Sunday’s UFL action will start with a battle of USFL Conference foes. The Panthers will attempt to take the next step from reaching the UFL playoffs to reaching the championship game and possibly winning the title. Conversely, the Showboats will try to rebound from a dreadful campaign. Let’s dig in and determine the most appealing bet for this contest.
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UFL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Week 1 (Sunday)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Memphis Showboats vs. Michigan Panthers
The Panthers are favored by 4.5 points against the Showboats. Michigan went 7-4 in 2024, with three losses to the eventual champion Stallions and one to the XFL conference-winning Brahmas. They won by 2, 14, 17, 1, 13, 6, and 4 points in their seven victories, for an average margin of victory of eight points and a median of six. They were 3-3 on the road, beating Memphis, D.C. and Houston.
Michigan should have continuity with many familiar players and the coaching staff carrying over from last season. Danny Etling led the Panthers in passing yards, and Bryce Perkins had Michigan’s highest passing grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF), and both are back this season. The offensive line returns five of their top seven linemen in blocking snaps, including the top three. Four of them were PFF’s four highest-graded pass-blocking linemen for Michigan in 2024.
Leading rusher Matthew Colburn is back, and newcomer Jaden Shirden will replace Wes Hills in the backfield. Trey Quinn, the team’s leader in receptions last year, has retired. However, Siaosi Mariner, Sampson Nacua and Marcus Simms are back and had the three highest PFF receiving grades among Michigan’s pass-catching weapons, and Simms (458 receiving yards) and Mariner (406 receiving yards) were first and second on the club in receiving yards in 2024. Tight end Cole Hikutini was fourth on the Panthers in receiving yards last year, and he’s back.
The defenders also won’t need an adjustment to acclimate to too many new teammates. Michigan’s best defenders at all three levels of the defense are back, including UFL sack leader Breeland Speaks. The Panthers allowed the third-fewest points per game (20) last year, so keeping the gang together is a plus.
The Showboats can benefit from changes after finishing last year 2-8. They scored only 188 points versus a UFL-high 290 allowed. Their losses were by 1, 19, 15, 17, 18, 24, 6 and 15 points. They were rarely competitive in 2024.
Sadly, the quarterback position leaves a lot to be desired this season. Dresser Winn signed at the beginning of March, joining Troy Williams and E.J. Perry. Among 11 quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks in 2024, Williams was sixth and Perry was 11th in PFF’s passing grade. Williams was also 11th in yards per attempt (5.6) and 11th in completion percentage (55.2%). I’ll need to see improvement at the position before believing it.
The backfield is entirely reworked. Jacob Kibodi, Deneric Prince and Jalen Jackson will form Memphis’s backfield trio. Kibodi carried the ball five times for 24 yards and secured one reception for 15 yards on three targets for the Browns in Week 18 last season, and Prince generated some sleeper buzz as an undrafted free agent for the Chiefs in 2023, but his preseason numbers were underwhelming in 2023 and 2024. The backfield might be a strength, but can they compensate for the deficiencies at quarterback? I’m skeptical.
Jonathan Adams led the team in receiving yards (451) and was third in receptions (34) last year, but their second, third and fourth-most productive pass-catching weapons are gone. Overturn among the pass-catching corps might not be bad after last year’s lack of success. Nevertheless, the group must prove itself.
The defense was a tire fire last year. Thus, overhauling entirely this year was likely a shrewd move. Still, a completely re-tooled defense might take time to gel.
The Showboats have their work cut out for them, and they face a unique challenge right out of the chute. Ken Wisenhunt spent most of the offseason as Memphis’s head coach. However, he stepped away from the team on Monday.
Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner has been named interim head coach for the 2025 UFL season. pic.twitter.com/S0hMosQUPd
- Memphis Showboats (@USFLShowboats) March 24, 2025
In his three-plus decades of coaching, interim head coach Jim Turner has never been a head coach. I likely would have picked the Panthers -4.5 points if Wisenhunt was still Memphis’s head coach, but his last-minute exit made it a no-brainer pick.
Pick: Panthers -4.5 (-110)
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
