MEMPHIS, TN — It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t clean. But it was clutch.

The Houston Roughnecks clawed their way back from an 11-3 halftime deficit to steal an 18-17 win over the Memphis Showboats on Saturday night, grabbing their first victory of the 2025 UFL season in front of 4,753 fans at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

After two frustrating losses to open the year, Houston’s second-half surge—fueled by a key quarterback change and back-to-back touchdown drives—may have just saved their season.

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Henderson Heats Up in Relief

The Roughnecks offense sputtered in the first half. Down eight at the break, head coach Curtis Johnson turned to backup Nolan Henderson, and the decision proved pivotal.

Henderson, who entered late in the third quarter, led a scoring drive capped off by a touchdown pass to Emmanuel Butler, tying the game at 17 with 7:21 left in regulation. On the following drive, the Roughnecks added a point-after attempt from J.J. Molson to go ahead 18-17.

Henderson finished an ultra-efficient 10-of-11 passing for 80 yards and 1 TD, according to UFL News Hub.

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Showboats Collapse After Fast Start

The Showboats were in control early. E.J. Perry found Vinny Papale for a 28-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter, and Matt Coghlin added field goals from 37 and 33 yards to build an 11-3 halftime advantage.

But the second half told a different story.

Memphis’s offense stalled, scoring just 6 points after halftime. And their defense gave up consecutive scoring drives to Henderson’s Roughnecks. A fumble by running back T.J. Pledger on Memphis’s final possession all but sealed the result.

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Special Teams & Takeaways Tip the Balance

Houston’s Justin Hall had a critical 59-yard punt return in the third quarter that set up a touchdown drive, and the Roughnecks’ special teams were otherwise clean—Molson was perfect on extra points and hit a 34-yard field goal earlier in the game.

The defense also came up with two big takeaways. According to TheUFL.com, the Roughnecks logged two interceptions, one by Isaiah Pryor, which helped flip the field and momentum in the second half.

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What’s Next

• Houston Roughnecks (1-2): Return home to face the Birmingham Stallions in Week 4.
• Memphis Showboats (0-3): Travel to Michigan to take on the Panthers, still hunting for their first win.

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The Roughnecks didn’t just get a win—they may have found their identity. And for the Showboats, another close loss adds urgency to a season threatening to unravel early.

image credit: 2C2K Photography from Houston, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons