The Houston Roughnecks traveled to Memphis Saturday to play their first USFL conference contest of the 2025 UFL season. Both teams entered the game with an 0-2 record, with each team looking for their first win of the season.
The game saw Memphis start out in front, thanks to a 32 yard field goal by Memphis kicker Matt Coghlin on the Showboats’ first drive for the 3-0 lead. The Roughnecks offense, much like the first two games of the season, found success early on moving the ball down the field through the legs of quarterback Anthony Brown and running back Zaquandre White. The Roughnecks finished the game with a season high of 118 yards on the ground.
However, the offense still struggled to put points on the board until Roughnecks kicker Chris Blewitt converted a 36 yard field goal attempt to even the score. It looked as though it would head into halftime that way, until Showboats quarterback E.J. Perry found wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II for the eight yard touchdown score with 37 seconds left in the second quarter. Perry would find Lassiter again for the two-point conversion, and the Showboats would go into halftime with the 11-3 lead.
The Roughnecks came out of the locker room deciding to shake things up. Quarterback Nolan Henderson started the second half for Houston and made an immediate impact on the game, leading a drive down the field that ended in a six yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Butler in the possession of the half. Despite failing to convert the two-point conversion, the Roughnecks showed new life as they made it a 11-9 game. The momentum continued for the away team on the very next possession. E.J. Perry’s very next pass was intercepted by Roughnecks safety Leon O’Neal Jr. who returned it 30 yards for the pick six to give Houston its first lead of the season.
The Roughnecks defense continued to play lights out, with Perry forcing another pass to be intercepted by Houston cornerback Keenan Isaac. This resulted in Memphis head coach Ken Whisenhunt making a change at quarterback and substituting veteran quarterback Troy Williams for the remainder of the game.
Houston extended their lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter, thanks to a Blewitt 28 yard field goal to make it a seven point game. Memphis, trying to get back into the game, began a lengthy drive that chewed up 10:10 of the fourth quarter clock and ended with a 4 yard touchdown scramble by Williams. However, the home team couldn’t secure the two-point conversion, nor the onside conversion and the Houston Roughnecks were able to secure their first win in almost a calendar year, with a final score of 18-17.
The Roughnecks will return home next weekend to face the three-time defending champion Birmingham Stallions, Saturday, April 19 at 6 p.m. CT.
POST GAME NOTES:
- Safety Leon O’Neal Jr. had another big performance for the Roughnecks, registering 9 total tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and an interception.
- Wide Receiver Emmanuel Butler caught his second touchdown, leading the team in that category and surpassing his total from last season.