Orlando, FL – April 4, 2026 – It wasn’t pretty in Orlando on Saturday night. In a true defensive battle, the Storm pulled out a 19-9 victory to remain unbeaten on the season.
The game opened with both teams trading empty possessions, as Louisville’s defense forced Orlando into a turnover on downs.
On their second series, quarterback Jason Bean came out firing, connecting with tight end Tre’ McKitty for a 21-yard gain. Rolling out to his right, Bean delivered a perfect throw across his body, showcasing his playmaking ability. Tanner Brown capped the drive with a 42-yard field goal to give the Kings the early lead.
After a strong 31-yard return from Chris Rowland, Orlando quickly found itself in scoring position. Louisville’s defense once again held firm, particularly limiting Jashaun Corbin in the opening quarter.
Michael Lantz answered with a booming 57-yard field goal, tying the game. After hitting from 55 a week ago, Lantz made another long kick look routine.
Louisville head coach Chris Redman then turned to Chandler Rogers at quarterback, and the offense immediately found a spark. Rogers strung together an impressive series of throws, including completions of 17 yards to Ian Wheeler, 21 yards to Tarik Black, and 18 yards to Tre’ McKitty.
Rogers totaled 62 yards on his opening drive of the season, setting up Brown for another field goal. He converted from 41 yards out, restoring Louisville’s lead at 6-3.
Plummer and the Orlando offense responded with their most promising drive yet, but once again stalled in key moments. On third-and-medium, Plummer hit Rowland, who showcased his elusiveness by making multiple defenders miss on a 16-yard gain. The ground game finally showed signs of life as Tre Stewart broke free for a 21-yard pickup.
Despite reaching the red zone, Orlando couldn’t finish the drive. Cam Gill recorded his second tackle for loss of the possession, forcing another Lantz field goal, this time from 26 yards, to tie the game at six.
Both offenses were able to move the ball between the 20s, but neither could find success inside the red zone.
Rogers remained in at quarterback for Louisville and continued to impress. He led another strong drive, getting Benny Snell Jr. involved early with an 18-yard catch-and-run, powering through defenders. Rogers also displayed his mobility, escaping pressure and scrambling for 12 yards.
Once again, Louisville drove deep into Orlando territory and into the red zone, but came up short. Brown stayed perfect on the night, drilling a 32-yard field goal to give the Kings a 9-6 lead.
Finally, Orlando broke through on its ensuing drive. After Plummer briefly exited following a hit, Dorian Thompson-Robinson stepped in and connected twice with Elijhah Bader to move the chains.
On third-and-19, Plummer returned and delivered the biggest play of the half. On a broken play, he found KJ Hamler, who worked back to the ball before turning upfield. Hamler showcased his game-breaking speed, cutting across the field and outracing the defense for a 41-yard touchdown.
Hamler’s explosive score sent Orlando into the locker room with a 12-9 lead.
Orlando opened the second half with the ball, but the drive quickly stalled. Travis Bell broke into the backfield for a tackle for loss, and Cam Gill recorded the first sack of the game.
The Storm defense answered right back, as Keshawn Banks recorded Orlando’s first sack of the contest to regain possession.
The game settled into a true defensive battle, with neither team able to generate offense. The score remained 12-9 after a third quarter with no points.
Defensive playmakers continued to shine. Cam Gill and Cameron Dantzler made repeated impacts for Louisville, while Isaiah Buggs and Chris Garrett anchored Orlando’s effort. There was little to no offensive rhythm for either side through three quarters.
After a string of traded possessions, Orlando finally created separation late in the fourth quarter. Off a play-action rollout, Plummer dropped a perfect pass into Elijhah Bader’s hands, and he turned it upfield for a 39-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 19-9.
Chandler Rogers was then intercepted by Mishael Powell, who nearly returned it for a touchdown before being tackled at the three-yard line.
However, Orlando couldn’t capitalize. On a play-action attempt instead of running the ball, Plummer was intercepted in the end zone by Deantre Prince, reopening the door for Louisville.
Despite the late mistake, Orlando held on to secure the win.
It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but head coach Anthony Becht earned his second consecutive victory to open the season.
Defensively, Jaheim Thomas led Louisville with a game-high 12 tackles. For Orlando, Keshawn Banks recorded two tackles for loss, and the Storm’s front seven consistently lived in the backfield all night.
Plummer finished with 182 yards, two touchdowns, and a 110.5 quarterback rating.
Orlando and Louisville will meet again next Friday, this time in Louisville. The rematch is set for 8:00 PM ET on FOX.