Vipers vs. Renegades final score, results: Arlington defense, Drew Plitt lead team to win in first XFL 2023 game

Jacob Camenker

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Vipers vs. Renegades final score, results: Arlington defense, Drew Plitt lead team to win in first XFL 2023 game image

The Arlington Renegades got off to a slow start in the first game of the 2023 XFL season. They looked like they might be heading toward a blowout loss to the Vegas Vipers as they trailed by 11 at halftime.

But coach Bob Stoops was never discouraged by his team's performance in that opening 30 minutes. He knew the team had made some mistakes, but he saw an easy way for them to turn the game around.

"As much as anything, we didn't execute third down very well on either side of the ball," Stoops told the ABC broadcast after the game. "We got hit defensively on three or four third downs, and offensively [we] couldn't convert some third downs."

MORE: Kyle Sloter looks to prove himself with Renegades

The offense still had its share of issues on third down after intermission, but Arlington's defense improved in that area, and that allowed it to take control of the game.

The Renegades were able to get stops early and often in the second half. They forced a couple of critical three-and-outs, but more than anything else, they found success in forcing turnovers.

Vegas turned the ball over on four of its first five second-half possessions. Arlington was able to score all 19 of its second-half points off these turnovers; 13 stemmed directly from two Luis Perez interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. The result was a 22-20 Arlington victory.

MORE: What happened to Martavis Bryant?

Perez was stellar in the first half, completing 14 of 17 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. But the Renegade' defense limited him to 8-of-19 passing for 72 yards, a touchdown and the two interceptions after the break.

Perez did have the Vipers in position to tie the game late, but he was sacked by T.J. Barnes on a 2-point conversion attempt with eight seconds left.

Arlington quarterback Drew Plitt was efficient in his first XFL start. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 172 yards and an interception but helped lead the Renegades on three scoring drives.

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Stoops is still hoping that his team's offense will be better moving forward. After all, the unit failed to score a touchdown despite earning the win.

Still, the former Oklahoma coach was pleased with his team's first outing in 2023.

"We'll build on it," he said. "This was our first live action in the last five weeks, so youre going to have some hiccups. But overall, it was pretty clean."

    The Sporting News provided live updates of the Vipers vs. Renegades game that kicked off the 2023 XFL season. Check out the best highlights and a rundown of the game below.

    MORE: Watch XFL games live with fuboTV (free trial)

    Vipers vs. Renegades score

      1 2 3 4 F
    Vipers 6 8 0 6 20
    Renegades 3 0 12 7 22

    Vipers vs. Renegades live updates, highlights from XFL opener

    (All times Eastern.)

    Final: Renegades 22, Vipers 20

    5:52 p.m. — The Vipers attempt a fourth-and-15 conversion in lieu of an onside kick to try to set themselves up for a Hail Mary opportunity. Geronimo Allison gets his hands on the ball, but it's jarred loose by Arlington. They will take a knee to seal a season-opening victory.

    Score: Renegades 22, Vipers 20

    5:50 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN. Perez finds Cinque Sweeting over the middle of the field on a crossing route. He takes it into the end zone for a touchdown. The Vipers go for two to try to tie the game but Perez is sacked. Arlington now is poised to win, barring a miracle for the Vipers.

    5:49 p.m. — Perez is nearly sacked but escapes and throws it away. Third-and-10 from the 20 with 15 seconds left.

    5:48 p.m. — Perez throws the ball out of the end zone on a pass to Bryant. There's 22 seconds left and he needs 20 yards to score.

    5:48 p.m. — The clock stays running and Perez fires a 10-yard strike to Martavis Bryant for a first down. That briefly stops the clock.

    5:48 p.m. — Well, that was quick. The Vipers pick up 30 yards on a deep pass from Perez to Cinque Sweeting.

    5:47 p.m. — Mathew Sexton returns Marquette King's punt to the Vegas 40-yard line. Luis Perez takes the field with 55 seconds to get 60 yards.

    5:46 p.m. — LaRon Stokes' big day continues. He smashes De'Veon Smith behind the line for a loss of four yards. The Vipers use their final timeout and will have one last chance to score.

    5:44 p.m. — Drew Plitt tried to draw the Vipers offside. Instead, his tight end false started. It's now third-and-10.

    5:43 p.m. — The second carry for De'Veon Smith goes for a gain of 1 yard, if that. The Vipers call timeout and will now face a game-deciding third-and-5.

    5:42 p.m. — The Renegades run for four yards on first down. No timeout from the Vipers yet.

    5:39 p.m. — The Vipers have just two timeouts remaining at their disposal. So, if they are able to get the ball back — a big if — they will have about a minute left to mount a touchdown drive.

    Two-minute warning: Renegades 22, Vipers 14

    5:38 p.m. — Another sack followed by a Mathew Sexton drop forces yet another Vipers 3-and-out. Vegas needs to get a defensive stop to get one last chance to win the game.

    5:37 p.m. — Perez is sacked for a 2-yard loss on the first play of Vegas' drive. Things are looking bleak for the Vipers with 3:30 left in regulation.

    5:36 p.m. — The Vipers have run 14 plays in the second half and have netted just 16 yards. They have been responsible for 12 of Arlington's 19 second-half points.

    Score: Renegades 22, Vipers 14

    5:31 p.m. — INTERCEPTION TOUCHDOWN. Perez tosses his second pick-six of the game, this one going to De'Vante Bausby. The Renegades convert the 1-point try to take an eight-point lead over the Vipers with just over four minutes left in regulation.

    5:27 p.m. — Arlington's drive lasted 9:34, so there is only 5:43 left in the game. The Vipers need to get at least something going here. Otherwise, they may run out of time to make the comeback.

    5:26 p.m. — Vic Beasley and LaRon Stokes finish the Renegades' drive once again. They sack Drew Plitt on fourth-and-1 from the goal-line and force a turnover. Still, they are trailing by one and have a long way to go to reach scoring territory.

    5:25 p.m. — The Vipers come up with a third-down stand inside of the 1-yard line. Can they hold off the Renegades' running game on fourth down?

    5:23 p.m. — A few runs put the Renegades at the 6-yard line. First and goal for them as they look to score their first offensive touchdown of the game.

    5:21 p.m. — The Renegades are in the red zone now. Plitt was able to run for a 14-yard gain after avoiding pressure to put Arlington in scoring range. He was nearly sacked but showed good elusiveness on the play.

    5:20 p.m. — Plitt fires a quick slant to Tyler Vaughns on fourth-and-2. He catches it to give Arlington a first down.

    5:19 p.m. — Not so fast. A too-many-men penalty against the Vipers brings Plitt and the Renegades offense back onto the field for fourth-and-2. Massive play here for each side.

    5:18 p.m. — The Vipers' defense comes up big, as Vic Beasley and LaRon Stokes get pressure on Drew Plitt and bring him down. The Renegades will now punt on fourth-and-7.

    5:16 p.m. — Well, now the Renegades are behind midfield again. That's thanks to an illegal formation penalty granted to them on a play called "Daffy Duck" by the Renegades offensive coordinator.

    5:15 p.m. — The Renegades are continuing to move the ball well. Plitt finds Cannella for a first down that moves Arlington across midfield.

    End of third quarter: Renegades 15, Vipers 14

    5:11 p.m. — De'Veon Smith starts the Arlington drive with a bruising, 6-yard run. That will bring the third quarter to an end with the Renegades clinging to a 1-point lead.

    5:09 p.m. — Another possession, another three-and-out for the Vipers. Perez didn't have time to throw on third-and-5 before getting crushed by a blitzing defensive back. This time, Carrizosa manages to get the punt away. Arlington will have the ball on its own 40-yard line.

    5:07 p.m. — The Vipers have turned the ball over on each of their three second-half possessions. They will look to change that as they look to answer the Renegades' 12 third-quarter points.

    Score: Renegades 15, Vipers 14

    5:05 p.m. — FIELD GOAL. Once again, Arlington isn't able to score a touchdown on offense, as their red zone opportunity turns into a Taylor Russolino field goal attempt. He converts from 25 yards out to give Arlington its first lead of the game.

    5:02 p.m. — Jordan Smallwood makes an excellent catch on the sideline. He brings it in with just one arm and secures it against his shoulder to get the Renegades inside the 15-yard line.

    5 p.m. — Rod Woodson decided to challenge if there was defensive offsides on the punt. The challenge was unsuccessful, as there wasn't enough evidence to see whether Arlington had been in the neutral zone when the ball was snapped.

    4:59 p.m. — Vegas' second-half struggles continue. Luis Perez failed to get the ball to Martavis Bryant on third-and-4 and they were forced to punt.

    However, punter Michael Carrizosa had to scramble to avoid a punt block but failed to get the first down. So, the Renegades will get the ball on the 36-yard line.

    4:57 p.m. — Vipers offensive coordinator Duane Taylor said that the offense has to "stay together" as they struggle with turnovers. He likes the way that they have moved the ball today, so he thinks that they can get back on the right track, especially considering that they still have the lead.

    Score: Vipers 14, Renegades 12

    4:53 p.m. — FIELD GOAL. The Arlington drive stalls out but Taylor Russolino was able to make a 32-yard field goal to cap it off. That cuts the Vipers' lead to just two.

    4:51 p.m. — Plitt starts the drive well, completing a 20-yard pass to Sal Cannella and getting the Renegades into the red zone.

    4:50 p.m. — FUMBLE. John Lovett loses the ball after a first-down carry, and it's recovered by Arlington. The Renegades now have a chance to mount a scoring drive and take the lead.

    4:49 p.m. — DeAndre Torrey has the best return of the day for either side, as he brings the kickoff back near midfield. That will give the Vipers good field position as they look to bounce back after the pick-six.

    4:46 p.m. — Laulile's touchdown is the first of the season for Arlington. It also means that Perez has thrown all three touchdowns during the game. The only problem is that one was for his opponent.

    Score: Vipers 14, Renegades 9

    4:44 p.m. — INTERCEPTION TOUCHDOWN. Luis Perez doesn't see defensive tackle Tomasi Laulile sneak out into coverage, and the big man catches it and rumbles into the end zone for a touchdown. The Renegades can't convert their two-point try, however, so the Vipers maintain a five-point lead.

    4:42 p.m. — FUMBLE. Plitt is hit from the blind side on fourth-and-4 by Maximilian Roberts, who had been called for roughing the passer earlier in the drive. The ball bounces to DJ Calhoun and is recovered by the Vipers. They take over on their own 30-yard line.

    4:41 p.m. — Arlington is facing a fourth-and-4 after Drew Plitt scrambled for two yards on a third-and-6. They are going to go for it, as they are on the Vegas 31-yard line.

    4:38 p.m. — The Vipers forced an incompletion on third-and-4, but Maximilian Roberts is called for roughing the passer. That keeps the Arlington drive alive.

    4:37 p.m. — Vic Beasley helped blow up a jet sweep in the backfield. That will set up a third-and-4 for the Renegades, who were forced to use their first timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty.

    4:35 p.m. — Sal Cannella continues to be Plitt's favorite target. He finds the tight end wide open for a 14-yard game after evading pressure on the first play of the half.

    4:34 p.m. — And, we're back. The Renegades get the ball to start the second half and they will begin the period at their own 27-yard line.

    4:25 p.m. — Luis Perez was the star of the first half for the Vipers. He completed 14 of 17 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores have gone to Jeff Badet (five catches, 74 yards) while eight players in total have caught passes.

    As for the Renegades, Drew Plitt has had a solid start to the game, completing 10 of 13 passes for 88 yards. The major difference between his performance and Perez's is that he had a key interception and hasn't thrown a touchdown yet.

    That said, Arlington is running the ball better than Vegas. De'Veon Smith has 24 rushing yards on seven carries while Vegas' leading rusher, DeAndre Torrey, has 10 yards on just two carries.

    Halftime: Vipers 14, Renegades 3

    4:21 p.m. — MISSED FIELD GOAL. Bailey Giffen's 48-yard field goal attempt had the leg, but drifted just left of the goalposts at the final moment. The Vipers aren't able to extend their lead but still enter halftime with an 11-point advantage.

    4:20 p.m. — Perez's third-down pass goes to Mathew Sexton. He gets it to the 30-yard line and the Vipers will attempt a long field goal with 1 second left before halftime.

    4:19 p.m. — Luis Perez completed a 26-yard pass to Jeff Badet on third down, but the receiver was called for offensive pass interference. He pushed off the defensive back with one arm, so the penalty was a deserved one, per Dean Blandino.

    4:17 p.m. — The Vipers use their first timeout after an 8-yard completion to Martavis Bryant. It's third-and-2, as Vegas' first-down play was batted down at the line by Donald Payne.

    4:16 p.m. — Mathew Sexton does just that for the Vipers. He catches a downfield pass from Luis Perez, and the Vipers are now at the Arlington 37-yard line. They still have all three timeouts left.

    4:15 p.m. — INTERCEPTION. Plitt completes one pass to Sal Cannella but follows it up with an interception thrown right to C.J. Avery. Plitt just didn't see him, and Avery brought it back near midfield. The Vipers now have 32 seconds and three timeouts to get into scoring range.

    4:14 p.m. — Vegas' punt goes down to the 10-yard line, but Joe Powell manages to return in 25 yards to the 35-yard line. Drew Plitt now has 55 seconds and one timeout left to get into scoring range.

    4:12 p.m. — The Vipers are trying to get a little something going in the two-minute drill, but it has resulted in two false starts. They are facing a third-and-15 and will likely look to run clock.

    4:07 p.m. — "He's short. I'll be damned. Two downs and we can't get one yard." — Renegades coach Bob Stoops' live reaction to Smith being tackled on fourth-and-1.

    Two-minute warning: Vipers 14, Renegades 3

    4:05 p.m. — The Vipers defense comes up with a big stop on a fourth-and-1 attempt for De'Veon Smith. P.J. Dawson managed to shoot through the gap and bring down Smith to force a turnover on downs.

    It's Vegas ball near midfield as the 2-minute warning draws nearer.

    4:02 p.m. — Plitt starts the Renegades drive with a first-down completion. He threaded the needle to get the ball to Tyler Vaughns in the tightest possible window.

    Score: Vipers 14, Renegades 3

    4 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN. Once again, Perez finds Jeff Badet, this time for a 39-yard touchdown. He moved within the pocket and created just enough time for the speedster to break open down the field for the score.

    This time, the Vipers are able to nail the 2-point conversion, and that gives them an 11-point lead.

    3:59 p.m. — The Vipers are now nearing scoring range. Perez completes a pass to Martavis Bryant to earn Vegas' second first down of the drive. They are at the Arlington 39-yard line.

    3:54 p.m. — Keith Ford fumbles the ball on third-and-2 but manages to fall on it. However, he loses a half a yard on the play, so Marquette King comes out to punt. He kicks it out of bounds inside the 20-yard line. Once again, that will bring the ball out to the 35-yard line, as XFL rules prohibit kicks from going out of bounds inside that range.

    3:52 p.m. — The Renegades are facing a third-and-2 after a short run and a completion to tight end Sal Cannella. They were slow subbing into their jumbo package, however, so they used their first timeout of the game to prevent a delay of game penalty.

    3:50 p.m. — The Vipers stall out after initially gaining a first down. Michael Carrizosa launches a beautiful punt 56 yards downfield, but it goes into the end zone for a touchback. In the XFL, a touchback brings the ball to the 35-yard line, so the punt nets just 21 yards.

    3:48 p.m. — Perez continues to show good chemistry with his receivers. He finds Geronimo Allison for yet another first down as Vegas starts their third drive off the right way.

    3:43 p.m. — The Renegades also go three-and-out on their second series after a couple of short passes to their tight ends and a screen pass to De'Veon Smith. The Vipers will get the ball back just inside their own 25-yard line.

    3:39 p.m. — Michael Carrizosa's punt was short, but Arlington was unable to scoop it up to return it.  The Renegades eventually picked it up, but they will start from their 40-yard line instead of inside of Vegas' territory.

    3:37 p.m. — Colin Schooler comes up with a big play for the Renegades. He sacks Luis Perez for an 11-yard loss. That causes Vegas to punt from deep in their own territory after going three-and-out.

    3:35 p.m. — Thus far, both offenses have fared well. The two quarterbacks have been accurate with their passes and have combined to complete 12 of 15 passing attempts for 116 yards and a touchdown. If the XFL can continue to get quarterback play like that, its owners will be very happy.

    End of first quarter: Vipers 6, Renegades 3

    3:33 p.m. — The Vipers continue to struggle to get their running game going, as John Lovett was only able to gain a yard on first down of Vegas' second drive. An incomplete pass and a penalty have the Vipers facing a third-and-14, which they will look to convert once the second quarter begins.

    Score: Vipers 6, Renegades 3

    3:29 p.m. — FIELD GOAL. Taylor Russolino's 38-yard field goal is good. The Renegades have cut the Vipers' lead in half, and we are off to a fast start in the XFL's season opener.

    3:28 p.m. — Pita Taumoepenu was nearly able to sack Drew Plitt on another third down, but he was just a step late. Plitt got the ball to tight end Sal Cannella, but the former USFL star was hit hard by Vic Beasley (yes, that Vic Beasley) and was unable to make the catch. The Renegades will have to settle for a field goal.

    3:25 p.m. — Once again, the Renegades are able to convert on a third-down attempt. Plitt found Brandon Arconado open down the left sideline for his second catch of the drive. Plitt is now 4 of 4 passing for 46 yards.

    3:23 p.m. — Plitt completes a pass on third-and-12 to Tyler Vaughns to keep the drive alive. It was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but it was correctly overturned by Dean Blandino and the XFL command center in short order. Vaughns got both feet in with possession of the ball.

    3:20 p.m. — The Vipers had trouble running the ball on their first possession, but the Renegades are going much better. De'Veon Smith runs for 12 yards on two carries to give Arlington a first down.

    3:18 p.m. — Perez started by going 8 of 9 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. Now, Drew Plitt and the Renegades will look to answer with a score of their own. 

    Score: Vipers 6, Renegades 0

    3:16 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN. Perez finds Badet for the third time of the opening drive for a 5-yard touchdown. Perez did a nice job scrambling around the pocket to allow Badet time to shake open.

    The Vipers opt to go for two since there are no 1-point PAT kicks in the XFL, but he couldn't connect with Geronimo Allison. That gives them a six-point lead.

    3:14 p.m. — Perez hits Jeff Badet for the second time of this drive for a first down. It's now first and goal from the 6-yard line.

    3:13 p.m. — The Vipers continue to move the ball through the air. Allison catches a screen pass and brings it to the Arlington 22-yard line. They are threatening to score on their first possession of the season.

    3:12 p.m. — Another third-and-long, another conversion. This time, Perez gets the ball out just before being hit and gets it to Cinque Sweeting. The Slippery Rock product works his way down the field and gets Vegas into Arlington territory.

    3:11 p.m. — The Vipers get a first down on a third-and-7 after Perez finds former Packers receiver Geronimo Allison over the middle of the field. A good start for the former New Jersey Generals quarterback.

    3:10 p.m. — It didn't take Vipers quarterback Luis Perez long before targeting Martavis Bryant. He caught a 2-yard pass on the second play of the game. That marks his first catch since his 2020 season with the Raiders.

    3:07 p.m. — We have officially kicked off, as the Renegades have kicked off to the Vipers to start the game. The XFL's version of a kickoff may be foreign to some less familiar with their rules. You can read about them here.

    3:05 p.m. — Dwayne Johnson is starting the game by giving a speech to both teams on the field. He is explaining that the "X" in "XFL" represents the intersection between dreams and opportunities. He closes it with a yell of, "Let's ball out, baby!"

    3:02 p.m. — Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Greg McElroy (analyst) will be on the call for the Vipers vs. Renegades game.

    3 p.m. — Game time! Kickoff between the Vipers and Renegades will occur shortly. The 2023 XFL season is here!

    2:53 p.m. — Dwayne Johnson has dropped an XFL hype video ahead of the Vipers vs. Renegades game. You can check it out below:

    2:50 p.m. — There are officially 10 minutes until game time. The Vipers are amped up and ready to take on the XFL's true home team, the Renegades, to start the season.

    2:45 p.m. — The XFL has a diverse group of head coaches for its first season. The two that will be in action in the opener are Oklahoma legend Bob Stoops and NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson.

    2:40 p.m. — Both the Renegades and Vipers will have six players inactive on game day, much like the NFL has a portion of its 53-man rosters ruled inactive before each game. Below is a run-down of the players that Arlington and Vegas will be sitting.

    2:29 p.m. — The XFL documentary is outlining the story of Sama Paama, who made it to the XFL as a member of the Seattle Sea Dragons. He sacrificed his remaining college eligibility to join the start-up league. That, plus his workout at the Hawaii regional XFL Pro Day, allowed him to qualify for the league's player pool and ultimately make it to opening weekend. Good stuff.

    2:24 p.m. — As for the Vipers, Luis Perez will be the top passer for Vegas. The team posted that he was "locked in" as he gets ready to start a spring-league season-opener for the second consecutive year. He also did it for the USFL's Generals in 2022.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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

    Jacob Camenker

    Jacob Camenker Photo

    Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.