San Antonio Brahmas vs. Birmingham Stallions

The year started off with a bang with the announcement of the merger between the USFL and the XFL. After six chaotic months of birthing a new league and playing an entire season, the moment has finally arrived. The UFL Championship Game will begin at 5 pm ET on Sunday in St. Louis, Missouri between the XFL Conference champion San Antonio Brahmas (7-3) and the USFL Conference champion Birmingham Stallions (9-1).

San Antonio came as a surprise to some, but has been the most consistent team in the XFL Conference. The Brahmas defeated the mighty St. Louis Battlehawks 25-15 last week to win the XFL conference title. The return of quarterback Chase Garbers made the difference on offense. Their defense has consistently harassed quarterbacks all season and made the Battlehawks signal the life of AJ McCarron last week.

The Stallions have been the class of the league and spring football the past three seasons. Head coach Skip Holtz has built a winning culture in Birmingham, losing just four games in three seasons. UFL MVP Adrian Martinez has been dynamic all season, but it was Matt Corral who came to the rescue in the USFL conference title as they beat the Michigan Panthers 31-18.

Birmingham and San Antonio played each other in Week 9, with the Brahmas snapping the Stallions’ 15-game winning streak with an 18-9 win. It’s the only time this season the Stallions’ offense has been held under 20 points, and the nine points scored were the fewest in the Holtz era. San Antonio head coach Wade Phillips’ unit got a boost from quarterback Anthony McFarland, who had 82 rushing yards and six receptions for 34 yards in the win.

Game information

Line: Stallions -3, O/U 42

Date/Location: Sunday, June 16, 2024 at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri

Start time: 5:00 pm EST

Weather forecast: N/A

TV/Streaming: Fox, Fox Sports app

Injury report/Inactive

While the injury reports have not been finalized, the inactives have been released and San Antonio has several key players out. Brahmas leading tackler Jordan Mosley will be sidelined with a left shoulder injury. Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman is also out with a left ankle injury that limited him in practice this week. Running back and return specialist Pooka Williams Jr. was on the inactive list but was not listed on the injury report.

Birmingham is out two key defensive backs in safety TJ Carter and cornerback Mark Gilbert. The Stallions will run with just two runners, with Larry Rountree III placed on the inactive list.

Keys to Victory by Anthony Miller

An obvious key for the Stallions will be avoiding another four-turnover game and protecting the ball against one of the top defenses in the league. Martinez will get the start at quarterback, but Corral will also get snaps, making it important to mix in QB runs with play bootlegs to put the quarterbacks on the run.

McFarland and wide receiver Jontre Kirklin need to have at least 10-15 touches in this game for the Brahmas and get them into open space. Garbers running the show helps San Antonio limit turnovers and throw short to medium passes with high completion percentages. The defense needs to double down on what they did to Birmingham, holding Martinez in the pocket and forcing them to play third and long.

Anthony Miller’s Prediction

There’s no doubt the Brahmas have been disrespected this season, with only two players from the squad making the All-UFL team. They will be underdogs in this game as they face one of the best spring football teams in recent memory. At the end of the day, Holtz taught his team how to win by being more disciplined and trusting the system for 60 minutes. This will be a close battle, but the Stallions went 31-4 for a reason. Birmingham is poised to complete the dynasty and bring home a third title to shirtless Stallion fans.

Birmingham Stallions 26, San Antonio Brahmas 24

Mike Mitchell’s prediction

There is no turning back now. I predicted before the season that the Birmingham Stallions would become the first professional outdoor football team to win three consecutive league championships since Edmonton of the CFL in the late 1970s/early 80s and the Green Bay Packers led by Vince Lombardi in the 60s.

Maybe the Kansas City Chiefs are next. But for now, I like Birmingham to make history by getting revenge against San Antonio. The only question is who will Tom Brady hand the game MVP trophy to: Adrian Martinez or Matt Corral?

Birmingham Stallions 29, San Antonio Brahmas 22

Kacy Sager’s Prediction

The Brahmas played their most complete game of the season when it mattered most, dominating the Battlehawks in all three phases of play last week to earn a spot in the title game. They have struggled with discipline all year, so it was encouraging to see them stick around for four quarters.

Meanwhile, Birmingham have looked increasingly vulnerable in recent weeks. I’m ready for one last round of Brahma drama, this time in the form of the first UFL overtime.

San Antonio Brahmas 24, Birmingham Stallions 22 (OT)

You can find Anthony Miller on X at @ByAnthonyMiller Mike Mitchell at @ByMikeMitchell and Kacy Sager at @THESagerbomb.

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