The 2-1 Panthers prowl into San Antonio for their first road game of the UFL campaign against a 2-1 Brahmas team that just dropped their first game of the season in a close one to St. Louis last Sunday.
This will be San Antonio’s third home game, the second of a back-to-back home stand, and Michigan’s first road game. of the 2024 UFL season.
This weekend, “Fiesta” takes over San Antonio. Fiesta San Antonio is a vibrant, city-wide festival held annually in San Antonio, Texas, that began over 130 years ago. Hopefully, this gives a positive boost to the attendance at the Alamodome, however, we expect it may not.
What do we know?
San Antonio quarterback Chase Garbers leads the league in passing touchdowns (6) and completion percentage (70.8%). However, an injured Garbers will miss the remainder of the season, and the Brahmas will turn to Quinten Dormady. It looks like Tom Flacco will backup Dormady this week.
San Antonio needs to get Dormady into the game early, giving him time to throw and manufacture drives. Dormady is no slouch, and the talented young pivot was actually predicted to be the starter until the Brahmas announced they would go with Garbers. Cody Latimer could be a key target for Dormady as the two played together in the 2023 Orlando Guardians of the XFL.
Other receivers Dormady can count on are three top receivers with triple-digit yardage: Jontre Kirklin, Marquez Stevenson, and Cody Latimer, all of whom have above 150 yards each.
The Brahmas have recently acquired running back Morgan Ellison, who is listed as the third back for San Antonio. Given that John Lovett is the team’s starter, it’s likely that Ellison will receive some downs to relieve Lovett’s workload and test his potential for success with the 2023 Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL.
The Brahmas defense is anchored by Jordan Mosley and Jordan Williams, who are first and second in the league in tackles, respectively.
Michigan quarterback E.J. Perry has progressively gotten more efficient in the 2024 season. After going 12-of-24 for 176 yards and no passing touchdowns in Week 1 against St. Louis, Perry was 16-of-19 for 208 yards in Week 3 against Houston. In back-to-back weeks, he has connected with wide receiver Marcus Simms for two 76-yard scores. No other team has had a completed pass over 57 yards.
Perry ranks fourth in the league with 587 passing yards, but he has also been a threat with his legs. He leads the league with four rushing touchdowns through three weeks and has 102 rushing yards on 19 carries, which ranks sixth in the UFL and second amongst quarterbacks.
Running backs Wes Hills and Matthew Colburn are attempting to establish a Michigan running game, but Perry picked up more yards on the ground than the two running backs combined in week 3, as Perry ran for 60 yards and the Hills/Colburn combination ran for 51 yards.
In week 3, the leading receiver for Michigan was Quinn, with five receptions for 48 yards. Simms led the team in receiving yards for the second straight week, this time with 84. Cyril Grayson caught five balls for 40 yards for Houston.
Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates kicked his way into football history after drilling a 64-yard field goal with three seconds left in the game against St. Louis in Week 1. The 64-yarder is tied for the second-longest field goal in professional football history, only behind Justin Tucker’s 66-yard field goal, which he connected on in 2021 at Ford Field. Bates tied Matt Prater, who hit a 64-yard field goal in 2013.
These two teams represent two of the top three defenses in the UFL. San Antonio, Michigan, and Birmingham rank among the top defenses in the majority of statistical categories. The Brahmas rank second in the UFL in total defense, allowing just 262.3 yards per game, while the Panthers rank third, giving up 271.0 yards per game. Michigan ranks second in scoring defense (18.7 ppg), while San Antonio is third at 20.7 points per game. The Panthers lead the UFL in tackles for loss with 18, while San Antonio ranks second in sacks (9). The Brahmas have the top passing defense, yielding a league-low 518 yards through the air and just two passing TDs.
What should we expect?
San Antonio has a winning record, but this may not be their week to rack up another win. Despite injuries and a new quarterback, San Antonio still has the weapons to create a good offense. However, against a strong Michigan defense, they may struggle.
The Panthers have the advantage on special teams, as Jake Bates is 5-for-5 this season on field goal attempts with a season-long 64 yards in Week 1. San Antonio has only attempted two field goals, with both being successful.
The Panthers are strong all around. If they play their cards right, they may find this game is in their hands. They may be playing San Antonio on the road, but this week, taking the Panthers might be a smart bet.
