by WISEMOVECOURIERenegades Beat Roughnecks to Reach 2023 XFL Championship as Fans Praise HC Bob Stoops
Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In one of the most stunning upsets of the season, the Arlington Renegades are moving on to the XFL Championship Game.
The Renegades took down the Houston Roughnecks, the top-seeded team in the South Division, 26-11 on Saturday.
Not only did the Renegades enter the postseason as the only team with a losing record at 4-6, but Roughnecks also dominated them in their two meetings during the regular season.
The two teams met last week for the final game of the regular season, and Houston blew out its in-state rivals, 25-9.
But it’s extremely hard to beat a team three times in a year, which the Renegades only confirmed Saturday.
Led by legendary college coach Bob Stoops, Arlington had players all over the roster make a huge impact in the win, but none more than the duo of quarterback Luis Perez and receiver JaVonta Payton.
Perez threw for a game-high 289 yards to go along with three touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 19 of his 27 passes. Payton was benefactor of a handful of those passes, finishing with 121 yards and two scores.
Stoops’ defense came up big as well, holding an explosive Houston offense to only 11 points. It was previously held to under 20 points only three times during the regular season.
Twitter was singing Stoops’ praises following the win.
Erik “T-Bo” Thibault @ErikThibault
Bob Stoops masterclass in the first half #XFL2023
XFL Center @XFLCenter
The 4-6 #Renegades defeat the 7-3 #Roughnecks in the #XFL South Championship, 26-11.
Although nobody expected this to happen, you can’t take away from the ABSOLUTE CLINIC that Bob Stoops’ squad put on in all three phases tonight.#ARLvsHOU | #XFL2023
mr. pov 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧🇪🇺 @mrpovNA
Gotta give it to the @XFLRenegades. 👏👏
3rd game vs. each other and we’re seeing why Bob Stoops is a great football coach. The organization—what a nice rebound and effort to make the playoffs, win against a SB winning coach today and play for the #XFL Championship.
A big win!
Cason @ousoonerfan
Renegades are about to go to the XFL Championship!!! Way to go @CoachBobStoops
Ryan Abernathy @absonjourney
Big Game Bob is in the @XFL2023 #Renegades
Matt Wilson 🌵 @TheWolf6674
They don’t call him Big Game Bob for nothing! Congrats to my guy Coach Stoops and our hometown @XFLRenegades on the South Division Championship!!!! pic.twitter.com/Q9lev8HT6u
The Renegades winning the championship in the revamped league’s first season would be an incredible storyline considering how far they’ve come.
They’re set to face the winner of Sunday’s game between the DC Defenders and Seattle Sea Dragons, both of whom have been the best teams in the XFL for much of the year.