Dallas Carves up Houston to win 36-17

The Dallas Renegades and spring football newbie Austin Reed put on an electric display against the Houston Gamblers and won 36-17 to open the 2026 UFL season. Reed and the Renegades put on an aerial clinic and put the entire UFL on notice that they are going to need to be taken seriously this season.

After a tight first quarter, Dallas blew the game wide open with a 17-point explosion in the second quarter and never let the Gamblers back in the game. Offensively, they were firing on all cylinders under new head coach Rick Neuheisel. Neuheisel had been out of football since his 2019 stint as head coach of the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF. He also spent time with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the USFL from 1984 to 1985. Neuheisel showcased his experience as a playcaller and offensive mind as the Renegades chucked it for 376 yards and three touchdowns.

Houston struggled to get their offense going early, only kicking a single field goal in the first half. After a disastrous first half, they played better in the second half, scoring two touchdowns and converting one two-point conversion. The Gamblers struggled, and head coach Kevin Sumlin will be looking for answers heading into Week Two and trying to see if they can capture the success of the second half for a full sixty minutes.

Gamblers Struggle Early

Houston rolled out Nolan Henderson under center to start the game, but he was terrible. Henderson was 3/9 for 34 yards and threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a Renegades touchdown. He could not find a spark and was initially splitting series with Hunter Dekkers in the first half. But, by the second quarter, it was clear that Dekkers was going to be the engine to make the Gamblers’ offense go. Dekkers finished 19/29 for 227 yards and also added 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He was not a world beater, but he was competent enough to likely win the job for Week Two.

The rushing attack was non-existent outside of Dekkers as Kirk Merritt, Marcus Yarns, and Jalen White each got two carries for a total of six yards between them. Yarns caught two passes for 13 yards, and Merritt caught one of his three targets for three yards. With an anemic showing from their backs, the Gamblers need to go back to the drawing board and find a way to get better production out of the backfield.

With their struggles on the ground, the Gamblers had to turn to the aerial attack, but they were unable to make a major mark on the game with their passing game. Jontre Kirklin was his usual productive self, catching all four of his targets for 60 yards. Kirklin should be more involved in the gameplan as he looked like the best Gamblers’ offensive weapon. Houston also saw Jalen Moreno-Cropper be targeted ten times, but he only caught five of those passes. Moreno-Cooper did produce 59 yards on those five catches, but he will need to improve his efficiency to remain involved each week. Veteran tight end Cam Sutton caught all three of his targets and turned those into 43 yards on the strength of a 31-yard catch and run.

Houston also attempted to involve Lujuan Winningham and Justin Hall, two standouts from the 2025 UFL season, but they were unable to make a large impact on their six targets each. Both Winningham and Hall will benefit from improved quarterback play, and Dekkers might be able to unlock the wide range of weapons the Gamblers have on the roster. If he can take a step forward and get a handle on this offense, watch out. Houston is stacked with talent and could be a sleeper offense to target for fantasy success.

Renegades Firing on All Cylinders

No one knew what to expect from Austin Reed when he was named the starter over the “Spring King” Luis Perez, but Neuheisel and company look like geniuses for the move. Reed was revelatory, completing 26/40 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. His 376 yards are a top-five modern spring football performance, and if he can continue on this pace, or something close to it, he will make an assault on the modern spring football record books.

Reed benefited from the standout performances of Tyler Vaughns and Greg Ward. Both Ward and Vaughns are veteran spring receivers and provided a huge boost to Reed in his debut. Vaughns caught seven of his nine targets for 144 yards and a touchdown. His dynamic presence on the field will certainly continue to be key to the Renegades’ offensive success, and if you can pry him off of a league mate’s roster, you should before he becomes untouchable. Ward has bounced around several spring teams, and his 66-yard touchdown was the biggest chunk of his production, but he was efficient in catching all three of his targets. His evasive run after the catch ability will continue to give defenses fits.

There were multiple Renegades receiving options with multiple targets, including five for Drake Stoops and four for Emmanuel Butler. Butler and Stoops should be monitored, but their work could be a product of garbage time.

Dallas leaned on running back Ellis Merriweather to dominate the touches out of the backfield. He had 13 carries for 23 yards and six catches on eight targets for 47 yards and a touchdown. His inefficiency on the ground was balanced by his effective day through the air. Lorenzo Lingard was also involved for the Renegades, and he was more efficient on the ground with eight carries for 36 yards and two catches on three targets for 14 yards. It will be interesting to see if Lingard steals more work from Merriweather in Week Two, but both should be rostered.

What’s Next

The Dallas Renegades will take on the Battlehawks in a battle of 1-0 teams next Tuesday, April 7, and it will certainly tell us more about Neuheisel and Reed. The Battlehawks defense was stingy against a tough Defenders team, so Reed will be put to the test, and we will know more next week if he is for real or not.

Houston opens their home schedule with the Birmingham Stallions coming to town for a Sunday Night Showdown. Dekkers and Sumlin will try to tap into the Gamblers’ offensive weapons and put more points on the board. If Dekkers can settle into his role as QB01, this offense could be a top option this season.