And its first game will feature what could be two of the better teams in the league as the Arlington Renegades play host to the Vegas Vipers.
The Renegades have a solid-looking roster, led by legendary college coach Bob Stoops and a good quarterback room. Many presumed that Kyle Sloter — a former NFL preseason star who was named to the all-USFL team in 2022 — would be the top offensive player for the team, but it seems that Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt may get the first crack at being the team’s quarterback.
MORE: Kyle Sloter looks to prove himself with RenegadesThe Vipers are coached by Hall of Famer Rod Woodson and possess some high-end NFL talent. They are headlined by former Steelers speedster Martavis Bryant and Vic Beasley, who was an All-Pro pass rusher with the Falcons in 2016.
MORE: What happened to Martavis Bryant?Vegas’ quarterback room may be stronger than that of the Renegades, too. Luis Perez was a breakout star in the AAF and, like Sloter, found success in the USFL last season. He figures to get the bulk of the reps, while Brett Hundley — a long-time NFL backup — could factor into the rotation. He joined the team just a couple of weeks ago, though, so Perez will likely start.
XFL COVERAGE:
It’s hard to predict exactly how the Vipers and Renegades will fare with no real preseason action. But as it stands, this should be a good battle to kick-start the 2023 XFL season.
The Sporting News is providing live updates of Vipers vs. Renegades as the XFL kicks off its 2023 season. See the best highlights and biggest plays below.
MORE: Watch XFL games live with fuboTV (free trial)
Vipers vs. Renegades score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| Vipers | – | – | – | – | – |
| Renegades | – | – | – | – | – |
Vipers vs. Renegades live updates, highlights from USFL opener
(All times Eastern.)
2:17 p.m. — One of the big questions entering the XFL’s first game is about who will play quarterback for the Renegades. Drew Plitt and Kyle Sloter were listed as co-No. 1 quarterbacks on the Arlington depth chart, but if the Renegades’ pregame Twitter graphic is any indication, it looks like Plitt will get the starting nod.
1 hour away till KICKOFF 😤
Can’t wait to kick this season off at 2PM (CST) at our home field Choctaw stadium! Stream on ABC / ESPN +
Now let’s head into this season FULL THROTTLE 🗣 pic.twitter.com/4kuXSIbtLy
— Arlington Renegades (@XFLRenegades) February 18, 2023
2:10 p.m. — Dany Garcia, XFL chairwoman and owner, described the players as being the ones that will “carry the X” for the league. What does that X stand for? Well, it isn’t “Xtreme,” as a lot of people think. It actually stands for nothing.
2:01 p.m. — Ahead of the game, the XFL is airing the first episode of its docuseries entitled “Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream.” You can catch the behind-the-scenes looked at the XFL’s first season on ABC.
2 p.m. — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is also getting amped for the XFL’s 2023 kickoff. The league’s part-owner has actively promoted it on social media and tweeted out a mini-schedule for the first day of games.
TODAY our @XFL2023 OPENING DAY takes over @ABC & @ESPN:
🏈 2PM ET: ‘Player 54: Chasing The XFL Dream’ airs on @ABC
🏈 3PM ET: XFL SEASON OPENER: @XFLRenegades v @XFLVipers on @ABC
🏈 8:30pm ET: @XFLRoughnecks v @XFLGuardians on @ESPN
Lets ball out. See you at the games
~ #54
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 18, 2023
1:58 p.m. — Vipers players certainly look excited to make their XFL debuts. The team shared some of their players’ pregame fits as they get ready to square off with Arlington.
the fellas are in the building. pic.twitter.com/wIUU4CPi3o
— Vegas Vipers (@XFLVipers) February 18, 2023
1:52 p.m. — As mentioned, both the Vipers and Renegades have added some talent to their rosters that will be familiar to NFL fans. Martavis Bryant, Vic Beasley and Kyle Sloter are chief among them, but here is a look at the other recognizable players that will take the field in XFL Week 1.
Vipers vs. Renegades start time
- Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET | noon PT
The Vegas Vipers and Arlington Renegades will meet at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday to open the 2023 XFL season. The teams will face off at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
What channel is Vipers vs. Renegades on today?
There will be several ways for football fans to catch the Vipers and Renegades in action on Saturday. The game will air on ABC and can be streamed using an ESPN+ subscription or with fuboTV, which comes with free trial. So cord-cutters and cable subscribers alike will have ways to watch the game.
XFL schedule 2023 Week 1
Saturday, Feb. 18
| Matchup | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel | Live stream |
| Vegas Vipers vs. Arlington Renegades | 3 p.m. | ABC | ESPN+, fuboTV |
| Orlando Guardians vs. Houston Roughnecks | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN, FX | ESPN+, fuboTV |
Sunday, Feb. 19
| Matchup | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel | Live stream |
| St. Louis Battlehawks vs. San Antonio Brahmas | 3 p.m. | ABC | ESPN+, fuboTV |
| Seattle Sea Dragons vs. D.C. Defenders | 8 p.m. | ESPN | ESPN+, fuboTV |
