XFL Game of the Week: Houston Roughnecks vs. Arlington Renegades
We have a Texas-sized showdown to help close out the XFL regular season this weekend.
On Sunday afternoon, XFL fans are treated to a matchup featuring the first ever champions of the XFL South division in the Houston Roughnecks as they travel to Arlington to take on the Renegades who fight for their playoff lives.
Houston enters the matchup with a 6-3 record having already clinched not only its division, but the chance to host the South Division Championship with the playoffs starting next week.
The Roughnecks clinched all that with their 28-21 home win against the Vegas Vipers last week.
In the win, the Roughnecks relied on their run game with 132 total rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Max Borghi had a big chunk of that yardage with 74 yards and a touchdown.
The Roughnecks managed to hold onto a late lead as the Vipers final drive of the game ended just short, finishing at the Houston 18-yard line as time expired.
That result even happened despite quarterback Brandon Silvers throwing two interceptions in the win.
While Houston has locked up everything it could possibly earn, Arlington still has lots to play for in the final week of the regular season.
Entering the week with a 4-5 record, the Renegades need to win to clinch its playoff spot with a 3-6 San Antonio Brahmas team breathing down their necks.
The Renegades could also get in with a Brahmas loss as they host the top team in the league in the D.C Defenders this weekend.
D.C is coming off a win over the Renegades last week in a tight 28-26 game.
The Renegades fell in overtime as Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta'amu found Josh Hammond for the eventual game-winning two-point conversion.
Arlington had put up a good effort on the offensive side of the ball led primarily by the passing game of Luis Perez.
Perez threw for 335 passing yards with one touchdown against one interception.
Also pitching in was running back De'Veon Smith who added on 43 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Renegades also did a good job of slowing down a Defenders offense that has been one of the best in the league even forcing two interceptions.
Going from one division winner to another will be no easy task for the Renegades in a must win game, it doesn’t make things easier that they lost the last time they faced the Roughnecks.
Back in Week 2, the Roughnecks defeated the Renegades 23-14 for what would be their second of four consecutive wins to open up the season.
Even if the Roughnecks are able to repeat history with a win in the final game of the regular season, there’s a chance that these two teams could be very familiar with each other in a chance to advance to the XFL championship game.
Logan Bourandas is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
