The Michigan Panthers and Houston Roughnecks will wrap up their UFL seasons on Saturday, facing off for the second time in just three weeks.
Heading into this affair, things didn’t matter too much for either side. Houston was eliminated from playoff contention, but are looking to get to the .500 mark to close out their second UFL campaign, improving from 1-9 a year ago.
Meanwhile, Michigan is playing for a couple of home field perks in the USFL Conference Championship against Birmingham. With a win over Houston, and a Stallions loss to Memphis, they would secure the #1 seed.
Let’s take a look at what we can expect in this one on Saturday.
Quarterback Play
For the Panthers, they will be debuting Rocky Lombardi at quarterback this week. Lombardi, one of their UFL College Draft picks, signed with the team in the fall and has primarily been QB3 all year. He’s seen a few snaps on meaningless drives, but will now get the chance to start in his first game this season. It’s a great move by Mike Nolan, to give Rocky some reps as their playoff situation is already settled.
Lombardi played his college ball at Michigan State and Northern Illinois, and has a bit of NFL experience with the Cincinnati Bengals. Rocky’s been spoken highly of throughout this season by Michigan’s staff, and he’s got a cannon of an arm from what we’ve heard. Don’t be shocked if Rocky takes some downfield shots in this game.
On Houston’s end of things, Jalan McClendon will once again be the guy to take the majority of the snaps. They’ve found something special in McClendon, as he’s operated the offense at a higher level than any of Houston’s quarterbacks over the past few years. After a 230 yard, two touchdown performance against DC, Jalan will look to avenge that week eight loss, one where he struggled down the stretch, throwing a pick six to Keni-H Lovely.
Standout Playmakers
Offensively, these two teams are loaded. Houston saw Lorenzo Lingard take over the backfield last week, rushing for 80 yards and a score on just eight carries. Michigan’s run defense is stronger than DC’s, but Houston’s offensive line play has trended upwards this season, and with the dynamic pairing of Merritt, Lingard, and White in the backfield – they should be in position to post more impressive numbers this weekend.
Justin Hall is making his case to be All-UFL once again, with 125 receiving yards against DC this past weekend. He’s consistently showed up against this Panthers defense, and with some of their injuries, he’s bound for another big day.
On Michigan’s side of things, Malik Turner and Siaosi Mariner continue to shine at wideout. Siaosi scored his first touchdown of the year last week, but is all of a sudden leading the UFL in receiving yards with 528, after a 115 yard performance against Birmingham.
TE Cole Hikutini is another name to watch closely for Michigan. He’s been reliable all season long, and has become a target that Etling has looked for more often than not as of late. Cole was targeted nine times on Saturday in Birmingham, with four receptions for 27 yards.
Depth Chart
There are some notable takeaways from this week’s depth chart for both teams:
- Houston is once again without Armani Marsh & Damon Arnette in the secondary, which hurt them a week ago
- WR Marcus Simms to make his first appearance against his former team
- EDGE Lonnie Phelps makes his Roughnecks debut, with Tashawn Bower sidelined
- Michigan is missing Toa Taua, Matt Colburn to make his return at RB
- LB Javin White is back in action for the Panthers, which is big for their defense
The Panthers are a bit banged up, and are choosing to rest some players to keep them healthy for the playoffs. EDGE Kenny Willekes, TE Cole Hikutini, CB Adonis Alexander, and OG Cohl Cabral are all not in action. Victor Curne gets his second start at guard, replacing Cabral. We’ll also see Breeland Speaks start this week, after being on a snap count a week ago in his return from IR.
Houston will be without RB ZaQuandre White, who emerged as a bright spot for this team over several weeks this year. They’ll look to get more production from Lingard, alongside Kirk Merritt who’s hardly been handed the ball despite being healthy.
Can Michigan Get A Defensive Stop?
It’s been a rough go for the Michigan Panthers defensively as of late, especially when it comes to their secondary play. With injuries mounting, their second and third levels have been shaky, which came to a head against Birmingham.
The Panthers allowed a UFL record 11 of 13 third downs converted vs. Birmingham, with an average of 10.1 yards to go. Their first and second down defense was tremendous, but they couldn’t find a way to get a stop on third down when they desperately needed it, giving up several explosive plays, including three scores on third down plays.
This week, they’ll have to find a way to get back on track, against a Houston offense that does have the ability to stretch the field. Jalan McClendon is one of the best deep passers in the UFL, which was on display in week eight when he dropped a dime to a wide open Keke Chism.
Looking At Week Eight
When these two teams faced off in week eight, it was a relatively close affair for the first three quarters, but Michigan pulled ahead late, and never looked back.
The Panthers being able to generate turnovers was a key factor in getting a win in this one. As previously mentioned, Keni-H Lovely came away with a pick six on a screen pass intended for Justin Hall, putting the Panthers in front 27-12 late in the third.
Self-inflicted wounds on Houston’s side of things was an issue once again, which has been a trend for this organization over the past couple of seasons. For example, on 4th and 2 early in the third, the Roughnecks went for it – and Geor’Quavius Spivey dropped an easy screen pass right in his grasp, and the Panthers took over on downs. A little bit later, Houston’s secondary allowed a touchdown after putting Michigan in a 3rd and 16 situation.
It’s those little details that have held Houston back throughout their UFL tenure, and it’s why the Panthers continue to have their way against this Roughnecks team.
Coaching Matchup
Houston Roughnecks | C.J. Johnson: Johnson’s Roughnecks have improved drastically compared to last UFL season. With four wins under their belt this year, C.J. is well on his way to keeping his job as the Roughnecks look to continue to build towards the postseason in 2026. Now, he has to find a way to get a win against his former Saints staff member, in Mike Nolan – who’s beat him four times in the USFL/UFL now.
Michigan Panthers | Mike Nolan: Nolan has his Panthers in the playoffs, and wisely has ensured that Bryce Perkins is resting while he recovers from injury. He’s currently 4-0 against C.J. Johnson in spring football, but his focus is probably a bit more centered on how to get past Skip Holtz and the Birmingham Stallions – a team he’s 0-6 against over the past three seasons.
Coach Nolan had this to say about the upcoming matchup versus Houston:
“They’re a good football team, I’ve said it before. That game we played a couple weeks ago was pretty tight for most of it. We had a big return, and then an interception for a touchdown that kind of changed the game, but they’re a good team and they proved that by beating DC. Justin Hall, their slot receiver, is an outstanding receiver, one of the top in our league. They have a hell of an offensive line, their center is one of their better guys as well. Their quarterback has sparked the resurgence of their football team, so it’ll be a fun game.”
Final Thoughts
For fans of the UFL, this should be another entertaining game to watch, as both teams consistently play competitive football – and, will both be playing to win despite the circumstances. For Panthers fans, there’s an added bonus – as the first 2,000 fans to show up will receive a Jake Bates bobblehead.
The action all kicks off on Saturday, at 3pm ET on ESPN.
Full Roster Breakdowns: Houston, Michigan
What are your thoughts on this upcoming matchup between the Houston Roughnecks and Michigan Panthers? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
