Week nine in the UFL’s 2026 season kicked off on Friday night. The Orlando Storm (6-2) hosted the DC Defenders (5-3), in their first matchup of the year.
Heading into this affair, the Orlando Storm were the only team to clinch a playoff berth. With six wins under their belts, Anthony Becht’s group was now playing to earn the #1 seed – and potentially home field advantage at home in the first round.
Meanwhile, the DC Defenders still have momentum – but desperately need a win. They’re fresh off two losses to the Louisville Kings, and lost long-time starter Jordan Ta’amu at QB for the year. He’s been replaced by Spencer Sanders.
Let’s take a look at what went down this weekend at Inter & Co. Stadium.
First Quarter
It was about as perfect of a start as possible for the Orlando Storm. A couple of first downs got them going, and then Jack Plummer found Chris Rowland who broke multiple tackles en route for a long touchdown scamper.
With Spencer Sanders at the helm, the game plan was clear early from Fred Kaiss’ offense: run the ball. Deon Jackson broke loose for a decent sized gain which set up a scoring drive. Nate Brooks dropped a would-be pick six, and Matt McCrane made it a 7-3 ball game.
Orlando wouldn’t have the same success on their next drive. Even though they crossed the 50, penalties got in the way, and they turned it over on downs.
DC would take advantage of the great field position. Spencer made an excellent throw down the field to Keke Coutee, which led to a touchdown run from Deon Jackson to make it 10-7, in DC’s favor.
Second Quarter
Orlando would respond very quickly. Opening up the second quarter, Elijhah Badger burned DC’s defense, for a 41 yard score to give the Storm a 14-10 lead.
Pressure was picked up for Orlando on their next defensive series. Sanders was scrambling on multiple snaps, and on 3rd and 9, could not fit it in a tight window down the field. The Storm didn’t fare much better, going three and out and having to punt it right back.
Similar to their previous possession, DC would have to punt it away. Isaiah Buggs was very active early, getting pressure and racking up TFL’s. Meanwhile, a facemask penalty on the offense put them in a hole, and the Defenders sent it away.
Cam Camper has been an animal since getting his first snaps a few weeks ago. On 3rd and 3, he skied high for an athletic grab, keeping the drive alive. A few plays later, it was Camper once again, wide open in the end zone on a beautifully drawn up play from Colin Thompson.
Orlando continued to apply pressure on Sanders, who could not hold up. A big sack from Fabien Lovett and Nate Meadors led to a punt, and the Storm got another possession. Derick Roberson finally came alive for DC, sacking Plummer – and we went into halftime with a 21-10 football game.
Third Quarter
DC’s opening drive of the second half was sloppy, but effective enough to put points on the board. Matt McCrane banged through a 56 yarder, and DC pulled within one score.
Orlando’s offense was rolling with Chris Rowland making all sorts of plays. He extended high for a ridiculous grab on 3rd and 7 to keep things moving, which led to a field goal from Michael Lantz in the red zone.
DC had another mediocre series, with inconsistencies out of Sanders. Midfield, DC attempted a fake punt with Paxton Brooks, but his hesitancy made it easy for the Storm to shut it down. With 15 minutes left to play, Orlando had a commanding 24-13 lead.
Fourth Quarter
The Storm were a little flat coming out in the fourth period, giving DC a bit of a spark. Sanders was in more of a rhythm, completing a couple passes and utilizing RPO packages seamlessly. On a key third down, Spencer used his legs, extending the play and putting them deep inside the red zone. However, two key defensive plays from Keshawn Banks and Isaiah Buggs held DC to a 28 yard field goal.
Of course, the Orlando Storm just had to keep things interesting. They milked a few more minutes off the clock, but Lantz shanked a 47 yard field goal attempt – and it remained a one score affair.
Things were pretty interesting to close out this game. DC somehow managed to get down the field, but couldn’t punch it in the end zone, and settled for a field goal.
On the 4th and 12 attempt, Spencer Sanders escaped pressure and nearly found an open Cornell Powell – but the ball was overthrown.
Orlando kicked a 51 yard field goal with Michael Lantz knocking it through, taking a 27-19 lead. With 30 seconds left, DC didn’t have much to work with – and a strip sack from Keshawn Banks put the game away entirely.
Standout Playmakers
QB Jack Plummer: Plummer continues to play himself into the MVP talks, and he may have solidified his victory tonight. He threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, completing an outstanding 78% of his pass attempts, with zero turnovers. His leadership has been off the charts in Orlando this season.
WR Chris Rowland: Rowland did his thing once again, with eight receptions for 117 yards and a score against his former team. It was clear he was having a good time going up against his old teammates, with plenty of chirping at the sidelines all night.
WR Cam Camper: Camper has been such a pleasant surprise in Orlando all season long since being placed on the active roster. He had three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown tonight.
LB Darien Butler: Butler has stepped up for the Storm as of late, with Tavante Beckett being placed on IR. Darien had 11 tackles (leading all players), two TFL’s, and a pass breakup.
DL Isaiah Buggs: Buggs was a force to be reckoned with in this ball game. He was unstoppable, disrupting the trenches on what felt like every snap. Isaiah had three tackles, two TFL’s, and a sack.
DC
RB Deon Jackson: Jackson has been quiet the last few games, but sparked DC’s offense just enough to keep them relevant. He had eight carries for 64 yards and a touchdown, fueling a 200 yard rushing performance out of DC’s backs and QB.
Major Takeaways
The Orlando Storm have a lot to be proud of this season, but a point of concern heading into the playoff stretch: inconsistent offensive play. Throughout most of the year, they’ve struggled in the first half – and then will come alive in the second half. Tonight, it was the opposite story. They allowed DC to hang around in those final two quarters, unable to come away with points in positions where they could have put the Defenders away.
Defensively, it’s a lot of the same. They are excellent in the red zone, and apply great pressure. However, they cannot take advantage of takeaway opportunities. Once again, the Storm dropped a few interceptions this game. If the Storm can clean some of these little things up, they’ll be a much better team – and they’re already very good.
DC needs to take a chance on Jason Bean next week. Spencer Sanders is a scrappy backup, but he doesn’t have the “it” factor that Ta’amu, or Bean, possesses. Sanders uses his legs to extend plays and create plays, but really struggled to make a lot of the right reads, and put the ball in harm’s way too often. He missed a few open men in crucial scenarios too, such as the 4th and 12 miss to Cornell Powell.
What is encouraging for DC: their ground game was very effective. DC rushed for over 200 yards in this ball game, something they haven’t been able to do efficiently for a couple of games. If the Defenders have any chance at keeping their postseason hopes alive next week, they will need the same production. Unfortunately, six offensive penalties resulted in poor efficiency on third down (3-for-11).
Final Thoughts
The Orlando Storm are one more Battlehawks loss away from locking up the #1 seed in the UFL. They’re looking like the team to beat en route to the Championship, as Anthony Becht has this group surging at the right time of the year. For DC, they’ve got a serious test next week – and it’s up to Shannon Harris to make some changes.
Week nine in the UFL continues tomorrow. The Columbus Aviators will host the Birmingham Stallions at 3pm ET on ABC.
What are your thoughts on this game between the Orlando Storm and the DC Defenders? Which players impressed you the most? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
