St. Louis Battlehawks running back Jacob Saylors (15) picks up yardage in Saturday’s season opener at Houston.Aaron M. Sprecher/UFL

The St. Louis Battlehawks began their 2025 UFL season with a record-setting performace season opener with an easy 31-6 victory over the Houston Roughnecks at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas Friday Night. The Battlehawks recorded 460 total yards, the second-most for a single game in UFL history, previously held by the Birmingham Stallions. St. Louis free safety Qwynnterrio Cole started the season with an interception on the St. Louis 44-yard on Houston’s first pass attempt. Then St. Louis running attack led by Running back Jacob Saylors ran 37 rushing yards over the possession, then added a 21-yard rush on 2nd and 10 at the HOU 36.  Then Saylors finished off a 4-yard touchdown down run for the 2025 season.

St. Louis led 18-0 at halftime which was the second large lead since 2020 when they led 23-3 against the New York Guardians in the XFL. Before the season, question marks were raised as to how the Battlehawks offense would function without A.J. McCarron, who the team decided not to bring back in favor of Manny Wilkins. Wilkins answered by completing 17 of 22 passes for 189 yards for the Battlehawks. However, his larger impact came on the ground, where racked up 43 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries.

Jacob Saylors totaled 98 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries while Jarveon Howard went for 115 yards on 13 carries, most of which came on a 74-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Houston scored its only touchdown of the game on a five-yard pass to wide receiver Justin Hall in the fourth quarter to make it 31-6. The Battlehawks will have their home opener in a rematch against the San Antonio Brahmas who they lost in their conference final match-up 25-15, at 5:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 6 at The Dome at America’s Center.