Week 7 of the UFL season got off to a fast start Friday night, as the St. Louis Battlehawks delivered another statement win, beating the Columbus Aviators 31-20 at home to improve to 5-2 on the season.
The action continued Saturday as the Louisville Kings crushed the DC Defenders, 30-13, while the Birmingham Stallions outlasted the Dallas Renegades, 21-17, in overtime.
Here are the results from Week 7:
Key players: Battlehawks QB Luis Perez (16-for-30 for 204 yards, one touchdown), WR Hakeem Butler (three receptions for 77 yards); Aviators QB Jalan McClendon (20-for-28 for 153 yards, two touchdowns), WR Tay Martin (seven receptions for 55 yards, one touchdown)
Game recap: The Aviators entered their Week 7 clash with the Battlehawks fresh off an impressive victory, but Columbus struggled defensively in the first half and was unable to contain St. Louis’ high-powered offense. Perez helped guide the Battlehawks to a commanding 24-7 halftime lead, rushing for a touchdown on the team’s opening possession before adding a 14-yard passing score late in the first quarter.
While McClendon put up better numbers on paper â 153 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a 71% completion rate â the Battlehawks offense was far more balanced, using both the run and pass to find the end zone more quickly and efficiently. St. Louis finished with 304 total yards of offense â 198 through the air and 106 on the ground. Jarveon Howard led the Battlehawks with 55 rushing yards, while Kylin James added 41 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Perez was the Battlehawks third starting quarterback this season, and he led the balanced offense to its fifth win in his first start.
Up next: The Battlehawks return home to host the Houston Gamblers at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Aviators will hit the road again to face the Birmingham Stallions at 1 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX.
Key players: Kings QB Chandler Rogers (17-of-26 for 201 yards, two touchdowns); WR Tarik Black (five receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns); Defenders QB Jordan Ta’amu (18-of-33 for 353 yards and two touchdowns); WR Cornell Powell (four receptions for 109 yards)
Game recap: This is why they play the games.
DC led 13-3 with 1:50 remaining in the first half, but Louisville answered with a touchdown on the ensuing possession and closed the game on a 27-0 run to snap the Defenders’ five-game winning streak. Both of Rogers touchdown passes for the Kings went to Black â a 9-yard score with 43 seconds left in the second quarter and a 6-yard touchdown with 7:55 remaining in the third.
Elsewhere, wide receiver Isaiah Winstead led Louisville with 62 receiving yards as the Kings out-rushed DC, 145-89, and recorded four sacks. Ironically, the Defenders finished with a 414-323 advantage in total yards, but a missed first-half field goal and four second-half turnovers proved costly.
Up next: The Kings and Defenders will run it back in Week 8, with kickoff set for noon ET on Saturday in Louisville.
Key players: Stallions QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (12-for-26 for 159 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception), WR Jaydon Mickens (six receptions for 82 receiving yards, one touchdown); Renegades QB Austin Reed (25-for-27 for 166 passing yards), RB Ellis Merriweather (14 carries for 38 rushing yards, two touchdowns)
Game recap: Stallions quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 159 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a pair of two-point conversions in overtime to help steal Birmingham’s comeback win.
Dallas quarterback Austin Reed was solid through the air, completing 67.6% of his passes, but finished without a passing touchdown. The Renegades generated most of their offense on the ground, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns, both from running back Ellis Merriweather.
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