UFL 2024: Week 1 by the numbers

Week 1 of the UFL is in the books, and there was no shortage of must-see moments this weekend.

The Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, San Antonio Brahmas and Memphis Showboats came out with wins, while the Arlington Renegades, St. Louis Battlehawks, DC Defenders and Houston Roughnecks came up just short.

The weekend action was highlighted by Panthers kicker Jake Bates‘ record-breaking, game-winning field goal.

Here are the numbers to know after Week 1.

0: The number of field goals Bates had attempted since high school before nailing the 64-yard game-winner with three seconds left in Saturday’s game against the Battlehawks.

4: The number of goals Bates scored in two years as a soccer player at Central Arkansas before transferring, turning to football and becoming a kickoff specialist. Could we be seeing another Brandon Aubrey story?

24: The number of points scored in the fourth quarter of the Battlehawks-Panthers game, which was capped off by Bates’ dramatic field goal.

Panthers’ Jake Bates nails game-winning, 64-yard field goal vs. Battlehawks

7.7: Wes Hills, the USFL’s leading rusher last season, picked up where he left off last spring with a league-best 85 yards on just 11 carries (7.7 yards per carry) for Michigan in Week 1.

11: Michigan’s Kai Nacua, the older brother of Los Angeles Rams star wideout Puka Nacua, led the league in tackles in Week 1 with 11, including a sack in the Panthers’ dramatic win.

2-0: Former USFL teams’ early edge against former XFL teams, with wins by the Stallions and the Panthers.

22-3: Birmingham’s record in spring football over the past three years in the USFL and now the UFL. The last professional team to run off 22 wins in a 25-game stretch was the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019-21. There are four teams in college football that have won 22 of their past 25 games: Georgia (24-1), Michigan (24-1), Washington (22-3) and Troy (22-3).

40: Brahmas punter Brad Wing’s trick play resulted in a 40-yard touchdown for center Alex Mollette in their upset win over the Defenders.

Brahmas’ punter Brad Wing finds center Alex Mollette for 40-yard TD pass

51: Renegades WR Isaiah Winstead’s 51-yard score in the second quarter of their opening game was the longest play of Week 1.

183: The number of yards the Stallions rushed for in the opening win, including 77 yards on the ground from their quarterbacks Matt Corral and Adrian Martinez.