San Antonio Brahmas vs. Houston Roughnecks: One Texas team will get second win

A Texas tussle will deliver the second victory of the year for one team when the San Antonio Brahmas host the Houston Roughnecks on Sunday at the Alamodome.

The game is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. CT kickoff and will broadcast nationally on ESPN. Deportes Nation will have the Spanish audio broadcast beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT on DeportesNation.com, our mobile app, and across our social media channels.

Storylines:

• Brahmas Interim Head Coach Payton Pardee is a 2015 graduate of St. Thomas High School. He is the son of former Head Coach Jack Pardee of the Houston Gamblers (1984–1985), University of Houston Cougars (1987–1989), and Houston Oilers (1990–1994). Payton also played wide receiver for University of Houston from 2015-2018, and was the wide receivers coach for the Roughnecks during the 2023 XFL season.
• After completing a highlight-worthy 46 yard catch last week versus Birmingham, wide receiver T.J. Vasher will travel to San Antonio to play against his former team. The former Texas Tech Red Raider had 16 receptions for 173 yards and two touchdown for the Brahmas during the 2023 XFL season.
• The last time the two teams met during the 2024 season saw big performances from two returning Roughnecks from both sides of the ball. LB J.T Tyler anchored the Houston defense, totaling nine tackles with four of those being solo. WR Justin Hall hauled in five catches for 69 yards, including a 41 yard play that was the longest play of the game for Houston.

History:

• The teams play for the fourth time with Houston holding a 2-1 series lead.
• The Brahmas won last season’s meeting, 15-12, off of a 51 yard game-winning field goal by Ryan Santoso at Rice Stadium in Houston.
• The last time the Roughnecks met the Brahmas in the Alamodome was during the 2023 XFL season, and saw the Roughnecks come away with the 17-15 overtime win.
• The XFL Houston Roughnecks went 2-0 against the Brahmas in 2023 when Wade Phillips was the coach.

San Antonio Brahmas (1-3, 0-0 home)

The Brahmas are coming off their first win of the year, 24-18 at DC Defenders last Sunday in what was also the debut of Interim Head Coach Payton Pardee. The result came days after former coach Wade Phillips stepped down due to personal reasons.

Pardee, who was elevated to offensive coordinator prior to the game against Michigan, served as special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach for Wade Phillips in 2023 and 2024. At 28, he’s the youngest head coach for a professional football team.

Running Back Aidan Robbins rushed for two touchdowns, and Mathew Sexton returned a punt for a score as the San Antonio Brahmas (1-3, 1-2 XFL) secured their first win of the season over the previously unbeaten D.C. Defenders.

San Antonio will play its first game in the Alamodome in 2025 after playing four straight games on the road to start the season.

• San Antonio went 4-1 last season at the Alamodome losing to the St. Louis Battlehawks in its one defeat at home in 2024.
• In 2023, the Brahmas lone home win came against the XFL Orlando Guardians, 25-23, on April 15, 2023.
• The Brahmas are 5-5 in games at the Alamodome since spring football returned to the Alamo City.

San Antonio welcomes the Houston Roughnecks to town just as Fiesta takes over the city of San Antonio. Fiesta San Antonio is a vibrant, city-wide festival held annually in San Antonio, Texas, that began over 130 years ago, dating back to 1891 when a group of citizens wanted to honor the heroes of the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto.

The Brahmas 2025 exclusive Fiesta medal has been unveiled after partnering with the Rey Feo Consejo Foundation to create this year’s medal, which pays tribute to former head coach Wade Phillips.

Houston Roughnecks (1-3, 1-1 away)

The Roughnecks fell 23-16 to the Birmingham Stallions last Saturday. Houston was denied its second win, and first at home, on a late interception.

Quarterback Jalan McClendon had a huge game coming off of the bench last week versus Birmingham, going 22-31 with 236 yards passing and a rushing touchdown.

Despite having only played in three games this season, Tashawn Bower has made himself critical part of the Houston Roughnecks defense. The veteran defensive end is currently tied for leading the league in tackles for loss and leads with 1.7 average yards per loss.

Punter Mike Rivers has been a bright spot for the Roughnecks’ special teams this season. The Troy product totaled 209 punt yards in Week 4, averaging 52.25 yards per punt and two being downed inside the 20 yard line.