The Houston Roughnecks, hoping to bounce back from their Week 1 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks, were looking to get their first win of the 2025 UFL season against one of their in-state rivals, but the game would end in favor of the Arlington Renegades, 11-9.
Both team’s defenses showed up to play at the start of the game. While the Roughnecks and the Renegades were trading three-and-outs, the home team provided the first points of the game when Renegades Kicker Lucas Havrisik nailed a 27-yard field goal to make it 3-0 for Arlington.
The game continued to be a defensive showcase. Havrisik tried to extend Arlington’s lead by another three points, but his attempt from 53 yards was no good and it remained a 3-0 game. Houston continued to try to move the ball down the field by any means necessary and were finally able to get on the board on the last play of the half. Roughnecks Kicker Chris Blewitt converted his 41-yard attempt to level to score as both teams headed into the locker rooms for half time.
The second half brought more defense from the away team. Renegades QB Luis Perez found his favorite target, TE Sal Cannella on the right side before a huge hit by Roughnecks CB Corn Elder forced him to cough up the ball. Elder recovered the fumble and took it all the way to the 49-yard line before being taken down. The next drive saw Arlington faced with a 4th and 1 on their own 46-yard line. Perez, trying to convert the 4th down, found WR Isaiah Winstead as he was met by Roughnecks S Leon O’Neal Jr. for no gain and a turnover on downs.
However, it didn’t take long after the fourth quarter started for the home side to find the score that they’d been searching for the entire game. On 3rd and 6, Perez dropped back and placed the ball perfectly over the shoulder and into the hands of Arlington WR Deontay Burnett for the game’s opening touchdown. Perez found Burnett again in the back of the endzone for the two-point conversion and found themselves with a 11-3 lead.
Houston retained possession with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter and began moving the ball down the field. Roughnecks QB Anthony Brown found WR Keke Chism down the left side on the field for a 20-yard gain to convert a 4th and 3. Three plays later, Brown found WR Emmanuel Butler in the endzone for his first touchdown pass of the season. Yet, Brown was stopped just short of the goal line on the two-point conversion attempt, and the game ended 11-9 in favor of the Arlington Renegades.
Next week, the Roughnecks will face the Memphis Showboats on the road at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Saturday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. CT.
POST GAME NOTES:
- S Markel Roby led the Roughnecks defense with eight total tackles and a sack.
- S Leon O’Neal Jr. had his best performance in a Roughnecks uniform thus far, totaling seven tackles, a sack, forced fumble and a key 4th down stop in the 3rd quarter.
- WR Emmanuel Butler and K Chris Blewitt registered their first points of the 2025 UFL season. Blewitt is a perfect 1-1 on field goal attempts, while Butler gets his first touchdown reception of the season.