For a change, we won't have the Birmingham Stallions competing for a spring league title this year, and the new blood that constitutes the 2025 UFL Championship Game matchup brings plenty of exciting skill-position players into the contest. That should make for an entertaining battle between the Defenders and Panthers in the always raucous environment of The Dome in St. Louis.
Read on for a look at which UFL Championship Game betting scenarios catch my eye on FanDuel Sportsbook.
DC Defenders vs. Michigan Panthers Best Bets (Saturday, June 14, 8:00 p.m. ET)
It all starts at the quarterback position for these two teams, with Jordan Ta'amu and Bryce Perkins putting together their best pro seasons yet in 2025. Naturally, talented targets are an integral part of a signal-caller's success, and there are an abundance of those on either side as well, not to mention an impressive stable of running backs on either sideline.
It all adds up to a game that I think will live up to some lofty offensive expectations, which is underscored by a total that's climbed a point overnight into Saturday. The Defenders averaged a solid 22.5 points per game during the regular season behind Ta'amu's leadership, as he threw for a personal-best 2,153 yards while also generating a 17:4 TD:INT.
Ta'amu has the luxury of multiple explosive pass-catching options that are good in all areas of the field. Chris Rowland serves as his trusted short and intermediate option, but his quickness gives him the ability to break off a chunk play any time the ball is in his hands. Cornell Powell and Seth Williams, 2021 fifth- and sixth-round picks of the Chiefs and Broncos, respectively, have a good size/speed combo that make them viable alternatives all over the field, and Braylon Sanders, a one-time Miami Dolphin, averaged an absurd 25.5 yards per catch on his 13 receptions.
Deon Jackson, formerly Jonathan Taylor's understudy in Indianapolis, is a threat as both a runner and receiver, while the powerful Abram Smith appeared to finally be rounding back into form late in the season and in last week's playoff game following an ACL tear that wiped out his 2024 season and had him looking rather sluggish for a good chunk of this past campaign. It's no surprise Ta'amu displayed improved decision-making this season with as many reliable weapons to work with, and ball security will be imperative for the Defenders to make good on my prediction they'll slide under the 3.5-point spread, at minimum.
The Panthers, will present a formidable challenge, already having handed DC a Week 6 drubbing 38-14 drubbing at Ford Field. Perkins played at an MVP level whenever he was available this season, winning three UFL Player of the Week awards and making the All-UFL team as well. The dual-threat signal-caller, who was able to absorb some priceless knowledge from Sean McVay and his staff when he spent two years with the Rams earlier this decade, threw for 1,342 yards with a 9:2 TD:INT and added 269 rushing yards and five touchdowns at 5.7 yards per cary.
Perkins may not have the same depth at wide receiver as Ta'amu seems to enjoy, but top two wideouts Siaosi Mariner and Malik Turner have parlayed previous CFL (Mariner) and NFL (Turner) experience into plenty of success this season. Additionally, speedy Jaylon Moore and two outstanding pass-catching backs in Toa Taua and Matt Colburn give Perkins plenty to work with, and they certainly add to the chances of this game turning into an offensive extravaganza.
Both defenses have their strong points, but the Defenders proved vulnerable to the run (league-high 4.8 yards per carry allowed in regular season) while the Panthers gave up the most completions and passing yards per game. Therefore, the stage could be set for the Defenders to keep things close and for the total, high as it is, to be exceeded.
UFL Picks for Defenders vs. Panthers
- Defenders +3.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 51.5 points (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
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