By RJ “The Bullish Brahma” Reid
Introduction
It is the first ever UFL Championship Game and the two best teams are left standing in the San Antonio Brahmas and the Birmingham Stallions. Here’s what you need to know:
When?
Sunday, June 16, 2024 @ 4:00PM CT.
Where?
The Dome at America’s Center, Saint Louis, Missouri.
Gameday Weather
The game is being played indoors, obviously, but for those who are interested in tailgating, the weather doesn’t look too bad. The forecast calls for 69 degrees, clear skies with a 24% chance of rain and 11 mile per hour winds.
History
The Brahmas lead the regular season series 1-0. This is the first time the teams are facing each other in the playoffs.
Keys to Victory
-Turnovers. There is an adage in football that says that championships are won by “big plays and turnovers.” The Brahmas turned the ball over twice against the Battlehawks and one lead to a touchdown for Saint Louis. That scoop and score for the Battlehawks made the game closer than it really was and gave what was otherwise a walking corpse, new life. In the other conference playoff game, the Stallions forced 4 turnovers against the Panthers, but they themselves turned the ball over four times. Those turnovers did not cost the Stallions the game, but with that many turnovers, one would think that the Brahmas are going to laser focus on that and see what they can do to exploit any potential weakness.
-There was a significant difference in San Antonio in the XFL Championship game then the game the week before, and that was the running game. In the regular season finale, the Brahmas were without John Lovett and Anthony MacFarland, the best running back duo in the UFL. Getting them back for the playoff game made a huge impact and both running backs dominated the Battlehawks all game long. If they can replicate that performance against the Stallions, that will go a long way to victory. The Stallions have the best offense in the UFL and if the Brahmas can continue their dominance in the running game, they can control the clock and keep the Stallions’ offense off the field and keep their defense fresh.
-Speaking of defense, the next big key is the Brahmas defense. They have the best defense in the UFL and lead almost every single statistically category in the league, despite only having one player named to the All-UFL Team. While they may not have “big” names, collectively, they are the dominate defense in the UFL. In the last three games, the most points the Brahmas gave up was last week, and even then, 6 of those points were a defensive score, and not against the defense. Against the Stallions, the Brahmas held them to 9 points, the lowest score they had all year.
-Offensive Line. This was the biggest weakness of the Brahmas last year, but this year has been completely different. Despite a couple of injuries, they have been the best offensive line in the UFL. Coach Wade Phillips and General Manager Marc Lillibridge have done a fantastic job in drafting quality players and excellent depth. The Brahma Bulldozers have given up the least number of sacks this year and are opening holes for both running backs. They are the true unsung heroes of this team.
Predictions
Let’s look at how my predictions from the XFL Conference Championship game fared:
-Quinten Dormady will throw for two touchdowns.
Incorrect. Chase Garbers started, not Dormady
-The Brahmas will gain more than 100 yards of rushing.
Correct. The team rushed for 213 yards of offense, and Anthony McFarland ran for more than 100 yards by himself.
-Tavante Beckett will lead the team in tackling.
Incorrect. Scott Nelson led the team in tackling with 7 tackles.
-The Brahmas will play in Saint Louis for the third straight week as they will win this game.
Correct!
XFL Championship results: 2-2.
Playoff results: 2-2.
And now my predictions for this week. I hope I won’t “steer” you wrong:
-A Brahma running back will run for more yards than the entire Stallions team.
-The Brahmas will record at least 3 sacks.
-The Brahmas will hold the Stallions to under 300 yards of total offense.
-Chase Garbers will complete at least 70% of his passes.
-The Brahmas will be crowned Champions!!
Final Thoughts
The Cinderella Season continues for the San Antonio Brahmas. After a preseason where many “experts” and talking heads and fans outside the San Antonio area predicted that the Brahmas would finish either 7th or dead last in the UFL, and even Vegas had them as the worst odds of winning the championship, here they are. The Brahmas are one step away from winning the first ever UFL Championship. There is a lot of reason to believe in this team. Their defense is tops in the league, their running game is second to none and, probably most importantly, they are getting healthy at the right time. It’s been said that in football, it’s often not the best team that wins it all, it’s the team that is the healthiest. Despite the naysayers are saying about the UFL missing out by not having the Battlehawks playing in their home stadium for the championship, this is truly the best matchup the league could have asked for. The two best teams remaining, giving it their all and leaving everything on the field. For the first ever UFL championship, you couldn’t have asked for a better matchup. Horns forward, San Antonio!