The Memphis Showboats are taking on the Houston Roughnecks in the opening weekend of the UFL season. It was an exciting first day, and I hope these two teams can carry the excitement through the opening weekend.
Will the Memphis Showboats get the week 1 win, or will the Houston Roughnecks defend their home turf?
Memphis Showboats Vs. Houston Roughnecks Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Memphis Showboats | -1
-105 |
O 40.0
-110 |
-112 |
| Houston Roughnecks | +1
-115 |
U 40.0
-110 |
-108 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Memphis Showboats Vs. Houston Roughnecks Fixtures
- Fixture: Memphis Showboats vs. Houston Roughnecks
- Date and Time: March 31, 2024 @ 3:00 pm EST
- Location: Rice Stadium in Houston, TX
Apex Tale of the Tape
Note: All Stats Are Last Year’s Numbers For Week 1
| Memphis Showboats | Vs | Houston Roughnecks |
| 0-0 (5-5 LY) | Record | 0-0 (7-3 LY) |
| 19.0 | Points Per Game | 24.7 |
| 85.9 | Rushing Yards Per Game | 96.6 |
| 172.4 | Passing Yards Per Game | 206.5 |
| 29.8 | 3rd Down % | 45.0 |
| 21.3 | Points Allowed | 18.2 |
| 102.5 | Rushing Yards Allowed | 90.9 |
| 191.5 | Passing Yards Allowed | 187.4 |
| 46.0 | Opposing 3rd Down % | 39.0 |
| +2 | Turnover Differential | +4 |
| 24 | Sacks | 35 |
| NA | Last Game | NA |
Key Stats & Players
Memphis Showboats
The Memphis Showboats transformed their roster in the league merger. They picked up former Philadelphia Stars quarterback Case Cookus, who played in the USFL championship during the inaugural year. Former USFL Offensive Player of the Year Darius Victor also joins the team. These two are only scratching the surface on the number of new players this team brought in.
With a new coaching staff as well, this team is hard to predict in week 1.
Houston Roughnecks
The Houston Roughnecks will have a new quarterback in 2024, Jarrett Guarantano. He played for four years at the University of Tennessee. This was a solid team last year, and they brought in a lot of former USFL players to help their defense.
Game Prediction
The odds have this one as a toss-up. I’ll give the edge to the Memphis Showboats. Their offseason was one of the best in the league and they picked up high-quality pieces. While it may take some time for them to gel together, I like the matchup against the Houston Roughnecks, which have some roster turnover of their own. 40 points is really low for the over/under, so I hope both teams score 20.
Final Pick
Memphis Showboats -1, Over 40.0
Get More Great Sports Content
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.
Follow him on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @TotalApexSports. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL sports, click here!
