ARLINGTON, TX – May 26, 2026 – Week Nine in the UFL once again delivered pure chaos. It began with the Storm establishing themselves as one of, if not the best teams in the league. The weekend continued with shocking performances from the Aviators, domination from the Kings, and another defensive masterclass from the Battlehawks.
The standings heading into Week Ten:
- Orlando Storm: 7-2 (clinched)
- St. Louis Battlehawks: 6-3 (clinched)
- Louisville Kings: 5-4
- DC Defenders: 5-4 (clinched)
- Birmingham Stallions: 4-5
- Dallas Renegades: 3-6 (eliminated)
- Houston Gamblers: 3-6 (eliminated)
- Columbus Aviators: 3-6 (eliminated)
Friday night in Orlando did not disappoint. With stars in attendance such as UFL co-owner Mike Repole and Super Bowl-winning head coach John Gruden, the Storm delivered another statement performance in their regular season home finale.
Chris Rowland had a field day against his former team. His night started early when he turned a short pass into a 62-yard touchdown. That score was just the beginning of an eight-catch performance. Meanwhile, Jack Plummer continued building his MVP case with another stellar outing, throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite the loss, Deon Jackson etched his name into the record books with his seventh rushing touchdown of the season, setting a new UFL single-season rushing touchdown record.
The Storm now sit alone atop the UFL standings with seven wins. Meanwhile, despite clinching a postseason berth, the Defenders have now dropped three straight and enter the playoffs searching for momentum at the worst possible time.
Saturday delivered a potential game of the year as the Aviators stunned the Stallions and dealt a crushing blow to Birmingham’s playoff hopes.
The madness began immediately. After Alex Cook ripped away a fumble and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown, Columbus blocked the extra point and returned it the other way for one point, creating a chaotic 6-1 scoreline.
Fast forward to the final minutes, and the Aviators found themselves down eight backed up at their own nine-yard line. Jalen Morton, who took over at quarterback, engineered a breathtaking 91-yard drive before punching it in himself. Moments later, Keke Chism reeled in an incredible catch for the game-tying two-point conversion.
Then came the knockout blow. On Birmingham’s ensuing possession, DJ Miller Jr. intercepted Dorian Thompson-Robinson and returned it for the game-winning pick six.
Birmingham now needs a victory combined with losses from both Orlando and Louisville to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Sunday’s doubleheader began with the Kings and Chandler Rogers staying red hot.
Rogers accounted for three total touchdowns and posted a 149.4 quarterback rating as Louisville exploded for 470 total yards and 37 points.
Kicker Tanner Brown broke the UFL single-season field goal record, surpassing 22 made field goals. Defensively, Cam Gill added his own piece of history by breaking the league’s single-season sack record and bringing his total to ten on the year.
The Kings defense also smothered Austin Reed and the Renegades offense, holding Dallas to a miserable 1-for-10 on third down. Louisville now controls its own destiny, while the Renegades have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
Week Nine wrapped up with the Battlehawks handling business in Houston.
St. Louis held the Gamblers under 300 total yards, forced Houston into a 4-for-11 mark on third down, recorded four sacks, and generated two takeaways in another suffocating defensive performance.
The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Battlehawks and guaranteed Ricky Proehl a shot at a UFL title in his first season as a head coach. Meanwhile, the Gamblers saw their playoff hopes officially come to an end.
The final week of the regular season begins Friday night in St. Louis, where the Renegades and Battlehawks are slated for 8:00 PM ET on FOX in the league’s final Friday night football game of the spring.
The Stallions will host the Gamblers on Saturday at 3:00 PM ET on ESPN2 in a must-win matchup for Birmingham.
The regular season concludes Sunday with a doubleheader beginning in DC. The Defenders and Storm will meet again at 12:00 PM ET on ABC, followed by a Sunday night showdown between the Kings and Aviators in Columbus. The regular season finale is scheduled for 6:00 PM ET on FOX.