FRISCO, TX – April 26, 2026 – The Chandler Rogers era in Louisville couldn’t have started much better. The Kings posted the highest-scoring performance of the UFL season, and their defense was at the center of it all, forcing four takeaways and turning them into 27 points, including multiple pick-sixes.
Wheeler totaled four touchdowns, the first player this season to achieve that total in a single-game.
Dallas opened with the ball but was forced off the field quickly, a sign of what was to come.
Louisville, with Rogers making his professional debut, struck first. He broke the ice with a 10-yard completion to Tarik Black on his first snap, setting the tone early.
Tanner Brown, coming off a career outing with three 50+ yarders, knocked through a 38-yard field goal to give the Kings the early lead.
It was more of the same for Dallas on their second drive. Drops stalled the offense again, leading to another turnover on downs and giving Louisville great field position for the second straight possession.
Dallas’ defense responded with its first big moment. Darrius Moragne, Willie Taylor, and Tashawn Bower all got home, sacking Rogers on both third and fourth down to flip the field.
But Louisville’s defense found lightning.
Deep in Louisville territory, Bryce Hall jumped a pass from Austin Reed and took it 83 yards the other way for a pick-six, Louisville’s first defensive touchdown of the season and a 10-0 lead.
On Reed’s very next throw, it happened again.
Corey Mayfield Jr. picked off an underthrown ball, and suddenly the Kings were in complete control. Reed had thrown just two interceptions all season, he had two in the first half.
Ian Wheeler made Dallas pay, walking in from a yard out to cap the short field. His first touchdown of the season pushed the lead to 16-0 after a missed extra point.
To their credit, the Renegades responded.
Reed led a 14-play, 68-yard drive, with Ellis Merriweather accounting for 34 yards before punching it in from a yard out for his first rushing touchdown of the season.
Rogers answered late in the half with an impressive two-minute drive. It started with a 16-yard run from James Robinson, and as the ground game got going, so did Rogers.
He delivered a strike to Tarik Black, who made multiple defenders miss before being brought down at the one-yard line. Black capped a strong first half with four receptions for 53 yards.
Brown added a 19-yard field goal, sending Louisville into the locker room with a 19-7 lead.
Dallas came out of the half with momentum. Willie Taylor came up with a fourth down sack to flip the field, and Reed capitalized, connecting with Curtis Hodges down the seam for a 25-yard score, trimming the deficit.
Louisville answered right back.
Rogers looked as sharp as he had all day, going 5-of-6 for 56 yards on the drive. He connected with James Robinson for 18 yards and hit Lucky Jackson on gains of 12 and 13 before Ian Wheeler finished it off with a 7-yard touchdown, his second of the game.
Then the turnovers returned.
Reed threw his third interception of the game on the next drive, with Mayfield Jr. coming up with his second pick.
Wheeler made it hurt.
He punched in his third touchdown from 12 yards out, pushing Louisville past the 30-point mark, 20 of those coming off turnovers.
And the defense still wasn’t done.
Antonio Grier jumped a pass, picked it off, and cruised 46 yards for another pick-six as Louisville hit the 40-point mark in dominant fashion.
Dallas kept fighting. Reed connected with Hodges for 63 yards to set up a goal-to-go, and Merriweather added his second touchdown. But a failed three-point try kept it a two-possession game.
Wheeler put it away with his fourth touchdown of the night, wrapping a career game.
Louisville, which had averaged just 40 rushing yards per game, erupted for 150 in a complete performance.
With the win, the Kings face a short turnaround with the Derby Classic set for Thursday. They’ll look to make it three straight against St. Louis at 8:00 PM ET on FS1.