2025 UFL Season: Week 1 San Antonio Brahmas at Arlington Renegades Game Preview
Week 1 of the 2025 UFL season rolls on Saturday as the San Antonio Brahmas face the Arlington Renegades at Choctaw Stadium.
The Brahmas are coming off a 7-3 season where they upset the St. Louis Battlehawks by 10 points in the XFL Conference championship game before a trip to the UFL title game ended in a 25-0 shutout to the Birmingham Stallions. Head coach Wade Phillips enters his third season in the spring, having posted a 14-6 record.
Arlington got off to a rough start in 2024, losing six straight games, but bounced back by winning three of their last four. The Renegades got most of their key starters back for the new year, with star quarterback and now author Luis Perez back for his seventh season in spring football after leading the UFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season. Bob Stoops returns for his fourth season as head coach, having won just one of his five meetings against Phillips in spring football.
Game Details
Location: Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Date and Time: Saturday, March 29 at 3:00 pm CST
Network: FOX
Betting Odds via DraftKings: Brahmas -2.5, O/U 37.5
Injury Report
For the Brahmas, new wide receiver Mathew Sexton will not make his debut for San Antonio as he is inactive due to a left knee injury. Offensive lineman Derrick Kelly II will also not be playing with a left calf injury that made him limited in practice this week. The Renegades made safety Nico Bolden inactive as he had a left hand injury, but was a full participant in practice.
Depth Chart
Kellen Mond takes the reins as the starting quarterback for the Brahmas with Kevin Hogan after Mond was named the starter earlier in the week. Wide receiver went through some switching around as a newcomer, and long-time NFL receiver Greg Ward Jr. will make the start over Marquez Stevenson. Greedy Williams will make his debut in the black and yellow uniform alongside Darius Phillips at cornerback.
With De’Veon Smith being a late addition to the Renegades, his return might take time to flourish as Kalen Ballage will start at running back. The prominent position to note is at cornerback, as Ajene Harris is not in the starting lineup for the Renegades, as it will be Jayden Price and Steven Jones Jr. starting. New pass rusher Chris Odom is also not a starter as he will sit behind Will Clarke, but expect the two to rotate in and out.
Keys to Brahmas WIn
Brahmas offensive coordinator A.J. Smith might have his best pure passer since calling plays for Phillips in spring football, so getting him off to a good start is paramount. Avoid the bubble, short passes, and let Mond rip it against the same defense that was near the bottom in pass defense. Take advantage of the weapons the offense has with Jontre Kirklin, Ward, Justin Smith, and Stevenson.
San Antonio brought in Williams at cornerback for a reason. The Renegades were the number one passing attack in the UFL last year, so they will use it to their advantage. Williams and Phillips will be put to the test in the secondary and will need to nab a turnover or two to steal possessions from this offensive unit.
Keys to Renegades WIn
We all know what Perez can do on the field as one of the best quarterbacks in the UFL, but the running game has been lackluster at best over the past season. Ballage has a chance to open things up for Arlington and make the offense more two-dimensional. They will need help from the offensive line that took a step back a season ago in run blocking, but Garrett McGhin’s return to the lineup is a massive plus.
The secondary of the Renegades was always a significant concern in the offseason after a rough 2024 campaign. Newcomer Price will be tested early and often to prove his worth. While he looked great at practice, it doesn’t compare to the real thing, so Arlington needs him to blanket the Brahmas’ top receiving corps.
Prediction
There is optimism that this game will go better than the Battlehawks-Roughnecks blowout from Friday night. Two high-flying offenses against two solid front sevens make this a compelling game. If Mond proves to be the real deal at quarterback, watch out for the Brahmas to be a force in the UFL this season. It may take a bit to get going, but both of these offenses can score points frequently.
