A battle atop the XFL Conference standings is on the docket on Friday night in the nation’s capital, as the DC Defenders host the St. Louis Battlehawks in what should be an outstanding game.
The Defenders and Battlehawks, all square atop the conference’s standings, have both enjoyed May win streaks to see themselves surge into the title picture. With a spot to stand alone on the top of the table, and potentially earn home-field advantage in the postseason, on the line, there are fireworks to look forward to in DC on Friday night.
With an exciting UFL clash on the slate this Friday in Washington, check out our DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks predictions, including our UFL expert picks, with the tip set for May 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Matchup DC Defenders vs St. Louis Battlehawks Overview
Teams: DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks
Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Audi Field
Win Probabilities
The UFL win probabilities have been generated using insights from recent UFL games in combination with expert UFL picks and predictions. The DC Defenders are riding a two-game win streak and have been given a chance to win this UFL game. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Battlehawks have surged up the standings with four straight wins, and have a chance according to the UFL win probabilities.
Projected Final Score
The projected final score anticipates a close game in the nation’s capital, but for the DC Defenders to prevail with a final score of DC Defenders 31-27 St. Louis Battlehawks.
Expert Prediction: Who Wins?
It has been a season of streaks for the UFL Conference-leading DC Defenders, who reeled off three straight wins to start the season. They then dropped two out of three games before finding their form again and winning two straight contests.
While a loss to the USFL Conference-leading Michigan Panthers on the road is perfectly understandable—if not also slightly concerning ahead of this meeting—being the only team to fall to the 1-7 San Antonio Brahmas is tough. That it came at home is even worse and perhaps negates any thought of home field advantage for the Defenders ahead of this contest.
Not to be outdone, the team tied atop the UFL Conference standings with the Defenders; the St. Louis Battlehawks have been similarly streaky. After finishing as the runner-up in the UFL a season ago and losing the championship game on their home field, the Battlehawks have seemingly put that heartache behind them.
Two straight wins to open the season were followed by a pair of losses, including to Friday night’s opponent in DC, but the Battlehawks have since rebounded convincingly, with four straight wins.
These two teams have been on a collision course all regular season long. Their parallel campaigns saw the pair tied atop the standings and headed into a regular season finale with plenty to play for. This not only sets up a highly dramatic matchup on the regular season’s final day, but it could also be just a preview of a playoff meeting down the line.
For more insights, see our Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys Prediction breakdown.
Why the DC Defenders Can Cover
Like last season, the DC Defenders’ strength is rooted in quarterback Jordan Ta’amu’s duel-threat mastery.
Ta’amu is in the midst of another dynamic, if not overly efficient, campaign in the nation’s capital. In eight games, Ta’amu has thrown for a touch under 2,000 yards on just a 53.6% completion rate. He has, however, limited turnovers at an excellent rate, with just four picks compared to 16 touchdowns.
The former Ole Miss Rebels quarterback has added another 171 yards on the ground on fewer than 40 carries, finding the end zone twice with his feet. With a strong connection with Ta’amu’s trio of receivers in Chris Rowland (second in the league in receiving with 433 yards), Braylon Sanders (ninth with 332 yards), and Cornell Powell (10th with 314 yards), the passing game is central to the Defenders’ success.
Ta’amu and the Defenders will face a tough test on Friday, however, with the Battlehawks’ secondary standing up to challenge after challenge. St. Louis has allowed just 6.4 yards per completion on the season, limiting opposing passing games to 188.4 yards per contest and just 11 touchdowns across eight games.
It’s a battle of strength on strength, but with the Defenders’ deep receiver corps, it’s a good spot for DC to utilize its depth and find a win at home.
For more insights, explore the latest UFL odds and game projections.
Why the St. Louis Battlehawks Can Cover
While the Defenders use their passing game to power their team, the Battlehawks ride the ground game, their tailback Jacob Saylors, and quarterback Max Duggan’s ability to create with his legs.
Saylors leads the league in rushing on the season and is nearly 100 yards up on the next closest runner, with 466 yards to go along with five scores on the ground. For his part, Duggan is in the top 10 in rushing yards, too, with 294 yards and five touchdowns on 58 carries.
The one-two punch of Saylors and Duggan is unwelcome for a Defenders defense that has struggled against the run in the 2025 season. The Defenders have been gashed to the tune of 4.8 yards per attempt on the year—the worst yards per carry mark against any defense in the league—and conceded 10 scores on the ground.
In a clash of styles, the Battlehawks will have the advantage of being able to shorten the game and pound the ball into the teeth of the Defenders’ defense. While St. Louis may not be able to keep pace with the high-flying passing game the Defenders can enjoy, it’ll be able to have enough success on the ground to shorten the game and keep things close in a matchup atop the standings.
How to Make DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks Picks
Ready to make picks on the DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks matchup on Friday, May 30? Make sure to head over to Sportzino, where you can find every UFL game on the slate this weekend, and so much more!
