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UFL San Antonio Brahmas

Inside the UFL

by Fran Stuchbury
June 13, 2024 - United Football League (UFL)
San Antonio Brahmas


Last weekend the United Football League determined which two teams would compete for the league's first title. The Birmingham Stallions won the USFL Conference Championship at home by rallying for a 31-18 victory over the Michigan Panthers, while the visiting San Antonio Brahmas earned the XFL Conference Championship with a powerful 25-15 win over the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Birmingham rebounded from a surprising 18-3 deficit before scoring 28 unanswered points to win the game. A 50-yard touchdown pass from Adrian Martinez to tight end Jordan Thomas ignited the comeback.

Eight turnovers bedeviled the game, four for each team, and the most in a UFL game this season. Six of them plagued the third quarter. Daniel Isom's 48-yard interception for a touchdown off Michigan quarterback Danny Etling proved to be a big play, while Stallions teammate Ike Brown became the first player to intercept two passes in a game this season.

With Adrian Martinez struggling, Matt Corral made his first appearance since week four, coming off the bench to throw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.

Birmingham will make its third straight league championship game appearance after winning the United States Football League titles in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023.

The San Antonio defense proved to be the story of the XFL Conference Championship game with four sacks - two by defensive tackle Prince Emili - nine tackles for loss, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. They generated constant pressure on Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron who was playing the game with an ankle injury.

The Brahmas pounded out 213 rushing yards as a team, 115 of them from Anthony McFarland. His 69-yard run for a touchdown in the third quarter, the longest run by any player in the UFL this season, gave the Brahmas a commanding 19-3 lead.

Chase Garbers shrugged off a pair of turnovers, providing a solid performance by completing 15 of 21 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

After missing five kicks in a row, Ryan Santoso got back on track, going two-for-two on field goal attempts from 31 and 45 yards out.

San Antonio will play indoors for the fifth straight week when they meet the Stallions for the United Football League Championship in St. Louis Sunday.

UFL Top 5 Plays from Conference Championships

ESPN UFL analyst, Tom Luginbill, joins Daniel Dopp, Skubie Mageza, and Joey G to break down both conference finals and preview the first UFL Championship game.

United Football League Championship Game - at The Dome at America's Center

Sunday June 16th

St. Louis Missouri - Birmingham Stallions vs. San Antonio Brahmas - 5 pm est. FOX

Previous matchup: Week 8 at San Antonio, Brahmas won the game 18-9

Head Coaches

Stallions head man Skip Holtz had coached college football his entire career before joining Birmingham. He has been a head coach with Connecticut, East Carolina, South Florida and Louisiana Tech. He won two Conference USA championships with East Carolina in 2008 and 2009, and also took Conference USA Coach of the Year honors with Louisiana Tech in 2016. He won two USFL titles with the Stallions.

Wade Phillips has a 55-year coaching career. He was a head coach for three different NFL teams: the Denver Broncos 1993-1994, Buffalo Bills 1998-2000, and the Dallas Cowboys 2007-2010. Phillips was an interim head coach for three NFL teams as well: New Orleans Saints 1985, Atlanta Falcons 2003, and the Houston Texans in 2013. He compiled an 82-64 record in the NFL and went 1-5 in the Playoffs. This will be the first time Phillips vies for a championship as a head coach, though he won a title as a defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. He was the Head Coach of the XFL Houston Roughnecks last season.

Edge:

San Antonio

Quarterbacks

Birmingham's Martinez passed for 1,749 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions, while leading the league in rushing yards with 528 yards and three scores, numbers which earned him UFL MVP honors. Corral, who began the season as the starting quarterback, helped the Stallions win last week. If Martinez struggles, Corral should be ready again.

San Antonio's Garbers missed half the season with a wrist injury, limiting his numbers to 765 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. His backup is Quinten Dormady who threw for 1,206 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions.

Edge:

Birmingham

Running Backs

Birmingham's Ricky Person and C.J. Marable combined for 590 yards and 10 touchdowns.

John Lovett led the Brahmas with 422 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Anthony McFarland missed five games with injuries before he came up huge with a 115-yard performance against St. Louis. Lovett added 83 rushing yards in that game as well.

Edge:

San Antonio

Offensive Line

Stallions quarterbacks were sacked a combined 22 times. Offensive guard Zack Johnson made the All-UFL Team.

San Antonio surrendered 17 sacks. Offensive guard Kohl Levao was selected to the All-UFL Team.

Edge:

Even

Wide Receivers

Deon Cain paced the Stallions with 436 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Marlon Williams added 313 yards plus four touchdowns, and Kevin Austin Jr. contributed 253 receiving yards.

Jontre Kirkland topped the Brahmas with 614 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Kirkland can also throw the football on double passes. Justin Smith provided a huge, 63-yard reception in last week's victory.

Edge:

San Antonio

Tight Ends

Reliable Jace Sternberger led the Stallions in receiving yards with 454 and caught four touchdowns. Jordan Thomas had a big 50-yard touchdown reception in their victory last week.

San Antonio is without Cody Latimer who suffered a knee injury earlier in the season. Alize Mack has eight receptions for 56 yards.

Edge:

Birmingham

Defense

Birmingham has given up 18 points per game, They've sacked opposing passers 29 times, seven from defensive tackle Carlos Davis and six from defensive end Taco Charlton. The defense grabbed eight interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, allowing 259.5 yards per game. Carlos Davis and safety A.J. Thomas made the All-UFL team.

San Antonio surrendered 15.3 points per game, first in the league, paced by a league-best 32 sacks, 5.5 by outside linebacker Wyatt Ray. Turnovers came on four interceptions and six fumble recoveries, and the defense gave up just 256.7 yards per game, tops in the league. Inside linebacker Tavante Beckett was selected to the All-UFL team.

Edge: San Antonio

Special Teams

Birmingham's Chris Blewitt connected on eight of nine field goals with a long of 46 yards. Gary Jennings finished with 504 kickoff return yards, and Colby Wadman averaged 41 yards per punt. The Stallions lead the UFL with 302 punt return yards, 281 from Amari Rodgers.

San Antonio's Ryan Santoso converted 12 of 18 field goals with a long of 51 yards. Marquez Stevenson contributed 223 punt return yards for the season, and added 44 kickoff return yards last week. Brad Wing averaged 45.9 yards per punt.

Edge:

Birmingham

EXTRA POINTS

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