The Birmingham Stallions (7-3) ended the regular season in dominating fashion, defeating the Memphis Showboats (2-8), 46-9 on Sunday afternoon inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Tae Crowder made UFL history by becoming the first player to ever have two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in a game. Additionally, Birmingham’s 46 total points is the most points the Stallions have scored in franchise history in a regular season matchup.
“Really proud of our team’s performance today,” said Head Coach of the Birmingham Stallions Skip Holtz. “Coming into this game, our message was that competitors compete. Everybody was telling me that there is no reason to play this game, that it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t change the conference standings, doesn’t mess with home field advantage, just things that should make our football team unmotivated. We talked about the team that is going to have a chance in the end is going to be the team that improves the most over the course of the season. The team that is going to play with the most passion, and play the most focused is going to be the one standing at the end. We have talked about the standard we have around here and that we were going to have to strive all season to reach it. Scoring on defense not once but twice was huge, that was the first time we have scored on defense this season. This game was just a real testament to these players and the attitude that they went out and played with. We all have great respect for Memphis and their coaching staff, and this is a team that lined up and beat us and I think that had a little something to do with how well we played today."
The Stallions used a balanced attack to cruise to the lopsided win, as the offense used 338 total yards of offense, including 220 yards through the air. J’Mar Smith continued his solid play on Sunday, completing 13-of-17 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Smith only played in the first half, giving way to Andrew Peasley to lead the Stallions’ offense for the final 30 minutes. In only his second appearance of the season, Peasley completed 9-of-14 passes for 93 yards. Peasley also added 22 rushing yards on two attempts. Together, Smith and Peasley combined for 220 yards and completed 22-of-31 passes. Both quarterbacks had passer ratings of over 120 in the game.
Birmingham continued to spread the wealth through the passing game, as 10 different receivers ended the day with at least one reception. Amari Rodgers and Jalen Camp both led the way with four receptions each, as Rodgers hauled in the lone touchdown pass of the day from 10 yards out. The Stallions’ ground assault was led by Ricky Person Jr.’s 42 total rushing yards. Person Jr. found paydirt twice on the day and averaged 4.7 yards per carry. Larry Rountree III now has three rushing touchdowns in his past two outings, as Rountree III ended the day with 34 yards on 11 carries and one rushing touchdown.
The Stallions’ defense put on an absolute clinic on Sunday, limiting Memphis to only 201 yards of total offense. Birmingham forced two turnovers, as Tae Crowder picked off a pair of passes and returned both for defensive touchdowns. Kyahva Tezino led the defense with eight total tackles, five of which were solo stops. A.J. Thomas, DeMarquis Gates and Mario Goodrich all registered six total tackles by day’s end. All together, the Stallions had three total sacks, with Myjai Sanders picking up a pair and Carlos Davis notching the other.
Notes
- The Stallions increased their all-time record over the Showboats to 5-1, including a perfect 3-0 in Memphis.
- Birmingham’s 46 points on the day is the most points by a UFL team this season, and second most in league history.
- Furthermore, the 46 points are the most points that the Stallions have scored in a regular season game since Birmingham’s 42-point outing against Memphis on 4/22/23.
- The Stallions did not punt once on Sunday.
- Out of the seven offensive possessions for Birmingham, six of them resulted in scores (four touchdowns and two field goals). The only drive that didn’t result in a score was the final drive of the game when Birmingham was running out the clock.
- Birmingham’s 23 first half points is the most points that the Stallions have scored in an opening half this season, the previous high was 17 points scored in the first half against Houston on April 19.
- Memphis’ 201 yards of total offense is the second fewest by a Birmingham opponent this season.
- Tae Crowder’s 51-yard interception return for a touchdown was the first non-offensive touchdown of the season.
- Crowder is the first player in UFL history to have two interception returns for a touchdown in a singular game.
- Crowder’s interception that was returned for a touchdown was the Stallions’ first pick-six since Daniel Isom had a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 2024 USFL Conference Championship Game against the Michigan Panthers.
- Crowder is the first Stallions’ defender to have two interceptions in a game since Ike Brown had two interceptions against the Panthers in the 2024 USFL Championship Game.
- J’Mar Smith completed his first eight pass attempts to start the game.
- Ricky Person Jr.’s two rushing touchdowns marks the first multi-rushing touchdown performance of the season for the veteran tailback.
- Person Jr. also partially blocked a Memphis punt in the fourth quarter.
- Myjai Sanders registered his first two sacks of the season.
- Harrison Mevis was successful on both of his field goal attempts, bringing his season total to 20-of-21.
- Mevis’ second attempt of the day was from 54 yards out, a new season-high.
- ATTENDANCE: 4,573
How It Happened
First Quarter
- 8:26 - MEM | Memphis opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal on the opening possession of the game (3-0, Showboats).
- 5:08 - BHM | Ricky Person Jr. picked up his fourth rushing touchdown of the season on a two-yard rushing score. Birmingham’s scoring drive consisted of seven plays and covered 72 yards. The Stallions’ following two-point attempt was unsuccessful (6-3, Stallions).
- 3:10 - BHM | Tae Crowder secured a deflected pass by Willie Yarbary and returned it 51 yards to the end zone to add to Birmingham’s early lead. The Stallions elected to attempt a one-point conversion and were successful, with Larry Rountree III scoring from two yards out (13-3, Stallions).
Second Quarter
- 10:16 - MEM | The Showboats found the end zone on a six-yard rushing touchdown that ended a 14-play, 67-yard drive. The following one-point attempt was unsuccessful. (13-9, Stallions).
- 3:26 - BHM | J’Mar Smith found Amari Rodgers on a 10-yard touchdown pass that brought an 11-play, 71-yard drive to a close. Smith called his own number on the following one-point attempt, taking the ball around the right side of the line for the successful conversion (20-9, Stallions).
- 0:41 - BHM | Harrison Mevis split the uprights on a 49-yard field goal to end a 10-play, 40-yard drive (23-9, Stallions).
Third Quarter
- 8:25 - BHM | Person Jr. found the end zone from two yards out for his second rushing score of the day. The ensuing one-point attempt failed. Altogether, the scoring drive consisted of 11 plays and covered 59 yards (29-9, Stallions).
- 1:30 - BHM | Mevis drilled a 54-yard field goal to conclude a seven-play, 30-yard drive (32-9, Stallions).
Fourth Quarter
- 14:44 - BHM | Crowder stepped in front of a Memphis pass attempt, picking up his second pick-six of the day and returning it 75 yards to the end zone. Davion Davis took a jet sweep around right end for the successful one-point conversion (39-9, Stallions).
- 9:13 - BHM | Larry Rountree III added to the lead with a two-yard rushing touchdown that ended a six-play, 30-yard drive. Andrew Peasley connected with Marlon Williams on the following one-point attempt (46-9, Stallions).
Up Next
- The Stallions will return to Protective Stadium for the USFL Conference Championship Game against the Michigan Panthers.
- The game will be played on Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. CT and will be aired live on ABC.