WASHINGTON — Trailing 24-9 with under two minutes left in the third quarter, the DC Defenders (6-3, 4-1 XFL) mounted a late comeback but fell one yard short of tying the game, losing 24-21 to the Houston Roughnecks (4-5, 2-3 USFL) on Sunday, May 25, 2025. WR Cornell Powell led DC with a season-high eight catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
The Defenders’ rally began in the fourth quarter. Midway through, TE Ben Bresnahan made a one-handed, 53-yard catch, advancing DC to Houston’s 23-yard line. Two plays later, RB Deon Jackson scored on a 10-yard rush, narrowing the score to 24-15. Just before the two-minute warning, DC’s defense forced a fumble by Roughnecks QB Jalan McClendon in the endzone, recovered by DB Sam Kidd for a touchback. QB Mike DiLiello then led a 13-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a four-yard touchdown pass to Powell with three seconds left, making it 24-21. On a three-point conversion attempt, DiLiello’s pass to WR Chris Rowland was stopped one yard short, ending the game.
DC opened with a 44-yard touchdown pass from QB Jordan Ta’amu to Powell, taking a 6-0 lead. A failed two-point conversion allowed Houston’s LB Marvin Moody to intercept and return for two points. K Matt McCrane’s 35-yard field goal gave DC a 9-2 lead late in the first quarter. Houston’s K Chris Blewitt answered with a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter, setting the score at 9-5. Roughnecks QB McClendon threw a 14-yard touchdown to WR Keke Chism before halftime, giving Houston an 11-9 lead.
In the third quarter, McClendon led a drive with three third-down conversions, ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Chism for a 17-9 lead. After a missed 43-yard field goal by McCrane, McClendon connected with WR Justin Hall for 46 yards, setting up a three-yard rushing touchdown by RB Lorenzo Lingard and a one-point conversion, extending Houston’s lead to 24-9.
Powell’s 8-104-2 performance marked his second consecutive multi-touchdown game, leading the UFL with seven receiving touchdowns. WR Chris Rowland had seven catches for 76 yards, while DT Joe Wallace recorded a sack and two tackles for loss.
The Defenders will face the St. Louis Battlehawks in their final regular-season game on May 30, 2025, at 8:00 p.m., broadcast on FOX. The matchup previews the conference championship.
