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The XFL is once again back to fill the void we all feel when football is over, kicking off with a matchup between the Vegas Vipers and Arlington Renegades on Saturday afternoon. Let's take a look at our XFL odds series with a Vipers-Renegades prediction and pick.
This iteration of the Vegas group will be led by head coach Rod Woodson, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As usually happens with these secondary leagues, plenty of forgotten names pop up on this roster as well.
The Arlington Renegades will be led by Bob Stoops, who finished his college coaching career with a dominant 191-48 record, earning induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Here are the Vipers-Renegades XFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
XFL Odds: Vipers-Renegades Odds
Vegas Vipers: +3.5 (-110)
Arlington Renegades: -3.5 (-110)
Over: 36.5 (-110)
Under: 36.5 (-110)
How To Watch Vipers vs. Renegades
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN Plus
Time: 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT
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Why The Vipers Could Cover The Spread
Luis Perez will be the starting quarterback for Vegas, following an odyssey through various leagues and off-season stints in NFL camps. Perez played collegiately at Division II Texas A&M-Commerce. In parts of three different seasons, Perez spent time as the starting quarterback for teams in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football, the 2020 XFL season, and the USFL. Perez has thrown for 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 20 games. Rod Smith will be the starting running back, following a brief career across parts of five seasons in the NFL. Other significant names on the offense include Geronimo Allison, who enjoyed some success as a member of the Green Bay Packers, and Martavis Bryant, who caught 17 touchdowns across four NFL seasons.
The defense is headlined by former top 10 pick Vic Beasley, who registered 37.5 sacks in his six-year NFL career. CJ Avery, a former star at Louisville, is another name that readers should be familiar with.
Why The Renegades Could Cover The Spread
While the Renegades have yet to name an official starter at quarterback, there are some names that could bring back some memories. Kyle Sloter is one of the two listed starters at quarterback, finding his way to Arlington after some years bouncing around NFL training camps and nine starts in the USFL. Keith Ford, who appeared in a couple of NFL games after a decorated college career, will see a majority of the carries out of the backfield. Brandon Arconado had a breakout season at Washington State in 2019, and will be the number two receiver for the Renegades. Sal Cannella, who spent some time with the Packers in training camp, will be the starting tight end.
Will Hill, who was a star at Florida in the 2000s, and later spent a few seasons in the NFL, is the easiest name to remember on the defense. Hill spent some time in the CFL before bouncing around various spring leagues since 2017. Another fun name for fans is Marquette King, who captivated Raiders' fans with his powerful punts. King spent seven seasons in the NFL, last appearing for the Broncos in 2018.
Final Vipers-Renegades Prediction & Pick
This might be a fun matchup to kick off the beginning of the spring season. I'll give the advantage to Stoops and company, based solely on his stellar coaching record.
Final Vipers-Renegades Prediction & Pick: Arlington -3.5 (-110), over 36.5 (-110)
