The final week of XFL is here and there's still a lot of equations to solve regarding who will make it into the playoffs.
The No. 1 seeds have already been selected. From the North Division are the D.C. Defenders, who are 8-1 this season to lead the league, and in the South Division are the 6-3 Houston Roughnecks. Both teams have won berths to their respective division championships, and have the home-field advantage over their pending opponents.
The only teams left battling for a playoff spot are the Seattle Sea Dragons and the St. Louis Battlehawks. St. Louis won on Saturday, meaning Seattle has to also win on Sunday in order to go to tiebreakers. The race between the Arlington Renegades and San Antonio Brahmas for second in the South Division was decided on Saturday when San Antonio lost to D.C., sending Arlington to the playoffs.
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Here's your look ahead at what the XFL has to offer in Week 10 action.
XFL schedule Week 10
Saturday, April 22
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Battlehawks 53, Guardians 28 | Noon | ESPN, ESPN+, Fubo |
| Defenders 29, Brahmas 28 | 3 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+, Fubo |
Sunday, April 23
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Roughnecks at Renegades | 3 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+, Fubo |
| Vipers at Sea Dragons | 7 p.m. | ESPN2, ESPN+, Fubo |
MORE: XFL odds, picks, predictions for Week 10
XFL Week 10 games TV schedule, live streams
Orlando Guardians vs. St. Louis Battlehawks
There isn't much that can go right for the Orlando Guardians, win or loss, especially for having never met up with St. Louis before this week. Their overall record of 1-8 puts them straight down the drain, dreams of "maybe next year" far out on the horizon.
The Battlehawks on the other hand, could use a win to send them to Washington, D.C. The tiebreaker rules get complicated here, though. According to the league, there are three options that allow the Battlehawks to advance:
- Battlehawks and Sea Dragons win: Would result in tiebreaker No. 4 — best combined ranking among division teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
- Battlehawks and Sea Dragons lose: Battlehawks advance by way of division record
- Battlehawks win and Sea Dragons lose: Battlehawks advance by record
D.C. Defenders vs. San Antonio Brahmas
The San Antonio Brahmas have struggled to find their footing. While it doesn't look like they have anything solid to stand on, they surprisingly are still in the game, holding on tooth and nail. There are several scenarios for them, but the only one where they see advancement is if the Renegades lost and the Brahmas win, and the Brahmas are considered the better squad to move on based on tiebreaker rule three: their strength of schedule.
As for D.C., they can sit back and relax. They've already buckled themselves in for the playoff series as the best team in the league.
Houston Roughnecks vs. Arlington Renegades
Defeating the Roughnecks would certainly strengthen the Renegades' resume. They honestly have more opportunities to go to the playoffs than their counterpart San Antonio. In the four tiebreaker situations, while only one went the way of the Brahmas, the other three are on the side of the Renegades, win or loss, simply because of their record — that includes both winning, both losing, or Arlington winning and San Antonio losing.
Similar to D.C., the Roughnecks can also sit back and relax. They're in the safety net after controlling the southern division this season.
MORE: XFL standings: Updated 2023 playoff picture for Battlehawks, Sea Dragons & more after Week 9
Las Vegas Vipers vs. Seattle Sea Dragons
The Seattle Sea Dragons have a singular shot, much like the Brahmas. If the Battlehawks lose their game and fall 6-4, and the Sea Dragons win their game and rise 7-3, then they will advance simply based on the merits of their record.
But wait, what's that? If the Battlehawks and Sea Dragons both win their games, a tiebreaker can happen? The XFL handbook states that, should two teams tie, there are several ways to determine who should be awarded the higher bid. Rule four applies in this case, reading that the team with the "best combined ranking among division teams in points scored and points allowed in all games" will triumph.
It shouldn't be hard for the Sea Dragons to defeat a 2-7 Vegas Vipers team, but then again, the Battlehawks are playing a 1-8 Guardians team, so the playing fields are relatively equal and we could be looking at some additional math to find out who the northern No. 2 seed will be.
