Columbus, OH – April 3, 2026 – DC earned its first win of the season, spoiling Columbus’ home debut at Historic Crew Stadium. After totaling just 153 yards of offense in Week One, the Defenders exploded for 319 total yards and dominated the Aviators. Deon Jackson completed the hat trick with three rushing touchdowns.
The energy in Columbus’ first home game was electric from the start. Between a packed crowd, head coach Ted Ginn Jr. returning home, and anticipation for Gavin DeGraw’s halftime performance, this had all the makings of a big Friday night.
After immense struggles offensively in Week One, DC wasted no time establishing its presence. On just their third play from scrimmage, Jordan Ta’amu dropped a beautiful ball in the bucket to Cornell Powell for 32 yards.
Two critical penalties on Columbus, including unnecessary roughness and taunting, helped set up Deon Jackson’s second touchdown in as many games. And it was just the beginning for him.
However, there were clear signs of improvement from both offenses. Jalan McClendon marched the Aviators down the field on a 13-play, 60-yard drive before finding pay dirt.
McClendon connected with Tay Martin on third down to avoid an early three-and-out, and Columbus began to find its rhythm. He capped the drive himself, punching it in on a six-yard quarterback draw to send Historic Crew Stadium into a frenzy for its first touchdown. His legs were a major factor, highlighted by two key runs on the drive.
DC answered on the ensuing possession, but once again, penalties played a role. Another unnecessary roughness call on Columbus set the Defenders up in the red zone.
This time, the Aviators’ defense held firm, forcing DC to settle for a 35-yard field goal from Matt McCrane.
The question quickly became: which defense would step up first?
On third-and-11, it looked like DC might have its answer, but McClendon had other plans. He scrambled for 13 yards, continuing to exploit the Defenders with his legs.
Eventually, though, DC’s defense, dominant a week ago, came through with the first true stop of the game. Ryan Coe missed from 51 yards out, handing DC the ball in strong field position.
It seemed Ta’amu took notice of McClendon’s success on the ground. On the next drive, he kept it on a read option for a 17-yard burst, showcasing his own mobility. That sequence sparked a dominant rushing stretch for DC, with Xazavian Valladay becoming increasingly involved.
Ta’amu extended the drive with a fourth-and-three conversion to Powell, and the ground game took over from there. DC rushed for 55 yards on the drive, capped by a 10-yard touchdown run from Valladay.
By halftime, DC had piled up three rushing touchdowns and an eye-popping 121 yards on the ground, making the game plan clear: attack Columbus’ run defense.
The Defenders’ defense stepped up again before the break as the pass rush began to find its footing. Devonnsha Maxwell broke through for DC’s first sack of the game.
Ginn Jr. rolled the dice on fourth-and-one in his own territory, but DC’s pressure forced McClendon into an errant throw, giving the Defenders excellent field position once more.
They capitalized quickly. Ta’amu found Jackson on a 29-yard wheel route, and Jackson followed it up with a 12-yard rushing touchdown on the very next play, extending DC’s lead to 24-7.
Despite forcing a punt on the next possession, DC gave momentum right back, fumbling the return and setting Columbus up in plus territory. The mistakes compounded, as three consecutive penalties moved the Aviators inside the 10-yard line.
Zaquandre White finished the drive in style, hurdling into the end zone to cut the deficit to 24-14.
The chaotic first half wasn’t done yet. Ta’amu was intercepted by Michael Lawson, but Sam Kidd returned the favor with an interception of his own, bailing out DC and sending the game to halftime.
Gavin DeGraw rocked Historic Crew Stadium at the break, and Columbus opened the second half with possession. What followed was one of the wildest sequences of the night.
McClendon was strip-sacked by Ferrod Gardner, who scooped up the loose ball and assumed he was down by contact, beginning to celebrate. No whistle was blown, and Antwane Wells Jr. and Tay Martin tracked him down, punched the ball loose, and recovered it for Columbus.
The Aviators were pushed back to their own 35-yard line and were quickly forced to punt after another strip-sack, this time by Boogie Basham.
Jackson struck again. He broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run, his third score of the night, as he silenced the Columbus faithful once again.
Columbus turned the ball over for the third time on its next possession, as Joe Wallace delivered a massive hit on Antwane Wells Jr. and forced a fumble.
Ta’amu then connected with Briley Moore on a tight end screen, and Moore weaved his way into the end zone to extend the lead to 38-14, effectively putting the game out of reach.
McClendon responded with a 12-play, 60-yard drive to give Columbus some life. Toa Taua totaled 38 yards on the drive, helping move the Aviators downfield. Alizé Mack hauled in a high-pointed pass from three yards out for his first touchdown of the season.
DC continued its dominant night on the ground and got another playmaker involved. Erik Ezukanma broke off a 32-yard run to push the Defenders back into the red zone. McCrane remained perfect, knocking through a 25-yard field goal to restore a 21-point lead at 41-20.
Columbus added a late touchdown on a Tay Martin score, his first career UFL touchdown, to cap off a strong individual performance of six receptions for 57 yards.
McCrane added another short field goal late, putting the finishing touches on a high-scoring affair.
The ground game was the story for DC. The Defenders rushed for 229 yards and totaled 319 yards of offense. Deon Jackson led the way with 97 yards and three touchdowns, already matching his total from last season with four.
Jalan McClendon accounted for over 200 yards of offense and three total touchdowns in the loss.
Columbus will continue its search for a first win next Sunday on the road against the Renegades at 12:00 PM ET on ABC.