Inside the UFL

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on May 21, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)

Three teams had the opportunity to clinch playoff berths in week eight of the United Football League season: the Orlando Storm, DC Defenders and St. Louis Battlehawks.

Just one was able to secure a spot as the Orlando Storm defeated the the Dallas Renegades, 31-24, in the first professional football game ever played on a military base at the Fort Hood "Hats Off to Heroes" game at Phantom Warrior Stadium near Killeen, Texas. Built in 1942, Fort Hood has 40,000 active duty soldiers.

With Toyota Stadium being unavailable due to the upcoming men's World Cup, the UFL decided to keep the game in Texas rather than giving Orlando an additional home game.

"As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, we wanted to find a way to honor the dedication and sacrifice of our armed forces," said Russ Brandon, UFL President & CEO. "We are glad that we can deliver the gift of playing our game in front of our bravest sons and daughters."

"Really proud of this football team," said Orlando Storm Head Coach Anthony Becht. "Super resilient, a lot of belief and just keep playing. There's something in them that it doesn't really matter if you're down, or whatever, they just find a way to get it done. We're 6-2. I heard we're in the playoffs, which is great. It's a tribute to these players that bought in.

Becht is heading to the postseason for the third consecutive season, after guiding the St. Louis Battlehawks there the past two years.

Orlando Storm quarterback Jack Plummer provided the play of the game, rambling 71-yards for a touchdown to give Orlando a 17-10 lead in the third quarter on a third down and one.

"I didn't think he was going to score," admitted Becht. "I was like, hey, let's find out what happens. What really it comes down to is the little things that go on that play that help him score. Wide receiver Cam Camper going down and finishing with a block. It's not going to probably make the stat sheet.

"It's a heck of a read by Jack (Plummer). Number one, we trust him in those scenarios. That's a dangerous quarterback. He's a passer, but man, he's got athleticism and speed. He just made a great play for us. It was fun to watch; we needed it. It was a spark for our football team."

The following possession Dallas tied the game up at 17 apiece when tight end Seth Green caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Austin Reed, Green's first-ever UFL touchdown.

Seth Green's father is Colonel Bryan Green, an officer in the U.S. Army who is stationed at Fort Hood and was in attendance Friday.

"He's a hero, whether it's in the army, whether it's at home, whether it's taking care of us," said Green of his father. "There's never a question of how much love he has for his boys, and that's just a blessing."

The Storm then scored 14 unanswered points thanks to two rushing touchdowns, a two-yarder by Jashaun Corbin and a seven yard run by wide receiver KJ Hamler.

"What a blessing for us," added Becht "This was a great idea by Mike Repole and all the execs to make this happen. From the meals, to the hospitality to the fans showing up. That's one thing you can say about military fans. They're going to show up. That's what they do for a living, right? So, it's just really cool to see. Those kids were there, shaking hands, getting their hats signed. It's the first time a professional team ever came onto this base and did something like that. Honored to able to get out of here with a win, and I know they had a bunch of Renegades hats on, but I'm sure they were cheering for the game in general and they had a good time."

Dallas Head Coach Rick Neuheisel echoed the Becht's sentiment.

"Thank you to all the men and women at Fort Hood who made this trip really memorable," added Neuheisel. "From the moment we got on base to going and having a meal with the folks who prepared the food (and) were so happy to have us there. They made us feel like we were rock stars.

"It was a sensational thing, and I know everybody worked their tails off to put it all together from the television folks to the league office to the people at Fort Hood. So I just want to give a tip of the cap, a salute would be the appropriate way to say this, to everybody who got it done. It was an honor and then some to be among the men and women of our armed services, the army in this particular case, and thank you for your service. "

Orlando Storm vs Dallas Renegades Highlights

Week 9 games

Friday, May 22nd

DC Defenders at Orlando Storm - 8 pm est. FOX

Saturday, May 23rd

Birmingham Stallions at Columbus Aviators - 3pm est. ABC

Sunday, May 24th

Dallas Renegades at Louisville Kings - 4 pm est. FOX

St. Louis Battlehawks at Houston Gamblers - 7 pm est. ESPN2

EXTRA POINTS

1. Friday's Orlando vs. Dallas game did not issue an official attendance number. Saturday's DC at Louisville game drew 10,025, while the Houston at St. Louis contest attracted 21,609. Sunday's Columbus at Birmingham weekend finale drew 4,824 spectators.

2. Orlando Storm quarterback Jack Plummer, Louisville Kings cornerback Corey Mayfield, Jr. and Houston Gamblers cornerback Ameer Speed were named the OurSports Central United Football League Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Unsung Hero of the Week, respectively, for week eight of UFL season.

3. The DC Defenders placed quarterback Jordan Ta'amu on inured reserve, and he will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of their 33-30 loss to the Louisville Kings. Ta'amu passed for 1,515 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 198 rushing yards in those eight games. "We never want to lose a quarterback of that caliber, especially a guy who's been an MVP-level player and championship leader for us," said Defenders Head Coach Shannon Harris. "But we still have a really good football team, and we are going to rally behind Spencer (Sanders) and Jason (Bean)."

4. DC and St. Louis can still guarantee playoff berths with victories this week.

5. Louisville's Tanner Brown hit a 60-yard field goal, good for four points. This was the third four-point field goal made with Defenders kicker Matt McCrane connecting on the other two. The Kings finally won their first home game after going winless in their first three tries. Brown tied Arlington Renegades kicker Lucas Havrisik for the most field goals made in a UFL season with 22.

6. The Houston Gamblers snapped the Battlehawks seven-game home winning streak with a 23-16 triumph. The defense intercepted two passes including a key pick six by Kary Vincent Jr. returned 36 yards for a score. It was the first road victory for the Gamblers this season.

7. St. Louis placed tight end Tyler Neville on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending injury. For the year, Neville caught 13 passes for 125 yards and four touchdowns.

8. Special teams came up huge for the Birmingham Stallions in back-to-back weeks. This week Steven Gilmore blocked Jonah Dalmas' 55-yard field goal attempt, scooped up the ball and returned it for a score in the Stallions' 14-3 victory over the Columbus Aviators. Last week, defensive end Jayden Peevy blocked a 53-yard field goal attempt to send the game into overtime, allowing Birmingham to squeak out a 21-17 victory. The Stallions have the longest current winning streak in the UFL at three games.

9. NFL Quarterback Taylor Heinicke announced his retirement. He was a backup for the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks behind Jordan Ta'amu for the five week season cut short due to Covid-19.

10. My UFL Best Bet Lock of the Week is the St. Louis Battlehawks -3 over the Houston Gamblers. The Battlehawks gave last week's game away with turnovers and poor clock management against Houston. This will be Luis Perez's third start with St. Louis and another week of practice with the team that should help him cut down on overthrows and mistakes. Look for the Battlehawks to win and punch their ticket to the UFL postseason.

United Football League Stories from May 21, 2026

• United Football League Heads Down the Home Stretch to the 2026 UFL Playoffs - UFL
• Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
• Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
• Inside the UFL - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.