2025 UFL Power Rankings: Defenders take over top spot
The week kicked off on Friday night with the Memphis Showboats earning a thrilling 24-22 victory over the San Antonio Brahmas in overtime. Saturday included two competitive games, highlighted by the St. Louis Battlehawks' impressive 29-28 win over the Birmingham Stallions. The DC Defenders closed out the week with a 33-30 victory over the Arlington Renegades.
Following this week's action, the stage is set for the UFL Conference Championships as the Panthers will battle the Stallions on the USFL side, while the Defenders will go up against the Battlehawks in the XFL conference.
[MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ]
As the regular season winds down, here's a look at my updated UFL Power Rankings following Week 8: 8. San Antonio Brahmas (1-7)
Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A
In the battle to avoid the UFL's Wooden Spoon, the Brahmas came up short in their overtime loss to Memphis. One bright spot for the Brahmas has been the steady emergence of Jashaun Corbin as the feature back in an offense that struggled to run the ball with consistency prior to his arrival.
In the loss, Corbin carried the ball 25 times for 143 yards and a touchdown. San Antonio fans would be right to wonder what their team's win-loss record might look like had he been on it from the beginning. 7. Memphis Showboats (2-6)
Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A
The Showboats mustered just 167 yards of offense, and quarterback Troy Williams completed just 5 of 11 passes for 36 yards. It didn't matter. The Memphis defense created three turnovers — all interceptions — and bowed its back in the second half and OT to seal the victory.
After allowing 14 points in one quarter, the Showboats allowed just eight in the second half and overtime combined. 6. Houston Roughnecks (3-5)
Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A
Quarterback Jalan McClendon threw the ball 50 times, completing 30 passes for 318 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a loss that knocked Houston out of postseason contention. However, the Roughnecks still have a chance to finish the season without a losing record, which would be a first for a CJ Johnson-led team.
While the offense did its job, scoring 18, converting 7 of 14 third-down attempts and racking up 441 yards of offense, the Roughneck defense had few answers for a Michigan team that managed to score 27 in the first three quarters of the game. 5. Arlington Renegades (3-5)
Current odds to win 2025 title: N/A
Luis Perez's final pass of the game was picked off, which ended Arlington's chances of making the postseason. It was a cruel way to finish the game for Perez, who threw for 350 yards and completed at least two passes to seven different receivers in the loss.
With less than a minute to play and in field-goal range, Perez opted for a fake spike and then threw the ball into the waiting arms of a DC Defender who ran out the clock. The Renegades will have to watch the Defenders and Battlehawks play for the right to call themselves XFL Conference Champions. 4. Birmingham Stallions (5-3)
Current odds to win 2025 title: +320
In his first start, J'Mar Smith completed 14 of 27 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns. His 65-yard TD pass to wideout Deon Cain was the longest scoring play of the season for the Stallions.
The Stallions secured a spot in the USFL Conference title game with Houston's loss to Michigan, despite their one-point loss to St. Louis. 3. St. Louis Battlehawks (6-2)
Current odds to win 2025 title: +225
The Battlehawks ran through the Stallions for 173 rushing yards. St. Louis clinched a spot in the XFL Championship Game and earned a big win against the defending UFL champs, who they could meet again in the UFL title game. 2. Michigan Panthers (6-2)
Current odds to win 2025 title: +175
With MVP hopeful Bryce Perkins suddenly pulled out of the contest due to an ankle injury just before kickoff, Danny Etling was inserted into the starting lineup and helped the Panthers clinch their berth to the postseason. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 167 yards with three TDs — including one for 35 yards to wideout Devin Ross.
The Panthers will play the defending UFL champions twice in the next three weeks and find out just whether they're the best team in the USFL. 1. DC Defenders (6-2)
Current odds to win 2025 title: +425
The Defenders clinched a spot in the UFL playoffs for the first time after former Thorpe Award winner Deandre Baker picked off the final pass in their 33-30 win over Arlington.
MVP contender Jordan Ta'amu threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns in the win. A big-play offense and aggressive defense have made DC one of the two best teams in the league all season.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young .
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