Week 9 in the UFL continues on Sunday with a Defenders vs. Showboats matchup at 2:30 p.m. ET from Memphis, TN. With the Defenders laying 5.5 points as a road favorite and the total sitting at 45.5, what’s the smart bet this afternoon?
Defenders vs. Showboats Event Information
D.C. Defenders (-5.5) at Showboats (+5.5); o/u 45.5
2:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 26, 2024
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN
TV: FOX
Defenders guaranteed to finish with losing season
The Defenders didn’t have their best player on the field for the single most important play of their entire season — a fourth-and-24 with a chance to stay in the playoff hunt on the line — after QB Jordan Ta’amu had been knocked out on the previous play.
In the previous series, Ta’amu led the Defenders to a 21-20 advantage before the Battlehawks regained the lead for good.
The Defenders, who finished 9-1 in 2023 in the legacy XFL, will finish 2024 with a losing season.
Showboats come up short
The Showboats came up just short on the road to suffer their seventh loss in a row after bringing in former Michigan QB Josh Love in relief of Case Cookus after he suffered a hard hit that knocked him out.
Love completed 9 of 12 for 56 yards with a touchdown in the loss, while receiver Daewood Davis continued to make a strong case to be an All-UFL selection with three catches for 86 yards and both of the Showboats’ scores.
Defenders vs. Showboats Prediction
Take the under. Both of these teams are in the midst of rough seasons. The Showboats are averaging 233.6 yards per game and just 18.5 points per contest. From a points-per-game standpoint, the Defenders have actually been worse, averaging just 17.8 points per contest. While neither of these defenses are lights out, I don’t expect these offenses to suddenly move the ball effectively.
Defenders vs. Showboats Week 8 UFL Prediction: UNDER 45.5