ARLINGTON, TX – April 6, 2026 – Over the weekend, the UFL delivered a little bit of everything: defending champions getting back on track, a gritty defensive slugfest, and the biggest upset of the young season. From breakout rushing performances to a walk-off kick as time expired, Week Two showcased the league’s depth and drama.
Week Two kicked off Friday night in Columbus, marking the debut of the Aviators in their new home at Historic Crew Stadium. Nearly 15,000 fans packed the stands, creating an electric atmosphere for the franchise’s first game in the city.
The celebration was short-lived. The DC Defenders spoiled the homecoming behind a dominant ground attack, rushing for 229 yards. Deon Jackson led the charge with a career performance, totaling 126 yards and tying a UFL regular-season record with three touchdowns. After scoring four touchdowns all of last season, Jackson has already matched that total through just two games.
DC’s defense complemented the effort with four takeaways in a commanding 44-26 victory. Sam Kidd anchored the unit with eight tackles, six solo, and an interception. The Defenders evened their record at 1-1, while Columbus dropped to 0-2.
Saturday night shifted the spotlight to Orlando, where the Storm hosted Louisville at Inter&Co Stadium in a game defined by physicality and patience. Points were hard to come by early, with the first half dominated by field goals.
KJ Hamler finally broke through, turning a broken play into a 41-yard touchdown to spark the Storm offense. In the fourth quarter, Jack Plummer connected with Elijhah Badger on a perfectly placed deep ball, and Badger did the rest, weaving 39 yards to the end zone.
Orlando’s explosive plays proved to be the difference once again, pushing them to 2-0, the first team in the league to reach that mark, while Louisville fell to 0-2.
On Sunday, Houston delivered the shock of the week. After being blown out by Dallas in Week One, few gave the Gamblers a chance against Birmingham.
Head coach Kevin Sumlin emphasized the ground game, and Houston responded with 174 rushing yards after totaling just 42 on six carries the week prior. Jalen White led the effort with 82 yards and a touchdown.
After Hunter Dekkers went down in the first half, Nolan Henderson stepped in and authored a gutsy performance. Battling through an injury of his own, Henderson returned to lead the offense, finishing with 186 passing yards and a 90.1 quarterback rating in a resilient showing.
The defining moment belonged to John Hoyland. Perfect on the day, Hoyland drilled all five of his field goal attempts, including a walk-off 50-yarder as time expired to seal the upset. With the win, both Houston and Birmingham move to 1-1.
Week Two wraps up Tuesday night as St. Louis travels to Dallas for an 8:00 PM ET kickoff on FS1. The winner will improve to 2-0 and join Orlando atop the standings.
Looking ahead, Week Three features a full slate. Orlando and Louisville meet again in a Friday night rematch, while Houston travels to face DC on Saturday.
Sunday brings an ABC doubleheader, beginning with Columbus and Dallas at noon, followed by Birmingham and St. Louis to close out the weekend.