Birmingham Stallions vs. San Antonio Brahmas | Week 6 Preview

Week six in the UFL will conclude on Sunday afternoon, as the Birmingham Stallions host the San Antonio Brahmas in what is a rematch of the Championship from a year ago.

Last year, when we previewed the regular season battle between these two in week nine, many expected it to be a Championship preview. They were right, as Birmingham and San Antonio won their respective divisions. The hype for the game, both times around, was impalpable.

This time around, it’s a different story. The Birmingham Stallions are 3-2, yes, but they haven’t looked at all like the fluid Skip Holtz-led organizations that we’ve seen in times past. On the other side, the San Antonio Brahmas are a mere shell of what they were in 2024, with a 1-4 record halfway through the year.

Let’s take a look at what we can expect in this one, as it’s a bit tough to predict what will ultimately happen, given the variables.

Quarterback Play

For the Stallions, Case Cookus will roll out at QB1 once again. With Matt Corral still nursing an injury, Cookus will be QB1 for the foreseeable future. He had an inconsistent performance against Memphis in their loss on Friday night, showcasing what he’s capable of with his legs, and strong arm – but clearly wasn’t on the same page with Holtz throughout the night. Case’ lack of confidence was on display at times, similar to what we saw from him in Memphis a season ago.

That said, Skip Holtz said that we will see Andrew Peasley play at some point in this game against the Brahmas. Peasley joined the team earlier this season, filling in for Alex McGough who went to IR. The former Wyoming product spent time with the Jets, and per league sources, has looked very good with the Stallions over the past few weeks. Don’t’ be surprised if Andrew gets into the game sooner than later, especially if Cookus is on a short leash.

While Kellen Mond was pulled in the third quarter for Jarrett Guarantano against Houston, they once again will feature a new quarterback. Guarantano, dealing with sickness, is inactive. The Brahmas are turning to Kevin Hogan, who’s primarily been QB3 this season.

Kevin Hogan was with the Brahmas a year ago, seeing action in week seven when he led a late comeback against the Houston Roughnecks. He’s a veteran, with legitimate NFL experience having started in a few games for the Cleveland Browns in 2016 and 2017. Kevin’s surprisingly mobile, but not as mobile as Kellen Mond or Jarrett Guarantano. With his strong arm, though, Hogan gives San Antonio the ability to unleash some deep balls with accuracy. It’s exciting to see Kevin given the chance to start, as he has the tangibles needed to help this offense get back on track, with his refined decision making.

Standout Playmakers

The Birmingham Stallions feature no shortage of talent for either quarterback to get the football to. Deon Cain, Marlon Williams, Davion Davis, Jace Sternberger, etc. – they’re all incredible at what they do. With the lack of reps between these guys in training camp/the last several weeks, though, it takes time to build some chemistry.

Look for Sternberger to get more involved this week, as Cookus targeted him a bit more often than usual – but also missed him on multiple occasions as he was wide open. WR Austin Watkins will be missed with a lower back injury, but Cookus/Peasley should be just fine.

On top of that, C.J. Marable is bound for a big day, as he’s improved as the season has gone on. San Antonio is struggling in their run defense, missing tackles and not staying aligned with their gap assignments like they should.

The Brahmas need to get Anthony McFarland the football, plain and simple. We spoke to Payton Pardee this week who said that it’s imperative that Anthony gets the ball in his hands, as “good things happen” whenever he’s got the rock in his grasp.

Ra’Shaun Henry will be making his first start of the year, finally activated off of the injured reserve. San Antonio’s playmakers have struggled to be consistent this season – they need someone to step up. Even Jacob Harris, who’s emerged as a legitimate threat, has been a problem as he’s dropped multiple passes. This included a ball that ended up in the hands of Houston this past weekend, which was returned for a pick six – killing any chance at the Brahmas’ fourth quarter comeback.

Depth Chart

There are quite a few changes for both teams this week, especially San Antonio:

• WR Jontre Kirklin is no longer starting, with Ra’Shaun Henry returning to the lineup
• Brahmas are gutted at WR, with Mathew Sexton and Greg Ward Jr. inactive
• Defensively, San Antonio is missing DT’s Caeveon Patton and Rashard Lawrence, meaning that Isaiah Buggs is already active, with Matt Gotel starting at DT
• The Brahmas will see Paul Moala and Storey Jackson make their debuts for the team at LB
• DB Darius Phillips is inactive this week, but BoPete Keyes returns as a starter
• Derrick Kelly II is starting at RT for the Brahmas, with Zuri Henry inactive

Birmingham has less changes, but still a couple of notable moves:

• DE Ronnie Perkins returns, which is big for their defensive line as he is one of their captains
• Madre Harper starting at CB over Rachad Wildgoose; Mario Goodrich and Kenny Robinson still out with injury
• Grant Miller to debut on the O-Line, returning to BHAM after being cut by Michigan

Generally speaking, both teams are hurting pretty badly on both ends. San Antonio has seen a plethora of changes, which partially feels like desperation as they try to figure out something before it is officially too late.

The Trenches: Who Wins?

One of the key matchups to watch in this game will be how both teams handle the battles in the trenches. So far this season, San Antonio has been decimated on this end of the field. They’re averaging less than one sack a game, while allowing 52 QB pressures – the most of any team in the UFL.

Birmingham’s defense has by no means been the best in the league, but they’ve been good. Their front four has been excellent, and the return of Ronnie Perkins is a fantastic sign that their pass rush will be impressive this week. Considering the Brahmas are seeing some changes to their O-Line as well, with Derrick Kelly starting at RT, that’s a potential mismatch for the Stallions to exploit.

On the Stallions side of things, they’ve been much better after the abysmal start that their offensive line had. Even with the loss of Cole Schneider at center, Keaton Sutherland has stepped in and played good football. The Stallions allowed three sacks to Memphis a week ago, but outside of that, have played well. The question is, how can San Antonio attack this unit? Their edge rushers have not produced in 2025, which is shocking to see considering how good they were in this area a season ago.

On top of that, San Antonio has just three takeaways on the year – second worst in the UFL, just ahead of the Memphis Showboats (2). With the lack of pressure that the Brahmas have been able to put onto their opponents defensively, it opens the door for the Stallions to have an offensive onslaught, especially if their O-Line plays well from the first snaps.

Looking At Last Season

The Brahmas and Stallions faced off twice a season ago. They went head to head at the AlamoDome in week nine, where San Antonio upset Birmingham – handing them their first loss of the year.

In that game, the Brahmas were a much different team. Chase Garbers and Quinten Dormady were the signal callers, who were both efficient with the football. Pair that up with some trickery that resulted in Jontre Kirklin tossing a touchdown – and the Brahmas had momentum at home.

San Antonio’s ability to get pressure on Adrian Martinez was a game changer. They were able to get to him rushing just four guys, which is difficult to do in pro football. It allowed for San Antonio to continue to cover down the field, while forcing Adrian to make quick decisions. This year, that trend is far from the case, as the Brahmas rank last in pressuring the quarterback at any level.

Birmingham also had zero answers for Anthony McFarland, who ran all over their defensive unit in this one. Missed tackles were a glaring issue for the Stallions as they fell on the road, 18-9.

We all remember the inaugural UFL Championship – where the Stallions shutout the Brahmas, 25-0. By the second half, San Antonio was missing seven of their starting offensive players, and in a game where they were already rattled and out of rhythm – that was far from ideal. Birmingham overwhelmed the Brahmas in every facet of the game, as Adrian Martinez and Ricky Person Jr. lit up the stat sheets in the second half to lift Birmingham to their third straight title.

Things are, no doubt, different this year. Birmingham’s style of offense isn’t entirely the same – and the Brahmas still have zero identity on either side of the ball.

Coaching Matchup

San Antonio Brahmas | Payton Pardee: Payton is doing the best job that he can with his lack of experience as a coordinator/head coach, but it’s evident that he hasn’t been in this business for too long. San Antonio’s lack of discipline, and mismanagement of resources was on full display against Houston. With time, this will improve – and Payton has shown that he has the tangibles of a leader. He’s got a tough task in front of him, though, going up against Skip Holtz to get his team back on the right track.

Birmingham Stallions | Skip Holtz: Holtz and the Stallions have been trudging through some rather rough waters as of late. They’re 3-2, and have lost two starting quarterbacks to begin the season. Many expected Skip & Co. to not miss a beat, but it’s clear that they aren’t the same unit offensively that they have been over the past years. Right now, the Stallions will be leaning entirely on Holtz – and it’s up to him to deliver.

Final Thoughts

For the Birmingham Stallions, they cannot take their foot off the gas, even though they’re playing a reeling Brahmas squad. With Michigan knocking on the door of the 1st seed, and the Houston Roughnecks surging at the perfect time, Birmingham finds themselves in a storm that is unlike past seasons. It does resemble the USFL South Division from 2023, though, where the Stallions won five straight to close the regular season, and then went on to win the Championship as well.

San Antonio is putting everything on the line in this one. It’s do or die time for a franchise that expected to be back in Championship conversations, but instead, find themselves staring down the barrel of another 3-7 campaign.

Heading into this one, Birmingham feels like the favorite at home – but don’t be shocked if Kevin Hogan sparks new life into a dying Brahmas organization. The action between these two will kickoff at 4pm ET on FOX.

Full Roster Breakdowns: San Antonio, Birmingham

What are your thoughts on this upcoming matchup between the San Antonio Brahmas and Birmingham Stallions? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!