The United Soccer League, the results of a merger between the XFL and USFL, kicked off on Saturday, because the UFL opened its 10-week season with two video games that pit former XFL groups in opposition to former USFL squads.
Saturday began with the champions of every league going through off in Arlington, Texas, with the two-time defending USFL champion Birmingham Stallions prevailing over the defending XFL champion Arlington Renegades. The Michigan Panthers upped the ante within the second recreation, as Jake Bates hit a 64-yard discipline aim with three seconds left to topple the St. Louis Battlehawks and make the ex-USFL groups 2-0 in opposition to their ex-XFL counterparts.
ESPN will carry Sunday’s motion, beginning with the San Antonio Brahmas internet hosting the D.C. Defenders at midday ET. Motion concludes at 3 p.m. ET in Houston, because the Houston Roughnecks tackle the Memphis Showboats.
Saturday’s video games
Michigan kicker Jake Bates nailed a 64-yard discipline aim with three seconds left to present the Panthers an exhilarating, last-minute win over the Battlehawks in a recreation that noticed 4 lead modifications within the remaining quarter. The Panthers drove 19 yards after St. Louis went forward on a 5-yard landing go from AJ McCarron to Marcell Ateman with 49 seconds left, adopted by a extra-point conversion go from McCarron to Jake Sutherland.
UPDATED RECORD
motor metropolis kitties: 1-0battlepigeons: 0-1
😽 https://t.co/KAMDRoGSYe
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) March 30, 2024
Bates’ kick was his first regular-season discipline aim try since highschool, as he was a soccer participant and kickoff specialist in faculty. He nailed the kick after St. Louis (0-1) referred to as timeout earlier than his first try, which was additionally good. The Panthers (1-0) additionally bought two speeding touchdowns from quarterback E.J. Perry, who shrugged off two first-half interceptions, and 85 yards speeding from Wes Hills.
McCarron accomplished 24 of 37 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns for the Battlehawks, with each touchdowns coming within the fourth quarter. Ateman had six receptions for 60 yards and a landing whereas Sutherland added three receptions for 45 yards and a landing for St. Louis.
Stallions quarterback Matt Corral, a former Ole Miss star and 2022 third-round choose of the Carolina Panthers, threw for 201 yards on 12-of-21 passing and delivered an attractive 39-yard landing go to Deon Cain proper earlier than halftime to steer Birmingham to victory within the battle of defending champions.
In case you had been questioning who the true Champs had been 😏🐎
That is a Stallions W 🔥 #GiddyUp pic.twitter.com/ePHGHFPc7G
— B2B CHAMPIONSTALLIONS 🏆🏆 (@USFLStallions) March 30, 2024
The Corral-Cain landing bought the Stallions (1-0) even with the Renegades at 11-11 with three seconds left within the first half. The Stallions carried that momentum over into the second half with brief landing runs by Ricky Individual Jr. and C.J. Marable. Marable led all rushers with 67 yards on the bottom to go together with his landing run for Birmingham, which is now 22-3 over the previous two-plus seasons.
Arlington (0-1) bought ultimately zone first, as Luis Perez hit Isaiah Winstead on a 51-yard landing go with 9:01 left within the second quarter to present the Renegades an 11-3 lead. Perez threw for a game-high 214 yards on 19-of-28 passing however tossed a pricey fourth-quarter interception to Birmingham cornerback Mark Gilbert to sabotage a comeback try.
0:26
Matt Corral hits Deon Cain for a Stallions TD
Matt Corral hits Deon Cain ultimately zone to chop the Stallions’ deficit to 2.
Sunday’s video games
