpart, Perkins, finished with 338 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception, completing 60% of his throws (21 of 35). Perkins completed eight of 13 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in the first half. "I'd rather have a championship with the team than my own individual honors," Ta'amu said. Here are a couple of my biggest takeaways from Saturday's tilt. Unstoppable force vs. even more unstoppable force Heading into this matchup, the Defenders knew they had a large advantage: their No. 1-ranked passing offense against the Panthers' dead-last passing defense. Instead of outsmarting themselves, Coach of the Year Shannon Harris and Assistant Coach of the Year Fred Kaiss dialed up an offensive game plan that led to the Defenders putting up more than 500 yards of total offense and 50 points in three quarters against the USFL Conference champions. Before the game began, Michigan likely thought it had its own psychological and statistical advantages. The Panthers beat the Defenders by double digits, 38-14, in Week 6 of the regular season. That win was powered by a rushing attack that put up 213 yards and a Michigan defense that allowed just 250 total yards in the mid-season rout. While the Panthers' rushing offense didn't miss the bus this time around, their defense got left in the dust. Against the Defenders' big-play offense, the Panthers were left without an ability to sit on the ball, run it or play complimentary football. The Defenders ultimately turned the title game into a track meet and forced Michigan to keep up. The Defenders put up 379 yards and 37 points in the first half, including 31 points in the second quarter alone. Even with offensive success that led to 19 first-half points, the Panthers' defense could not give its offense any help, allowing 18 first downs on the Defenders' first 40 plays. Wideout Jaydon Mickens caught six passes for 132 yards and a touchdown en route to joining an exclusive club of men who have won both a Super Bowl and a UFL championship. Aside from Perkins, Malik Turner played best among Panthers players with 10 catches for a UFL record 168 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Both teams combined to score 92 points and put up more than 1,000 yards of offense. Defenders take over Michigan must've felt good about its chance of winning because of how difficult it was to survive the playoffs and punch its ticket to St. Louis. The Panthers beat the three-time defending spring football champion Birmingham Stallions for the first time; Birmingham won the USFL titles in 2022 and 2023 and the inaugural UFL title in 2024. The Stallions have been the standard every other franchise has been chasing since spring football returned in 2022. The Defenders would've known that too when they pulled off an upset win against Skip Holtz's squad in Week 1. With wins against the three best teams in the sport over the past two years, including two in the 2025 playoffs, it's fair to say that the Defenders are not just the 2025 champions. With Ta'amu, Harris and an explosive offensive identity that makes them a threat in every game they play, the Defenders are the team everyone else will be chasing in 2026. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young . 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
Fox Sports
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
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
Fox Sports
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Defending champion Stallions' abrupt exit tops storylines from UFL playoffs
All good things must inevitably come to an end, and that's never been truer for the Birmingham Stallions. After three consecutive spring football championships, Skip Holtz's squad is out of the running for the 2025 UFL title after falling 44-29 to the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Conference Championship Game at Protective Stadium on Sunday. "It's hard to lose, but it's with great respect that I say congratulations to Michigan," Holtz said. "It's with great pride that I say that I have really enjoyed coaching this football team and [watching] what this football team has been able to accomplish." Sunday's win marked the first time in eight meetings that Panthers head coach Mike Nolan earned a win in a head-to-head matchup with Holtz. Even though his team got the win, Nolan said things are far from finished. "There's still work to be done," he said. "Our football team knows that. We're excited to have another week to play." The Panthers will face the DC Defenders — who dominated the St. Louis Battlehawks by double digits, 36-18, in the XFL Conference Championship Game at The Dome at America's Center on Sunday — in Saturday's title game. "We just didn't show up when we needed to show up," Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht said about his team's loss after six consecutive wins to finish out the regular season. "DC really put it on us in all phases." Here's a look at other storylines from conference championship weekend: It's Toa Taua time! The Panthers entered Sunday's USFL Conference title game as the second-leading rushing team in the league, averaging 127 rushing yards a contest, and continued to assert their dominance on the ground in a decisive win over the Stallions, totaling 144 rushing yards. Taua was the catalyst, finishing with 85 yards and three touchdown runs. Taua rightly gave credit to the Michigan offensive line, calling it "an example of resiliency," as he routinely broke into the second level of Birmingham's defense without being touched. "When you can just walk into a touchdown untouched, that's nobody but them (the O-line)," he said. "I've just got to not be blind and see it. It was a great day collectively as an offense." In his first action since missing three games due to an ankle injury, QB Bryce Perkins completed 20 of 25 passes for 238 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Perkins also rushed for 34 yards and a score. Most importantly, Michigan finished with no turnovers, while Birmingham coughed up the ball twice — a 25-yard pick-six by Michigan safety Kai Nacua and lost a fumble. Battlehawks have no answer for Jordan Ta'amu & Co. Despite being well-rested and prepared, Becht acknowledged his team was dominated in all facets of the game. The Battlehawks went into last week's contest knowing they had to slow down Defenders QB Ta'amu. However, they were never able to do so. The Ole Miss product went 18-for-26 for 204 yards, highlighted by a 38-yard touchdown to receiver Seth Williams midway through the first quarter to give the Defenders a lead that they would never relinquish. "He really came out and executed on all cylinders," Becht said about Ta'amu. "He's a veteran in this league. He's still young. Just a hell of a performance by him." Ta'amu's only blemish was a pick-six in the first half — his first interception in 128 passing attempts. The Defenders were equally effective at moving the ball on the ground, as standout running back Deon Jackson rushed for 116 yards and two scores on 21 carries. The Defenders finished with 388 yards of total offense, scored on seven of 10 possessions and went 7-for-11 (63.6%) on third down. Holtz benches J'Mar Smith in favor of Matt Corral The Stallions never found any real consistency at the most important position on the field this season, which is one of the biggest reasons they'll be watching the championship game from their couch for the first time in four years. Holtz used five different players at quarterback and none started more than three games. Although Smith had played well entering the USFL title game, Holtz replaced the Louisiana Tech product after he threw a pick-six that put Birmingham down 20-6 late in the second quarter. "[After the interception], I just said, 'You know what? We need a boost. We need a spark,'" Holtz said. "I put Matt in, and I thought he did a good job of getting us back in the football game." Corral had not played since mid-April due to an abdominal injury. He went 12-for-25 for 147 yards and two scores, but he also threw an interception and lost a fumble. Smith went 4-for-10 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown and an interception before he was replaced. Deon Cain led the Stallions with six receptions for 124 yards. Birmingham finished with just 61 yards on the ground. Defenders overcome adversity under Shannon Harris' leadership With head coach Reggie Barlow and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams leaving at the start of the season, interim head coach Shannon Harris did a masterful job of leading his squad to the title game for the first time in team history. The Defenders' offense rolled to 36 points against the top-ranked defense in the league on the road in a hostile environment at St. Louis. Greg Williams' son Blake Williams, serving as the defensive coordinator for the Defenders, held St. Louis to 240 yards and a 22.2% conversion rate on third down. The Defenders also finished with five sacks. "It came down to us, we and ours — and that has been our motto the entire season," Harris said. "We're going to do this together. It's not a one-man show on any of this stuff. As a head coach, you get praise for it and you get a record put on you, but at the end of the day, it's us. We and ours." These two teams will meet for the second time this season. The Panthers easily handled the Defenders in Week 6 of the regular season at Ford Field, 38-16. In that game, the Panthers rolled up 233 yards on the ground, including 99 yards from Taua and 90 from Perkins. Ta'amu went 19-for-36 passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns. Finishing with nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown, Chris Rowland was Ta'amu's favorite target. If the Defenders want a shot at winning this one, however, they must do a better job of stopping the run. 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 recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 UFL Power Rankings: Battlehawks, Stallions rise; Defenders, Panthers fall
Week 9 of the 2025 UFL season featured some narrow wins, dominating performances and one shocking upset. The St. Louis Battlehawks took sole possession atop the XFL Conference with a 39-13 win over the struggling San Antonio Brahmas , marking the team's league-leading fifth consecutive win. The Birmingham Stallions snagged a 26-22 victory over the visiting Michigan Panthers on Saturday in what was a preview of the USFL Conference title game, while the Arlington Renegades got back on track with a 30-12 victory over the Memphis Showboats in a weather-delayed game. In the final game of the weekend, the Houston Roughnecks stunned the DC Defenders in a last-minute thriller, 24-21 . [MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ] That said, here's a look at my updated UFL Power Rankings following Week 9: 8. San Antonio Brahmas (1-8) Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A Jashaun Corbin continued to be the shining light in an otherwise dark season for the Brahmas, who were clobbered by the Battlehawks. He rushed for 85 yards on 14 rushes, which was just 19 yards short of what San Antonio was able to amass with Kellen Mond at quarterback. The former Texas A&M signal-caller finished 14-for-26 for 103 yards, while the San Antonio defense didn't do much to keep the offense in the game. In total, the Brahmas' defense gave up more than 400 yards, including 169 yards on the ground. 7. Memphis Showboats (2-7) Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A In a mostly forgettable season for Memphis, the Showboat quarterbacks E.J. Perry and Dresser Winn played a mostly forgettable game against Arlington last week. Neither threw for more than 100 yards — 89 and 83, respectively — and neither got much help from a rushing attack that accumulated just 42 yards on 20 rushes. Though the Renegades committed 11 penalties for 96 yards, the Showboats could do little to nothing to take advantage of those opportunities. 6. Houston Roughnecks (4-5) Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A Head coach Curtis Johnson has done a remarkable job keeping his team composed and engaged this season with many ups and downs, and a win against the best team in the UFL is certainly sweet. It'll serve as proof of what Houston can do in 2026, especially if it's able to return the duo of QB Jalan McClendon and WR Justin Hall. McClendon completed 21 of 30 passes for 232 yards, including 10 for 126 yards to Hall, who is the Roughnecks' best offensive weapon. Houston can secure its first non-losing season with a win this weekend. 5. Arlington Renegades (4-5) Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A In a game about pride, the Renegades showed what they might've been capable of had one or two plays gone their way prior to Week 9 and earned them the chance to play in the postseason. As it stands, an 18-point shellacking of the Showboats will have to do. QB Luis Perez completed 20 of 30 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns, and wideout Tyler Vaughns enjoyed an outstanding day with eight catches for 107 yards and a score. The Arlington defense also recorded five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception to help the Renegades earn a chance to finish this season without a losing record. 4. DC Defenders (6-3) Current odds to win 2025 title: +470 Despite QBs Jordan Ta'amu and Mike DiLiello combining to complete 31 of 51 passes for 371 yards, the Defenders fell to the Roughnecks in the only upset of the weekend. Two fumbles contributed to their woes, but it seemed Houston found itself playing for its pride at a moment when DC knew it was already playing postseason football. However, no team should feel good about accepting a loss to an opponent it knows it should beat. That will be the message interim head coach Shannon Harris delivers his team with postseason football just over a week away. 3. Michigan Panthers (6-3) Current odds to win 2025 title: +185 Without Bryce Perkins, former LSU quarterback Danny Etling earned another chance to start. He ended the game completing 22 of 39 pass attempts for 239 yards with two touchdowns. And while the Panthers' rushers pushed the ground game tally to over 100 yards, their defense couldn't get off the field. Of 13 third-down attempts by the Stallions, the Panthers allowed 11 conversions and did not record a single takeaway. 2. Birmingham Stallions (6-3) Current odds to win 2025 title: +280 In a game that served to decide which team would have home-field advantage in the USFL Conference Championship Game, the Stallions found a way to defeat what had been a red-hot Panthers team. J'Mar Smith's play has given head coach Skip Holtz a solid starter at quarterback, a position that has seen more rotations than a 50-yard spiral. Smith went 22-for-31 for 307 yards with two touchdowns against a stingy defense. Not only did Smith spread the ball around to 10 different receivers, but he also made sure the offense converted 11 of 13 third downs in the biggest game of the regular season. 1. St. Louis Battlehawks (7-2) Current odds to win 2025 title: +195 The Battlehawks had the luxury of knowing they play for the XFL Conference title in two weeks, and there were signs that they're still getting better this late in the season. While Max Duggan and Brandon Silvers each saw significant time behind center, the offense never showed it was out of sync, with the duo combining to complete 19 of 27 passes for 233 yards and the offense averaging better than six yards per play. The result was the kind of performance that head coach Anthony Becht knew his club was capable of all season, as St. Louis tries to win its first XFL Conference title with the best home-field advantage in spring pro football. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young . 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 recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
