Week 8 of the UFL season is in the books. All four matchups last week ended in a one-possession game. More importantly, the UFL playoffs are nearly set.
The St. Louis Battlehawks and San Antonio Brahmas will compete in the XFL Conference Title Game. Meanwhile, the undefeated Birmingham Stallions will face the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Conference Title Game. While seeding is still up for grabs, we know which four teams will play in the postseason.
Sunday's first matchup was between the D.C. Defenders and St. Louis Battlehawks. Unfortunately, the Defenders were eliminated from the playoffs hours after their 26-21 loss. Despite St. Louis missing star quarterback AJ McCarron, the Battlehawks got the victory thanks to an impressive rushing attack. Manny Wilkins led the team with 79 rushing yards, while Wayne Gallman II and Jacob Saylors had three combined touchdowns on the ground in the win.
Fans got another close contest to wrap up Week 8. The San Antonio Brahmas defeated the Arlington Renegades, 20-15. The game was a matchup of tough defenses. The Brahmas had two sacks and held the Renegades to only 65 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Arlington had three sacks and held San Antonio to under three yards per rushing attempt. Yet, both quarterbacks played well. Luis Perez had 209 passing yards and two touchdowns in the loss, while Quinten Dormady had 320 passing yards and two touchdowns.
However, all that happened this past week. Now, it's time to move on to Week 9. Let's look at my favorite UFL Week 9 bets from both matchups on Sunday.
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UFL Week 9 Odds, Picks & Predictions (Saturday)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
D.C. Defenders vs. Memphis Showboats
The Defenders had high hopes entering the 2024 UFL season. However, they have been one of the more underwhelming teams, posting a 3-5 record. D.C. was eliminated from the playoffs following their 26-21 loss this past week. They have lost four of their past five games by an average of 13.3 points per contest. However, the Defenders had their best performance in weeks against the Battlehawks. They had the lead until Wayne Gallman II scored a rushing touchdown with two minutes left in the game.
Memphis got the Week 1 victory over the Houston Roughnecks, winning 18-12. Unfortunately, they haven't won a game since opening weekend. The Showboats are on a UFL-high seven-game losing streak. Furthermore, their losses haven't been close, losing by an average of 14.3 points per game. Moreover, Memphis lost five of their past six contests by 15 or more points, including a 24-point beat down from the Arlington Renegades two weeks ago.
This matchup is between two teams eliminated from the playoffs, meaning anything unexpected could happen. However, the Showboats have been a disaster since Week 1. Meanwhile, the Defenders have had some positive moments this season. More importantly, Memphis has consistently gotten blown out, losing all but one game by at least six points. While D.C. has nothing to play for but respect, expect them to come out and take care of business.
Pick: Defenders -5 (-110)
Michigan Panthers vs. Houston Roughnecks
The Panthers have a 6-2 record, the second-best in the UFL. Their season started off with a bang, as Jake Bates nailed a 64-yard game-winning field goal in Week 1. Michigan's lone two losses came against playoff teams. They lost to the Birmingham Stallions in Week 2, losing by seven. The Panthers also suffered a 10-point loss against the San Antonio Brahmas in Week 4. However, Memphis has been outstanding the past four weeks, winning by an average of 9.3 points per game.
Houston has been the worst team in the league this season. They have a 1-7 record, tied for worst in the UFL. Furthermore, the Roughnecks rank last in scoring offense, averaging 15.5 points per game. Houston also has the fourth-worst scoring defense, surrendering 23.5 points per contest. They averaged 243.5 yards per game on offense, the second-fewest in the UFL. By comparison, the Roughnecks surrender the fourth-most offensive yards per game (274.9).
Unfortunately, only one team in this matchup is heading to the playoffs. The Panthers have locked up a postseason spot but could be eliminated from the No. 1 seed in the USFL Conference before kickoff. However, expect them to play like this game matter, regardless of the situation. The Roughnecks have played better the past few weeks compared to earlier this season. Yet, they will struggle to keep up with Michigan.
Pick: Panthers -4 (-110)
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.