Birmingham Stallions 15, Louisville Kings 13 | Lynn Family Stadium | March 27, 2026

The Louisville Kings made their UFL debut in front of 14,034 fans at a raucous Lynn Family Stadium on Friday night — and they nearly pulled off a stunning upset. Instead, they fell to the Birmingham Stallions 15-13 in a gut-punch of a loss that, despite the final score, showed this city exactly what kind of football team it has.

Birmingham quarterback Matt Corral threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Justyn Ross with 1:55 remaining to erase a 13-9 Louisville lead, and just like that, a historic night turned bittersweet. But let’s be clear — the Kings earned this game. They had it. And there’s no shame in losing to a Stallions program that has been the standard of this league for years.

The Turnovers Were Brutal

You cannot give away a football three times and expect to win, and the Kings learned that lesson the hard way in Week 1. The first turnover came on the very first series of the season, when linebacker Dyontae Johnson grabbed a bobbled pass out of the air at the Louisville 48-yard line. The Stallions quickly turned that into points, and just like that, the Kings were playing from behind before the crowd had even settled in.

The second turnover may have been the biggest single play of the game. Louisville was inside the Stallions’ 5-yard line in the final minute of the first half — a potential go-ahead score — when Stallions linebacker Kyahva Tezino punched the football loose and Tae Crowder recovered at the 1-yard line. Seven points off the board. Momentum gone.

The final turnover came just after Birmingham’s go-ahead score, when safety Hudson Clark grabbed an errant pass from Jason Bean to end the Kings’ final full possession. Three turnovers, zero points allowed off them by Louisville’s defense — and still, the Kings almost won. That tells you something.

Bean Was Good — Until He Wasn’t

Jason Bean finished with 227 yards passing and a touchdown, while also leading the team in rushing with 27 yards. For a quarterback who hadn’t seen game action since 2023, that’s an encouraging debut. He was sharp, he was mobile, and he moved the offense efficiently for most of the night.

But the final interception — the one that sealed it — cannot happen. Bean threw the pick inside the Birmingham 15 with 1:27 remaining, with the Kings in field goal range and a chance to at least tie or take the lead. That decision ended Louisville’s night. One bad read in a game where nearly everything else went right is maddening, but it’s correctable. Bean has the tools. He just needs to protect the football when the game is on the line.

Lucky Jackson Was the Best Player on the Field

If you weren’t watching Lucky Jackson in the first half, you missed the show. The former Kentucky product hauled in 6 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, and was clearly the Kings’ most dangerous offensive weapon all night. The frustrating part is that he wasn’t targeted nearly enough in the second half when Louisville needed big plays most. When your hottest receiver is creating separation, you feed him — simple as that. Expect the coaching staff to address that going forward.

The Run Game Needs Work

The numbers don’t lie. Louisville managed just 46 rushing yards on the night, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, compared to Birmingham’s 111 yards on the ground. The Stallions also dominated time of possession 38:12 to 21:48 — a direct result of being able to run the football and sustain drives. Until the Kings can establish something on the ground, opposing defenses will sell out to stop the pass and make life very difficult for Bean.

The Defense Showed Real Promise

Here’s the silver lining: this defense can play. Holding a Birmingham offense to 15 points — especially with the field position gifted by three turnovers — is genuinely impressive. The one area that needs cleaning up is third downs. Jaydon Mickens was a nightmare on third down for the Stallions, finishing with 9 receptions for 103 yards and consistently moving the chains when Birmingham needed it most. Getting off the field on third down is the difference between a good defense and a great one.

Garibay Left Points on the Board

Let’s not overlook how close this game really was. Stallions kicker Jonathan Garibay had a rough outing — his 50-yard field goal attempt came off low and was blocked early in the game. Those are points Birmingham left off the board that nearly cost them the win. A healthy kicking game and this one isn’t close. The Kings should take note — they were right there despite everything working against them.

The Big Picture

A crowd of 14,034 braved wind chills down to 32 degrees by game’s end to watch their brand-new team compete with one of the best franchises in spring football. They weren’t disappointed. The Kings belong in this league, they can compete with the top teams, and the playoffs are absolutely a realistic goal this season.

But first things first — the Orlando Storm series is coming up, and it’s critical. The Kings take on the Storm in Week 2, and you have to win at least one game in that series to keep pace. Lose both, and the margin for error gets very thin, very fast.

The future is bright in Louisville. Friday night proved it.