UFL Week 8 Odds & Picks: Battlehawks vs. Stallions (Saturday)
The Battlehawks hosting the Stallions on Saturday afternoon could be a preview of the UFL Championship Game. Both teams are 5-2 with quality squads, albeit with stiff competition to represent their respective conferences in the UFL Championship Game. It’s a measuring stick game for both teams, and its spread is slight. Which team should gamblers be on in this contest?
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UFL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Week 8 (Saturday)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Birmingham Stallions
The Battlehawks came out of the gate like gangbusters, beating the brakes off the Roughnecks in the season opener, winning 31-6. They had another impressive showing in Week 2, beating the Brahmas 26-9. St. Louis hit the skids for back-to-back games, losing to the Defenders and the Renegades. In addition, starting quarterback Manny Wilkins suffered a season-ending injury in the loss to the Renegades in Week 4.
Instead of letting their season spiral down the toilet bowl, the Battlehawks have rebounded. They’ve won all three of Max Duggan’s starts from Week 5 through Week 7. In Duggan’s starts, they’ve scored 63 points, averaging 21 per game with a median of 19. Yet, their defense was the strength, holding opponents to only 42 points, an average of 14 per game, with a median of nine. Their margins of victory were five, six and 10 points.
The Duggan-led Battlehawks haven’t blown the doors off opponents like the Wilkins-led squad did the first two weeks of the year. Nevertheless, they’ve settled into a groove, including wins in their past two home games (with Duggan starting) by five and six points.
St. Louis’s rushing attack has excelled with Duggan as the triggerman. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Duggan is second in rushing yards (176) and Jacob Saylors is fifth in rushing yards (142) since Week 5.
Revisiting St. Louis’ defense, they’ve allowed the second-fewest points per game (16.3) and the second-fewest yards per game (261.6) this season. They are also tied for the third-most sacks (15) and fourth in fumbles recovered (four) while leading the league in interceptions (eight) this season. They’ll make life difficult for Birmingham’s offense.
The Stallions have been ravaged by injuries at quarterback. Alex McGough hasn’t played since hurting his shoulder in Week 2. Matt Corral is injured. Andrew Peasley was out last week but was a full go in practice this week, and Case Cookus was a full go in practice this week after getting knocked out of last week’s game early. J’mar Smith led the Stallions from behind last week, and it remains to be seen how their quarterback situation will shake out this week.
In the previous three weeks, all games started by Cookus, Birmingham went 2-1, scoring 79 points and allowing 52. Conveniently for the Stallions, their past three games were all at home. This game is on the road, where Birmingham is 2-1 this year with 55 points for (18.3 per game, median of 21) and 46 points against (15.3 per game, median of 16).
Conversely, St. Louis is 3-1 at home this season, including the previously mentioned two wins at home with Duggan starting. They also haven’t lost any of the four games with big-bodied wideout Hakeem Butler active. Butler is second on the Battlehawks in receiving yards (160) and first in receiving touchdowns (three) in only four games and on just 13 targets and four receptions. He’s not a volume hog, but his big-play ability has been crucial for St. Louis’s success. Ultimately, I expect the home-field advantage, St. Louis’s rushing ability and their excellent defense to be enough for them to cover the slight spread of 1.5 points against the visiting underdog Stallions.
Pick: Battlehawks -1.5 (-108)
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.