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Week 8 of the UFL season is in the books. The playoff schedule is all set and ready to go. Where do we stand in the MVP race?
Heading into Week 9, the MVP race appears to be a two-man competition between a pair of quarterbacks that have stood out above the rest this season: Bryce Perkins and Jordan Ta’amu.
Does Perkins or Ta’amu claim the top spot in this week’s rankings? Who else is in the mix and has a chance to make a run at MVP honors?
Here’s a look at my updated UFL MVP rankings heading into Week 9:
UFL Top 10 Plays From Week 8
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4. St. Louis Battlehawks RB Jacob Saylors
Week 8 stat line: 16 rushes, 118 yards, 1 TD
Week 8 result: 29-28 win over Birmingham
Saylors has been the most consistent offensive weapons in the UFL throughout the season. He leads all rushers with 466 yards and is tied for first place in rushing touchdowns with five. With more performances like last week, Saylors could be the primary reason the Battlehawks win their first UFL postseason contest.
3. Arlington Renegades QB Luis Perez
Week 8 stat line: 32-of-46 for 350 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Week 8 result: 33-30 loss to DC
Perez has consistently shown himself to be one of the league’s best passers. Heading into the final two weeks of the season, he has thrown for more than 1,800 yards, completed 70.9% of his passes and has thrown seven touchdowns to five interceptions. Though the Renegades are out of the playoff hunt, Perez still has a chance to top 2,000 yards passing in 10 games.
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2. Michigan Panthers QB Bryce Perkins
Week 8 stat line: N/A
Week 8 result: N/A
Though Perkins did not play in Week 8, it’s been clear since he ascended to QB1 in Michigan that his playmaking ability is what has allowed the Panther offense to remain dynamic. Perkins plays the QB position like a point guard, passing when players are open, but he’s also just as adept at moving the chains with his feet.
The Panthers always have an option to run or pass when Perkins drops back, and that skill will serve them well against the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL Conference Championship Game.
1. DC Defenders QB Jordan Ta’amu
Week 8 stat line: 15-of-26 for 240 passing yards, 2 TDs
Week 8 result: 33-30 win over Arlington
No one has proven to be more adept at creating explosive plays for their team than Ta’amu. With 1,990 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, he has thrown for nearly 200 more yards than the second-leading passer in the league and twice as many TDs as the No. 2 QB with that mark.
While his completion percentage is 53.6%, when Ta’amu completes passes, they’re more than likely to be chunk plays. Those chunk plays have allowed the Defenders to clinch their first UFL playoff appearance and have Ta’amu positioned as the presumptive MVP of the league.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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