We have a new team perched high above our weekly power rankings edition of the UFL. This will be the third week we have a new team sitting on top of the power rankings mountain. In week three we have all kinds of movement in our power rankings. Houston finds a way to dig themselves out of the bottom of the heap without winning a game. Who’s worse than Houston? Stallions are back in the saddle again.

Has Luis Perez’s book hit the best sellers list yet? Does this league even have a solid quarterback? Let’s see if we can answer these questions when we roll out the 3rd week of the 2025 UFL power rankings. Go!

#8. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (0-2)

XFL CONFERENCE: Dropped 2 spots from last week

The Brahmas are the only team that has not won a game after two weeks into the season. This is not the same Wade Phillips team that made post-season last year and went on the road to St. Louis to upset the Battle Hawks to get to the first UFL title game. The Brahmas are playing like Lamas as they are the only team in the XFL conference without a win. All three of their division rivals have not lost a game yet. The Brahmas have settled for 9 points per game in two contests. They have given up the most points so far on defense after two weeks. Both weeks, the Brahmas defense let their opponents have the high score of the week. The Brahmas defense was the staple of this Wade Phillips team. Last year they did better with Chase Garbers as their quarterback, a guy who quit on this team in the title game, than Kellen Mond. Mond has been sacked six times in two games and has thrown one interception. He has completed 30 passes out of 58 throws for 288 passing yards. The Brahmas have two solid backs, but teams are zeroing on their strength, taking their running game away, and forcing Mond to beat them with his arm or legs. Former Pittsburgh Steeler running back Antony Macfarland does lead the UFL with the most all-purpose yards after two weeks. He is the only sign of a heartbeat with this Brahmas cattle on offense.

You know what they do to cattle that can’t play anymore. Right between the eyes.

#8. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (0-2)

USFL CONFERENCE: Moved up 1 spot from last week.

In week one, Houston was blown out by the Battle Hawks. In week 2 the Roughnecks held the top scoring team from week 1, the Arlington Renegades, to 11 points. When the Roughnecks offense only mustered up 9 points, you’re going to lose most football games. It was an ugly game in week 2 with Houston and Arlington but a very close game. Anthony Brown was tackled short of a two point conversion trying to stretch the ball over the goal line.

His knee touched the ground before he stretched the ball over the goal line as the score remained 11-9. The Renegades stop the Roughnecks’ attempt of the 4th and 12 on side play and iced the game. The Roughnecks scored 3 points more in week 2 than they did in week one as they have tallied up 15 points in two games so far. Bright side, Brown threw his first UFL touchdown of his career. The Roughnecks defense is solid. They have guys like Leon O’neal Jr., Markel Roby, and Xavier Benson that can make plays on the defensive side of the ball. They have one of the best front seven on defense in the entire league. Only if they can score more than single digits in a game, they may put a W in the standings.

#6. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (0-2)

USFL CONFERENCE: Moved up 1 spot from last week

The Memphis Showboats definitely were up for some motor-boating in week two as they gave the Defenders a battle to the end which ended up in their second loss of the season. The return of Ken Whisenhunt had to give this team a lift mentally as he missed week one due to personal reasons. The Showboats had the lead over the Defenders 12-9 with 11:47 left in the game. The Showboats took the lead with an EJ Perry run, a 16 yard score from the Memphis quarterback. He threw for 205 passing yards but had one interception in the game. The Showboats matched their total from week one with another 12 point game. The Showboats were driving at the end of the game after the Defenders took the lead on them in the 4th. The drive stopped, but they went for the field goal try in hopes of converting the onside play after the kick. The kick was blocked and Memphis came away with another loss but a game they showed some nice things on both offense and defense.

On defense the Showboats have Steele Chambers, former Ohio State Buckeye, who leads the UFL in tackles after two weeks with 20. He actually led each week so far with ten tackles in both week 1 and 2.

#5. DC DEFENDERS (2-0)

XFL CONFERENCE: Same spot from last week

The head coach of the DC Defenders, Reggie Barlow, bolted the UFL for a college head coaching job at Tennessee State University. No worries the new guy promoted to being the new head coach of the Defenders is Shannon Harris who has DC at 2-0 to start the season. Now the Defenders lost their defensive coordinator this week to Tennessee State University. Mr. Bounty Gate, Gregg Williams, follows Barlow out of town to become his new defensive coordinator for Tennessee State.

We are all confused as Barlow has his hand up Williams’ rear end is my educated guess. Williams leaves the DC defensive coordinator job to his son Blake, who has coached college football and has coached in the NFL. Meanwhile the Defenders must have a lucky horseshoe as a team up their rear. They managed to barely beat the Showboats to collect their 2nd victory of the year. Devonnsha Maxwell blocked a key field goal towards the end of the game to keep the Showboats from attempting a comeback. Jordan Ta’amu was intercepted during the game by the Showboats defender who did not get both feet in bounds. The Defenders were able to cash in on that break with a field goal. Then Isiah Hennie muffed a punt for the Showboats at the end of the first half. The Defenders drove down the field as the drive stalled. They still cash in with a field goal. Three plays that are worth 9 points total and could have easily changed the tide of the outcome. The Defenders offense is averaging under 20 points per game so far this season. Their average 17.5 points exactly per contest. They looked good in week one getting by the Stallions. It has been the Defenders defense that has carried this team and they hosted both games. I’m not buying what this Defenders team is selling right now. The losses will start to pile up.

#4. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (1-1)

USFL CONFERENCE: Dropped one spot from last week

When it comes to the Michigan Panthers playing the Birmingham Stallions, it reminds me of the Buffalo Bills trying to hurdle their problem with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Panthers were knocked out of post-season play by the Panthers last year. The Panthers start off the season with victory. The Stallions get knocked off in week 1 on the road by the Defenders. The Panthers hosting the Stallions. Another road game for Birmingham. It looks good for Michigan. The Panthers even knocked out the Stallions’ former MVP quarterback right in the beginning of the game. He left the game with a shoulder injury and did not return. The Panthers played the Stallions tough, but Skip Holtz inserts the back up Matt Corral and gets the same results. The Panthers even picked off Corral twice in this game with one of them coming from DJ Miller. Bryce Perkins is the better option for the Panthers than Danny Etling. Who head coach Mike Nolan is wasting time putting him in a few times every game. Perkins is not the best QB in the league as he completed 12-23 passes for only 132 passing yards. He did hit Marcus Simms for a touchdown. He threw one interception and only completed 50% of his throws as he has to get better if they want to hurdle the Stallions. The Panthers even hit on a 3 point conversion. It was a game where both teams settled for field goals.

The Nacua brothers who are both on the Panthers are making an impact this season for Michigan. Kai Nacua plays on the Panthers defense as a safety and he had 8 tackles vs the Stallions. Then Samson Nacua plays on the Panthers offense & he had a catch for 23 yards. Both Nacua brothers are related to LA Rams stud wide receiver Puka. The Nacua brothers with that special Panthers defense, and they need Perkins to play better if they want to slay their demons in Stallions. They will have another regular season game with the Stallions. With the Showboats and Roughnecks in the same division, the Panthers will meet the Stallions once again in the post-season.

#3. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (1-1)

USFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week

The Stallions quickly rebounded from their opening week loss to the DC Defenders. Can Stallions head coach Skip Holtz strike gold again at the quarterback position? Matt Corral filled in for the injured Alex McGough who left the game with a shoulder injury. Not sure how long McGough will be out as he seems kind of rusty not playing QB last year as the Packers tried to turn him into a wide receiver. Corral looked great, a strike to Deon Cain to seal the deal for the Stallions’ first victory. Corral had two interceptions and at times looks clueless on the field. The Stallions’ first championship it was J’Mar Smith who got it done behind center. The second was Alex McGough. Last year Adrian Martinez was awesome. In two games, the Stallions have made multiple mistakes with turnovers and penalties. The Stallions defense is one of the top units in the league with multiple guys you have to talk about. Last week we talked about Tae Crowder, so this week we will talk about the heart and soul of that Stallions defense.

Kyahva Tezino is a former Pittsburgh Mauler, which was my favorite spring team of all-time. Tezino had 9 tackles versus the Panthers which 5 were solo jobs. The Stallions will need this defense to carry this team maybe for the first half of the season, so Skip could figure out the QB situation. The Stallions also have Case Cookus who played for the Showboats last year. He had some solid seasons at quarterback for the Philadelphia Stars back in the USFL as well.

#2.ARLINGTON RENEGADES (2-0)

XFL CONFERENCE: Dropped 1 spot from last week

I have the Arlington Renegades dropping one spot after the Houston Roughnecks took them to the distance in week two. In week 1 the Renegades scored the most points with 33. In week 2 the Renegades win the game and only score 11 to do that. The Roughnecks were close to tying this game late. If the Roughnecks would have pulled this off, it would have been Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson.

Luis Perez’s book sales may drop if the Renegades offense suddenly goes dormant for multiple weeks. Perez after two weeks leads the UFL in passing yards with 375. The running game that came alive in week one for the Renegades was contained by the Roughnecks defense and ground to a halt. Bob Stoops has that Renegades defense playing solid ball. They go after the quarterback and create turnovers. Perez will have plenty of big games. Having that defense playing lights out only giving 18 points after two games, will help this Renegades team make it to post-season.

I like the Renegades bringing back their bandit style cowboy logo and putting it back on their helmets. It beats just the letter R.

#1. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (2-0)

XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot to the number 1 position in the power rankings

Yes, the team with the biggest fan base, the St. Louis Battle Hawks, are now perched on top of the UFL power rankings. The Battle Hawks got their revenge on the Brahmas who found a way to win in St.Louis in the post-season.

The Battlehawks during regular season last year at home with the most fans in the league went undefeated in regular season. Last week they destroyed the Brahmas in front of a very nice turn out in their home opener. The Battlehawks have scored the most points in the first two weeks of play with 57. The Battlehawks defense has only allowed 15 points so far. No opponent has scored in double digits on this Battlehawks defense.

The Battlehawks defense racked up 4 sacks and linebacker Pita Taumoepenu had one of them. Pita is like a bread truck coming at the opposing QB’s this season as he has 3 sacks already on the books. On offense Manny Wilkins is looking like one of the top QB’s in the entire UFL. With the help of Jacob Saylors, the job becomes a tad easier as his running back had three rushing touchdowns last Sunday night. The Battlehawks are Beyond the Thunderdome as the Battledome since the XFL days are now 11-2 at home in Arch Town. Right now the Battlehawks are playing by far the best in the league as they stand by themselves. The worst team is San Antonio. Then the rest of the league is clumped together.