St. Louis clinches a playoff berth for the third straight year (Graphic by the St. Louis Battlehawks and the UFL)
St. Louis is soaring into the playoffs behind Hakeem Butler!
St. Louis 21, Houston 15
Houston struck first blood after their upset last week. Hunter Dekkers fumbled a snap, picked it back up, and connected with his receiver for a touchdown. Houston would miss the extra point, but then make a field goal. The Gamblers would lead 9-0 late in the second quarter. St. Louis would get a Ramiz Ahmed field goal to get on the scoreboard. Then Hakeem Butler would strike just before halftime.
That 38-yard bomb to Butler from Luis Perez would tie the game. An extra point from Ahmed would give St. Louis a 10-9 lead at the break. Butler also set the UFL record for receiving yards in a single season in the first half. Butler has over 1,500 yards and counting in 2026.
Second Half
Houston would reclaim the lead early in the third quarter with a John Rhys Plumlee touchdown run. They would fail at their two-point attempt, so the score would remain 15-10. St. Louis would not be idle in the third stanza, though. Kylin James would pay off a touchdown drive from St. Louis. A two-point conversion was successful from Jarveon Howard, and the Battlehawks would lead 18-15 going into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was quiet, and the three-point difference was maintained until Ahmed got another field goal for St. Louis. With 2:56 left in the game, the Battlehawks would lead 21-15. St. Louis would maintain that lead and get their sixth win of the 2026 season. This would also clinch them a spot in the UFL Playoffs.
St. Louis is headed to the playoffs for the third straight season and has six or more wins for the fourth straight year. Hakeem Butler is poised for another Offensive Player of the Year Award just like he won in 2024. Their final game of the regular season next week will be at home against the Dallas Renegades. Dallas (along with Houston and Columbus) has been eliminated from the postseason, but the Battlehawks will still be playing for a higher spot in the standings and a home game in the playoffs!
