2026 UFL Week 9 Results: Battlehawks Clinch Playoff Berth In Win Over Gamblers

Week 9 of the UFL season got off to a fast start on Friday night, as the Orlando Storm won their third straight game, defeating the DC Defenders, 27-19. The excitement continued as the Columbus Aviators stormed from behind to defeat the Birmingham Stallions 36-29 in the final minutes of the game. To close out the week, the Louisville Kings host the Arlington Renegades before the St. Louis Battlehawks take on the Houston Gamblers on Sunday. Here are the results from Week 9: Orlando Storm 27, DC Defenders 19 Key players: Storm QB Jack Plummer (21-of-27 for 275 passing yards, three touchdowns), WR Chris Rowland (eight receptions for 117 yards, one touchdown); Defenders QB Spencer Sanders (10-of-21 for 160 passing yards), RB Deon Jackson (eight carries for 64 yards, one touchdown) Game recap: It was a hot start for the Storm, who found the end zone within the first four minutes to take a 7-0 lead. Orlando kept the momentum rolling, as quarterback Jack Plummer threw a pair of first-half touchdowns to give the Storm a 21-10 halftime advantage. Wide receiver Chris Rowland also shined, finishing the night with eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. The Defenders struggled in their first game without star quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Quarterback Spencer Sanders could not ignite the offense, completing just 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards. However, Sanders did add 75 yards on the ground, while running back Deon Jackson carried the ball eight times for 64 yards and a touchdown. The Defenders will now look for revenge when they host the Storm in a Week 10 rematch. Up next: The Storm travel to Washington, D.C. for a Week 10 rematch against the Defenders. Columbus Aviators 36, Birmingham Stallions 29 Key players: Aviators QB Jalen Morton (14-of-30 for 213 passing yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown), WR Keke Chism (three receptions for 51 yards); Stallions QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (16-of-35 for 157 passing yards), RB Snoop Conner (10 carries for 53 yards) Game recap: The Columbus Aviators hosted the Birmingham Stallions and delivered a fourth quarter thriller. The Aviators had trailed the Stallions since early in the first quarter, but found a way to tie things up with a minute left in the fourth. Aviators quarterback Jalen Morton shined in his first start, finishing the day with four total touchdowns. Morton also led a balanced Aviators offense that put up 179 yards on the ground and 213 in the air. Cornerback DJ Miller Jr. picked off Stallions quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson with seconds to go and sealed their 36-29 win. The Stallions were in position to win nearly the entire game, leading through both the second and third quarters before the Aviators pushed out a comeback. The Stallions struggled on both sides of the ball, and their offensive performance did little to help, including Thompson-Robinson’s two interceptions and totaling just 273 offensive yards. While Birmingham was on the brink of playoff contention, they’ll have another chance to sneak in next weekend at home. Up next: The Aviators will host the Louisville Kings on Sunday afternoon, and the Stallions host the Houston Gamblers on Saturday afternoon. Louisville Kings 37, Dallas Renegades 23 Key players: Kings QB Chandler Rogers (16-of-21 for 266 passing yards, two touchdowns); WR Tarik Black (four receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown); Renegades QB Austin Reed (7-of-21 for 101 yards with two touchdowns and one interception); LB J.T. Tyler (12 tackles and two tackles for loss). Game recap: The Kings hosted the Renegades and turned a close game into a decisive victory with a dominant second half, outscoring Dallas 24-13 after trailing 17-16 entering the fourth quarter. Quarterback Chandler Rogers led the surge with two touchdown passes, including a perfectly placed back-corner fade to wide receiver Tarik Black that extended the Kings’ lead to 37-16. The Renegades put themselves in position early in the fourth quarter but could not overcome Louisville’s relentless defense. Quarterback Austin Reed struggled throughout the game, completing just 33.3% of his passes for 101 yards while also throwing a late fourth-quarter interception to Kings cornerback Eric Garror. Louisville’s defense consistently pressured Dallas, with defensive lineman Cam Gill recording two sacks. Dallas closed the game with a late spark as running back Lorenzo Lingard punched in a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:36 remaining to cut the deficit to two possessions. However, the late score was not enough to fuel a comeback, as the Kings controlled the final minutes to secure a statement win at home. Up next: The Renegades will travel to St. Louis to face the Blackhawks on Friday night, while the Kings hit the road Sunday night to take on the Columbus Aviators. St. Louis Battlehawks 21, Houston Gamblers 15 Key Players: Battlehawks QB Luis Perez (26-of-39, 239 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception), Battlehawks RB Jarveon Howard: (13 carries, 72 rushing yards; 3 receptions, Six receiving yards), Battlehawks K Ryan Ahmed: (2-of-3 FG, made 36, 34; missed 43), Gamblers RB Marcus Yarns: (13 carries, 98 rushing yards). The St. Louis Battlehawks clinched their ticket to the postseason in a 21-15 victory over the Houston Gamblers. Houston struck first in the opening half, taking advantage of an explosive 42-yard run by Marcus Yarns that set up a short John Hoyland field goal. The Gamblers extended their lead to 9-0 after a wild sequence where quarterback Hunter Dekkers recovered his own fumble, only to instantly compose himself and find Jontre Kirklin for a seven-yard touchdown strike. St. Louis shook off early struggles—including a missed 43-yard field goal—and began chipping away, starting with a 36-yard field goal from Ryan Ahmed to cut the deficit to 9-3. Battlehawks cornerback Michael Ojemudia picked off backup quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, setting up a lightning-fast four-play drive. St. Louis quarterback Luis Perez capitalized beautifully, dropping a 38-yard touchdown bomb to wideout Hakeem Butler with just nine seconds left on the clock, giving the Battlehawks a slim 10-9 lead at halftime. Plumlee entered the game after Hunter Dekkers left due to a shoulder injury, per the broadcast. Houston immediately punched back in the third quarter when Plumlee connected with Jalen Moreno-Cropper on a massive 44-yard deep pass, setting up a 4-yard Kirk Merritt touchdown run to regain a 15-10 lead. The Battlehawks answered with a methodical 12-play, 69-yard ground drive. Kylin James capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown plunge, and Jarveon Howard bulldozer-rushed his way into the end zone for a crucial two-point conversion to put St. Louis ahead 18-15. The fourth quarter evolved into a masterclass in clock management and defensive prowess by St. Louis. Taking over deep in their own territory, the Battlehawks orchestrated a grueling, soul-crushing 10-play, 27-yard drive that ate up 5:46 of clock. While the drive ultimately stalled inside the red zone, Ryan Ahmed stepped up to drill a 34-yard field goal, extending the lead to 21-15 with three minutes remaining. The Gamblers took over needing a touchdown to keep the game alive. However, the Battlehawks’ defensive front tightened up in the final two minutes, stonewalling the Gamblers’ final push to seal the win and secure their playoff spot. Up next: The playoff-bound Battlehawks will head home next week to host the Dallas Renegades, while the Gamblers will hit the road to face the Birmingham Stallions.