2025 UFL Energy Rankings: Defenders on prime, Roughnecks climbing after Week 3

RJ Younger

FOX Sports activities Nationwide School Soccer Analyst

One other week of motion is within the books, which suggests it is time for one more spherical of UFL energy rankings.

Week 3 featured two one-point video games and one other one-score recreation, with three of the 4 matchups having a landing scored within the remaining jiffy of the sport. It was an thrilling week, to say the least, for soccer followers.

[MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League]

That stated, it is time for my fourth energy rankings listing:

Present odds to win 2025 title: +3500

Brahmas head coach Wade Phillips went to Payton Pardee, the grandson of legendary Corridor of Fame coach Jack Pardee, to get his offense up and going — and it labored. The youthful Pardee took over as playcaller and offensive coordinator for San Antonio.

Nevertheless, it was Jordan Williams’ interception that he returned for a landing that put the Brahmas again right into a one-score recreation with among the finest groups within the USFL Convention. Nevertheless, San Antonio is one among two winless groups within the league after three weeks — a far cry from the XFL Convention title workforce it was a yr in the past.

With three seconds remaining within the recreation and after making three area targets earlier within the recreation, San Antonio kicker Donald De La Haye missed a 53-yard kick that might’ve despatched the sport to time beyond regulation.

Present odds to win 2025 title: +4000

The Showboats had been proven up at house by a workforce that had received simply two video games over the previous two seasons.

Quarterback E.J. Perry threw two expensive interceptions, with one being returned for a landing. In complete, the Showboats dedicated three turnovers. Whereas the passing recreation wasn’t as potent because it was every week in the past, the shortage of dashing assault ought to lift an alarm for Memphis followers.

Former Tulsa operating again Deneric Prince ran for simply 16 yards on 12 carries, and the offense averaged simply 2.8 dashing yards per carry in opposition to the Houston protection.

Present odds to win 2025 title: +3500

The Roughnecks earned simply their second win in two years, and it was the protection that led the way in which. Former Texas A&M security Leon O’Neal’s pick-six gave Houston the lead. A change at quarterback from Anthony Brown to Nolan Henderson meant securing the victory, a lot in order that Henderson seems just like the starter for head coach CJ Johnson’s Roughnecks for the “foreseeable future.”

“Coach talked about grit within the locker room, and I feel we displayed that actually nicely,” O’Neal stated. “We’re nonetheless a younger workforce. We’re nonetheless coming collectively, studying … to really feel one another out, [but] we’re collectively, man. We’re a household.”

Present odds to win 2025 title: +600

The Panthers survived a late comeback try by the Brahmas to stay tied for first place within the USFL Convention. All three touchdowns scored within the win got here on the bottom, with quarterback Bryce Perkins scoring twice whereas finishing 17 of 23 passes for 193 yards.

The Panthers dominated the center half, outscoring the Brahmas 23-12 within the second and third quarters.

Former LSU QB Danny Etling bought the beginning forward of Perkins, however for the second time in three weeks, it was Perkins who made the distinction for head coach Mike Nolan. Maybe now he’ll cease taking part in musical chairs on the place and hand the job to the perfect participant on his offense.

Present odds to win 2025 title: +550

The Renegades protection shut out the defending league champion Stallions within the first half, however Arlington failed to shut out what regarded like a defensive gem till the ultimate minutes of the sport. A usually stout dashing assault for the Renegades amassed simply 74 yards on 23 rushes, and their offense failed to attain a landing within the loss.

“It’s terribly disappointing whenever you lead the sport till the final 20 seconds to lose it,” head coach Bob Stoops stated. “It’s arduous to take. I advised (the workforce) the areas that we had our possibilities to seal the sport that didn’t work. Both aspect of the ball might have made one other play to win it.”

Present odds to win 2025 title: +260

The Stallions didn’t lead their home-opener in opposition to the Renegades till the ultimate 26 seconds of regulation and narrowly pulled out a win. The Stallions haven’t misplaced a recreation at Protecting Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, since Might 2023.

With 2023 USFL MVP Alex McGough out with an damage and former Ole Miss QB Matt Corral taking up in every of the Stallions’ victories, head coach Skip Holtz is looking for out what his offense must appear like. He discovered success with an empty set that featured two tight ends — 02 personnel — that made his offense go for the ultimate drive and two-point conversion to seal the victory.

“I don’t know what we’re proper now,” Holtz stated. “With Matt at quarterback, are we ok to methodically transfer the ball down the sphere? Will we should be an enormous play offense? Are we gonna be hit and miss? I don’t know.”

Present odds to win 2025 title: +270

The Battlehawks had not misplaced a regular-season recreation at house since April 16, 2023, however then the Defenders confirmed as much as The Dome at America’s Heart this weekend and set the variety of days with out a loss again to zero.

St. Louis dedicated 4 turnovers within the loss after having not dedicated a single turnover within the first two video games of the season. What’s extra? Anthony Becht’s squad allowed 15 factors scored off of these turnovers, whereas the offense was held to a season-low 173 complete yards.

With the announcement that the UFL title recreation can be held of their hometown for a second consecutive yr, the primary actuality examine of the season got here for the Battlehawks, who would possibly but watch one other workforce take house a championship of their front room.

Present odds to win 2025 title: +270

Jordan Ta’amu hit Ty Scott for a 62-yard achieve, and people sorts of performs had been indicative of how the day would go for what turned the final undefeated workforce within the league. In his first recreation as defensive coordinator, Blake Williams’ unit stopped the league’s finest offense from doing a lot in any respect — particularly within the run recreation.

St. Louis rushed for simply 45 yards on 16 rushes in opposition to the Defenders and held Battlehawks star rusher Jacob Saylors to only one single dashing yard on seven makes an attempt.

In a recreation to resolve who’s the perfect workforce within the league via almost a 3rd of the season, the Defenders marched into essentially the most intimidating away environment in spring soccer and left little question that the perfect within the UFL calls The District house.

RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Quantity One School Soccer Present.” Observe him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Younger Present” on YouTube.

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