The St. Louis Battlehawks head to Ford Field to take on the Michigan Panthers in the opening weekend of the UFL season. St. Louis missed out on the postseason last year due to a tiebreaker but is hungry to show they have one of the best teams in this new league.
Can the St. Louis Battleahawks ride their continuity to an early season victory, or will the Michigan Panthers pull off a huge upset?
St. Louis Battlehawks Vs. Michigan Panthers Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| St. Louis Battlehawks | -7
-110 |
O 41.5
-110 |
-310 |
| Michigan Panthers | +7
-110 |
U 41.5
-110 |
+250 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
St. Louis Battlehawks Vs. Michigan Panthers Fixtures
- Fixture: St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Michigan Panthers
- Date and Time: March 30, 2024 @ 4:00 pm EST
- Location: Ford Field in Detroit, MI
Apex Tale of the Tape
Note: All Stats Are Last Year’s Numbers For Week 1
| St. Louis Battlehawks | Vs. | Michigan Panthers |
| 0-0 (7-3 LY) | Record | 0-0 (4-6 LY) |
| 24.9 | Points Per Game | 17.1 |
| 83.5 | Rushing Yards Per Game | 85.7 |
| 226.2 | Passing Yards Per Game | 181.4 |
| 39.0 | 3rd Down % | 38.3 |
| 20.2 | Points Allowed | 20.9 |
| 121.7 | Rushing Yards Allowed | 103.0 |
| 189.2 | Passing Yards Allowed | 186.2 |
| 40.0 | Opposing 3rd Down % | 42.0 |
| +7 | Turnover Differential | -2 |
| 19 | Sacks | 23 |
| NA | Last Game | NA |
Key Stats & Players
St. Louis Battlehawks
The St. Louis Battlehawks arguably have the best quarterback in the league, AJ McCarron. The former Alabama and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was unsure whether he was going to come back in 2024. He ultimately decided to return, which was a huge boost for this team. He led the XFL in completion percentage last year with 68.8%.
All three of their top receivers, Darrius Shepherd, Hakeem Butler, and Marcell Ateman, are back, giving this offense a lot of continuity.
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers are tied for the worst odds to win the title in +1,200. EJ Perry will be under center and is one of the big wild cards for the 2024 season. He only started two games for the Panthers last season but had great statistics in both starts.
In the playoff loss to the Maulers, Perry threw for 370 yards and two touchdowns. If he can be the answer at quarterback, this team could make some noise.
Game Prediction
The St. Louis Battlehawks’ continuity will win the day. AJ McCarron is also the best quarterback in the league, period. The Michigan Panthers are counting on a two-game sample size to carry over from last year. Give me lots of points being scored in this one by the Battlehawks as McCarron carves up the defense.
Final Pick
St Louis Battlehawks -7, Over 41.5
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Matt Brown has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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