The first week of UFL action for 2025 is in the books, and it featured one major upset, some record-breaking performances, plenty of intrigue at the quarterback position and more.
The defending champion Birmingham Stallions are 0-1, matching their loss total for all last season. The DC Defenders, despite losing their head coach one week before the opener and coming off a 4-6 season, were the responsible party.
Other winners on the opening weekend were the Arlington Renegades, Michigan Panthers and St. Louis Battlehawks. Here are a few things that caught our attention.
The defense of the Defenders
DC defensive coordinator Gregg Williams heated up the Stallions. The former NFL head coach's unit recorded eight sacks and limited Birmingham quarterback Alex McGough to 10-of-23 passing for 89 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Stallions' offensive line bears plenty of responsibility, as does McGough. He had little time to throw and looked uncomfortable, especially in the second half. DC held him without a completion over the final 30 minutes in eight pass attempts.
"Obviously, I did not do a very good job with Alex in getting him ready," Stallions coach Skip Holtz said. "He's been out of the quarterback position for a while (McGough had been converted to wide receiver while with the Green Bay Packers in camp and on their practice squad during parts of the 2024 season), and I thought he did some great things athletically. But I'm talking about playing quarterback. When you get blitzed and you have to throw hot and those types of things, I did not do a very good job of that with him."
Linebacker Anthony Hines III and defensive end Derick Roberson each had two sacks for DC.
Despite it being rough on McGough, Holtz never turned to backup signal-caller Matt Corral. Corral was in a tight competition for the No. 1 job in training camp, so it will be interesting to see who is under center for the Stallions (0-1) Friday night at Michigan (1-0).
"Did I think about it (switching QBs)? I did," Holtz said. "I didn't make the move, and that one's on me. I felt like Alex would get back into it. That's what I really felt."
Derick Roberson gets to Alex McGough in a hurry and takes him down for a sack.
Leg day
The UFL record for longest run was broken in Friday's season opener. That record lasted less than 18 hours in an excellent weekend for running backs.
St. Louis blasted the Houston Roughnecks behind a ground attack that put up 273 yards and four touchdowns. Jarveon Howard had 115 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 74-yard scoring run.
The Battlehawks' offensive line manhandled the Roughnecks the entire way. Howard had a huge hole on his run; he wasn't touched until the 20-yard mark. The line also paved the way for 2024 UFL rushing leader Jacob Saylors to post 98 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, and quarterback Manny Wilkins to add 43 yards and two TDs on eight carries.
Not to be outdone, running back Kalen Ballage led the Arlington Renegades to a rout of the San Antonio Brahmas. He racked up 110 yards on just nine carries, including a 77-yard touchdown that didn't allow the ink to dry on Howard's stay in the record book.
Ballage, drafted in the fourth round in 2018 by the Miami Dolphins, last took NFL snaps for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2021 season. The Renegades list him at 6-foot-2, 222 pounds. He looked to be among the biggest players on the field, and he ran like it.
Ballage became the first player to post 100-yard rushing games in the NFL and the UFL. He had a 100-yard game for the Dolphins in his rookie season.
Both Howard and Ballage could have big weeks again in Week 2 as they switch opponents, each of which looked shaky against the run in Week 1.
There were only five 100-yard rushing games the entire 2024 UFL season. Four were by running backs, which are already halfway to that total after Week 1.
Kalen Ballage rips off a 77-yard Renegade touchdown, setting a league record for longest rushing score.
Nacuas to the rescue
The Michigan Panthers were clinging to a 20-12 lead with less than a minute to play, but the Memphis Showboats were on the move. They were at the Panthers 22-yard line when quarterback Troy Williams dropped back to pass.
Under heavy duress, Williams threw a short pass to the right side, but All-UFL Panthers safety Kai Nacua cut in front of the intended receiver and raced 80 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.
Kai Nacua comes up with a big pick-six to seal the Panthers' win over the Showboats.
Nacua, an older brother of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, has four interceptions in 10 games with the Panthers over the past two seasons.
The only person to beat Kai Nacua to the end zone was another of his brothers, Panthers wide receiver Samson Nacua. Samson had apparently raced from the bench down the right sideline and was waiting there to celebrate.
Samson finished with two receptions for 35 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown.
The Panthers make their home debut on Friday night looking to get off to a 2-0 start and drop the Stallions to 0-2.