[hehfest]

Watch on ABC, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
XFL App to Feature Live Chat with ESPN Talent

SAN ANTONIO – May 12, 2023 – The Arlington Renegades will meet the D.C. Defenders in the XFL Championship Game at 7 p.m. CT Saturday, May 13 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, marking the 43rd and final game of the 2023 XFL season. The Defenders posted a league-best 9-1 record during the regular season, and then defeated the Seattle Sea Dragons, 37-21, in the North Division Championship Game to punch their ticket to San Antonio. The Renegades earned their spot by beating the Houston Roughnecks, 26-11, in the South Division Championship Game.
TICKETS
Tickets for the XFL Championship start at $25 plus applicable fees and are available at xfl.com.
WHERE TO WATCH
7 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes. The XFL Championship Game will feature ESPN’s broadcast team of Tom Hart (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Cole Cubelic (field analyst) and Katie George (field reporter). Rebeca Landa (play-by-play) and Sergio Dipp (analyst) will cover the game on ESPN Deportes.
ENHANCED AUDIO SKYCAST
ESPN+ viewers will have the option to experience the game through an Enhanced Audio SkyCast, which features live mics for head coaches, coach-to-player communications, referee to XFL Vice President, Officiating and Rules Innovation Dean Blandino as well as public address; sideline tablet video, and SkyCam video.
FOLLOW ALONG FROM ANYWHERE
Social Media and Content Platforms
Get an insider’s look into the 2023 XFL Championship with behind-the-scenes content and exclusive access through League social media platforms:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/xfl
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/xfl
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@xfl
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/XFL2023
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XFL
• Arlington Renegades:
  
  • https://twitter.com/XFLRenegades
  • https://www.instagram.com/xflrenegades/
  
  
• D.C. Defenders:
  
  • https://twitter.com/XFLDefenders
  • https://www.instagram.com/xfldefenders/
  
  

XFL App
Download the Official XFL app with the latest league and team news and videos, real-time scores and stats, and all of the coverage of the league and your favorite teams. Customize your app experience by selecting your favorite team.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• The two teams met once during the 2023 XFL regular season, with the Defenders winning a 28-26 overtime thriller at home, after the Renegades battled back from a 17-point deficit to force the extra time.
• While the Defenders boast the top offense in the XFL, the Renegades are No. 3 in the league in total defense and No. 4 in scoring defense, allowing just 19.4 points per contest during the regular season.
• This will be the fourth time this season that Renegades QB Luis Perez has played against the Defenders, having faced them twice while with Vegas before the trade, and in Week 9 with the Renegades. During those games, he completed 55 of 78 pass attempts for 619 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
• The Defenders (48%) and Renegades (39%) boasted the two-highest Run Play Percentages among the eight teams in the 2023 XFL season. Defenders Running Back Abram Smith is the only player with multiple games (three) of 20+ carries, while Renegades Running Back De’Veon Smith’s 26 rushing attempts in the South Division Championship Game are the most carries of the season.
• The Renegades have allowed the fewest yards per carry up the middle (3.7), while the Defenders have a league-leading 5.2 yards per carry on rush attempts inside the tackles.

ARLINGTON RENEGADES

• The Renegades earned their spot in the XFL Championship Game by beating the Roughnecks, 26-11, in the South Division Championship Game April 29 in Houston.
• The Renegades ranked last in the league with 14.6 points per game during the regular season but have scored a season-best 26 points twice in their last three games.

Head Coach Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops rejoined the XFL from his position as head coach of the Renegades in 2020. He was the longtime coach of the University of Oklahoma (1999-2016) and coached the Sooners to a win in the 2021 Alamo Bowl. He won the 2001 Orange Bowl with the Sooners and earned a consensus National Championship. He has a 191-48 record over his 33-year college career and is the winningest coach in Oklahoma history. He led the team to the most conference championships of any Big 12 team and his 2008 team is the highest scoring in college football history.
He joined his alma mater, University of Iowa, as a graduate assistant and assistant coach until 1987. He has also coached at Kent State University, Kansas State and University of Florida, where he won a National Championship in 1997.
Stoops played football at University of Iowa as a defensive back and was named the team’s MVP in 1982. He received the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award in 2000 and 2003, the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award in 2000 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Players to Watch

• #12 Quarterback Luis Perez Perez was traded to the Renegades from the Vegas Vipers on March 28 and took over the reins April 8 in Week 8. After averaging 12.6 points per game their first seven games of the season, the Renegades improved to nearly 20 points per game after the Perez trade. In his four starts with the Renegades, Perez completed 68 percent of his passes (88-of-124) for 1,019 yards and 4 touchdowns.

• #2 Running Back De’Veon Smith Smith finished the regular season tied for No. 1 in the league with seven rushing touchdowns and was No. 4 in the XFL in rushing yards, going for 365 yards on 115 carries.

• #80 Tight End Sal Cannella The top target for the Renegades’ quarterbacks, Cannella was No. 6 in the XFL in receptions with 42. He recorded 415 receiving yards (No. 12).

• #18 Linebacker Donald Payne Payne was the Renegades leading tackler through the regular season. He tallied 61 tackles to finish No. 5 in the XFL, adding five tackles-for-loss and 0.5 sacks.

• #4 Defensive Back Joe Powell Powell was No. 2 in the XFL regular season with four interceptions, including a 90-yard return against the Defenders in Week 8.

D.C. DEFENDERS

• The Defenders are led by Head Coach Reggie Barlow, named 2023 XFL Coach of the Year.
• The Defenders led the league in scoring offense through the regular season, averaging 29.8 points per game.

Head Coach Reggie Barlow
Reggie Barlow joined the league from Virginia State University, where he spent the past six seasons as head coach. In 2017, he led the Trojans to an undefeated regular season for the first time in school history, claiming the Northern Division title and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship title. He was named the CIAA Coach of the Year in 2017.
Previously, he coached at his alma mater Alabama State University, first as the quarterback coach and then as head coach from 2007-2014. While at Alabama State, Barlow mentored several quarterbacks, including Super Bowl XLVII Champion Tarvaris Jackson. He departed Alabama State with a 49–42 record across eight seasons. He has coached 45 All-Conference players, two Conference Players of the Year and his teams have accumulated an 80% graduation rate.
While attending Alabama State, Barlow was a receiver and return specialist for the Hornets. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also played for the Oakland Raiders and the Super Bowl XXXVII Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1998, he led the NFL in punt return yards with 555 yards on 43 returns.
Players to Watch

• #10 Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu Named 2023 XFL Offensive Player of the Year, Ta’amu ranked third in the XFL in passing yards (1,894) and passing touchdowns (14). He added 301 yards rushing and three scores on the ground, finishing as the No. 7 rusher in the regular season.

• #4 Running Back Abram Smith Named All-XFL Running Back, Smith led the XFL in rushing yards (791), rushing touchdowns (seven), rushes of 10+ yards (21) and rushes of 20+ yards (five).

• #11 Wide Receiver Lucky Jackson Led the league in receptions of 20 yards or more and tallied 10 catches that went for 20-plus. Jackson was No. 5 in the XFL with 573 receiving yards on 36 receptions and scored five receiving touchdowns.

• #43 Linebacker Francis Bernard The top tackler for the Defenders through the regular season, Bernard recorded 51 total tackles, with six tackles-for-loss and 0.5 sacks.

• #17 Defensive Lineman Davin Bellamy Named All-XFL Defensive Lineman, Bellamy forced three fumbles, tallied 5.5 sacks and recorded seven tackles-for-loss during the regular season.

QUICK HITS

• During the regular season, 27 of 40 games were decided by one possession (nine points or less).
• XFL games average 2 hours and 49 minutes.
• All 51 players on both rosters will be active.
  
  • During the regular season, 45 members of the roster were active for each game.
  
  
• Since the end of the regular season, 54 players (13.2 percent of active rosters) have earned at least one invite to work out with an NFL team.

GAMING STATS

• Through 42 XFL Games
  
  • The favorites this year are 21-19-2
  • Home teams are 19-21-2
    
    • The XFL Championship Game is the first and only neutral site game of the season. D.C. is considered the home team
    
    
  • 12 outright upsets against the betting line
  • The over is 21-20-1.

Arlington:

• 4-7-0 vs. the spread
• 3-8-0 vs the over/under
• 2-1 when leading at halftime
• 4-0 when leading starting the fourth quarter

D.C.:

• 8-3-0 vs. the spread
• 10-1-0 vs, the over/under
• 6-1 when leading at halftime
• 8-0 when leading starting the fourth quarter

[DrunkHorseplayer]

Despite the similar colors and cities, Defenders - Renegades just doesn't get the blood pumping like Redskins - Cowboys. But go DC, I guess.

[Headsterx]

Despite the similar colors and cities, Defenders - Renegades just doesn't get the blood pumping like Redskins - Cowboys. But go DC, I guess.

Defenders are going kill them. Renegades are a joke. Something that's not stated in the stats above which XFL is down right embarrassed about is that Renegades went 4-6 in the regular season.

[JIBBBY]

In on the dog +7.5.