By Zach Thompson, DraftKings Network
The UFL regular season has just two weeks remaining, but plenty is still on the line as teams push to lock up postseason spots or improve their playoff standing. Every single team is still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, which sets up an outstanding finish to the season over the next two weeks. Let’s run down what to expect in Week 9 with the help of some of the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. Bookmark this UFL betting splits page and check back throughout the season for DraftKings Network’s ongoing coverage.
The Week 9 schedule kicks off on Friday night with a key matchup between the Orlando Storm and the DC Defenders that could be a United Bowl preview. The Saturday matchup is the surging Birmingham Stallions riding into Columbus to face the Aviators at 4:00 p.m. ET, and the week wraps up with a Sunday doubleheader featuring the Dallas Renegades at the Louisville Kings and the St. Louis Battlehawks at the Houston Gamblers. Let’s take a closer look at each contest with the help of some odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.
DC Defenders at Orlando Storm (-2.5)
The Storm became the first team to clinch the playoffs with a win last week on Friday over the Renegades. They are still not the favorites to win the title, though, since the DC Defenders are +185 to win the UFL Championship, while the Storm have the second-shortest odds at +240.
The Storm clinched their playoff spot with a 31-24 win behind a big game from Jack Plummer, who racked up over 300 total yards, passing for 238 yards and running for 70 more and a pair of touchdowns. Playing his first season in the UFL, he leads the league with 1,710 passing yards and 247 completions while throwing just one interception. His main target in Week 8 was Chris Rowland, who hauled in nine receptions for 90 yards.
Head coach Anthony Becht guided the St. Louis Battlhawks to the playoffs each of the last two years and has now piloted the Storm into the postseason in their first season of existence. They have a league-best 6-2 record, but still have plenty to play for with homefield advantage still up for grabs.
The Defenders could also claim homefield advantage if they win the next two weeks, but even more importantly, they’ll need to figure out what to do under center without star QB Jordan Ta’amu. Ta’amu suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of last week’s loss to Louisville, and the offense never really got in gear after that. Spencer Sanders stepped after Ta’amu’s departure, but only completed 7-of-15 pass attempts for 83 yards and an interception. The other option for the Defenders is trade acquisition Jason Bean, who started the first four games for the Kings and threw for 819 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. The team was ready to move on from Bean, though, and DC acquired him for depth, which now my prove critical.
Against the Kings after Ta’amu’s injury, the Defenders relied on their ground game, led by Xazavian Valladay, who ended up with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Storm defense has been strong against the run, though, and will focus on forcing Bean or Sanders to beat them through the air.
If the Defenders were at full strength, it would be tempting to take them and the points on the road, but with such serious QB uncertainty, the Storm should be well-positioned to continue their march to the top seed in the playoffs.
Best Bet: Storm -2.5 (-112)
Birmingham Stallions at Columbus Aviators (+1.5)
The Stallions and Aviators are completing a home-and-home set after Birmingham won last Sunday, 14-3. The win moved the Stallions to 4-4 on the season and moved them into the fourth and final playoff spot coming into the final two weeks of the season.
The three-time UFL champions acquired QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson in a trade from the Storm, and DTR has led the team to three straight wins. He led the team to back-to-back wins over the Renegades and then created just enough offense in extreme heat in Birmingham last week to eke out the 14-3 win.
DTR continues to be willing to push the ball down the field, and Jaydon Mickens leads the UFL with 519 receiving yards. The strong receiving corps also includes Justyn Ross and Deon Cain, who continue to stretch defenses vertically.
The Stallions hold the tie-breaker against the Kings, who are also 4-4, so if they win their next two games, they’ll be in the playoffs.
The Aviators have an even tougher road to the playoffs as they start the week at 2-6, but they have not been eliminated yet, although they would need to win out and get help. Columbus QB Jalan McClendon struggled last week, only finishing with 151 passing yards and throwing a pair of interceptions. Part of it may have been the heat, but the offense has been too turnover-prone all season to be reliable.
The Aviators do have a strong run game and defense, but the Stallions’ surge has been impressive under DTR. The cooler environment should help their offense as well, and they should be able to gallop off with another win heading into the final week of the regular season. The public is also tilting in Birmingham’s direction, with 81% of bets on DraftKings Sportsbook coming in on the Stallions.
Best Bet: Stallions -1.5 (-108)
Dallas Renegades at Louisville Kings (-1.5)
The Kings are also 4-4, tied with the Stallions, while the Renegades are 3-5, looking to find their footing and regain their spot as one of the favorites in the UFL. Both teams desperately need a win in this game in their chase for the final playoff spot. While lots can still change, both teams likely need to win each of their last two games to give themselves a chance at the playoffs. This game basically serves as an elimination game for both squads.
This will be the final home game of the season for the Kings, who have had a strong first season in the League under coach Chris Redman. They traded Bean and went to Chandler Rogers as their starter, and the move has helped them climb back to .500. They knocked off the reigning champion Defenders in back-to-back weeks, and know they’ll need another big week to stay in the hunt against a desperate Dallas team.
The key to the Kings’ success has been their running game. James Robinson and Ian Wheeler have combined for seven rushing scores on the season, and the ground game has powered the offense, with Rogers managing the game well and making plays on the ground through the air when opportunities are available.
The Renegades have suffered a brutal stretch after being one of the favorites to win it all early in the season. They have lost five straight games after moving to 3-0 behind a great start from QB Austin Reed. Reed has struggled in his last five games, throwing eight interceptions and finding himself under constant pressure from opposing pass rushes.
Reed threw four interceptions, including two pick-sixes, in the first meeting between these teams in Week 5, when the Kings pulled off a big upset and got the win. Reed will need to take care of the ball in this rematch and work to get it into the hands of his play-making receiver, Tyler Vaughns. The Reed-Vaughns connection can be one of the best in the league when it’s clicking, and the Renegades defense has been solid and opportunistic this season.
The environment should give the Kings an advantage in this rematch, but Dallas’s passing game is too strong to be held in check for much longer. This could be a big revenge game for Reed and Vaughns, and the Kings barely defeated the Defenders last week, even without Jordan Ta’amu. Maybe I’m just remembering how good Dallas was early in the season, but I’m not sure I trust Rogers to get his team the win over Reed, so I’m taking the upset in this Sunday’s 4:00 p.m. ET matchup.
Best Bet: Renegades Moneyline (+110)
St. Louis Battlehawks at Houston Gamblers (+3)
The final game of the week is between the 5-3 Battlehawks and the 3-5 Gamblers. The Battlehawks can secure a playoff spot with a win, while the Gamblers will be eliminated with a loss. This matchup would seem even more lopsided if it weren’t for Week 8’s surprising results for these two teams. The Battlehawks were heavily favored at home against the Gamblers in Week 8, but Houston went into the Battledome and pulled off the upset.
The Gamblers came out swinging on the road last week and got a solid game from QB Hunter Dekkers, who completed 15-of-22 pass attempts for 155 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He connected with Jalen Moreno-Cropper five times for 52 yards, while throwing three completions and a touchdown to Lawrence Keys III and Jontre Kirklin. Houston also scored on a pick-six.
The Battlehawks’ offense struggled in their second week under Luis Perez. He still showed good connections with Steven McBride (116 yards) and Tyler Neville (43 yards and a touchdown), but he threw two interceptions and went just 1-for-6 in the red zone and 2-for-11 on third down.
St. Louis had been undefeated at home this season before last week’s loss, but they did still outgain the Gamblers 353 yards to just 200 yards. Special teams and turnovers made the difference last week, and if the Battlehawks clean those areas up, their offense should be strong enough to get them the road win they need to seal a playoff spot.
The Gamblers have proven to be no pushover this season and can shock the league with a win in any given week. However, they needed everything to bounce their way like it did last week, and I don’t think that will happen two weeks in a row. The Battlehawks’ defense is championship level when at their best, and they should cause the Gamblers problems in Houston this week.
Best Bet: Battlehawks -3 (-108)
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