Week 9 of the UFL season got off to a fast start on Friday night, as the Orlando Storm won their third straight game, defeating the DC Defenders, 27-19.

The excitement continued as the Columbus Aviators stormed from behind to defeat the Birmingham Stallions 36-29 in the final minutes of the game.

To close out the week, the Louisville Kings host the Arlington Renegades before the St. Louis Battlehawks take on the Houston Gamblers on Sunday.

Here are the results from Week 9:

Key players: Storm QB Jack Plummer (21-of-27 for 275 passing yards, three touchdowns), WR Chris Rowland (eight receptions for 117 yards, one touchdown); Defenders QB Spencer Sanders (10-of-21 for 160 passing yards), RB Deon Jackson (eight carries for 64 yards, one touchdown)

Game recap: It was a hot start for the Storm, who found the end zone within the first four minutes to take a 7-0 lead. Orlando kept the momentum rolling, as quarterback Jack Plummer threw a pair of first-half touchdowns to give the Storm a 21-10 halftime advantage. Wide receiver Chris Rowland also shined, finishing the night with eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown.

The Defenders struggled in their first game without star quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Quarterback Spencer Sanders could not ignite the offense, completing just 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards. However, Sanders did add 75 yards on the ground, while running back Deon Jackson carried the ball eight times for 64 yards and a touchdown. The Defenders will now look for revenge when they host the Storm in a Week 10 rematch.

Up next: The Storm travel to Washington, D.C. for a Week 10 rematch against the Defenders.

Key players: Aviators QB Jalen Morton (14-of-30 for 213 passing yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown), WR Keke Chism (three receptions for 51 yards); Stallions QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (16-of-35 for 157 passing yards), RB Snoop Conner (10 carries for 53 yards)

Game recap: The Columbus Aviators hosted the Birmingham Stallions and delivered a fourth quarter thriller. The Aviators had trailed the Stallions since early in the first quarter, but found a way to tie things up with a minute left in the fourth. Aviators quarterback Jalen Morton shined in his first start, finishing the day with four total touchdowns. Morton also led a balanced Aviators offense that put up 179 yards on the ground and 213 in the air. Cornerback DJ Miller Jr. picked off Stallions quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson with seconds to go and sealed their 36-29 win. 

The Stallions were in position to win nearly the entire game, leading through both the second and third quarters before the Aviators pushed out a comeback. The Stallions struggled on both sides of the ball, and their offensive performance did little to help, including Thompson-Robinson's two interceptions and totaling just 273 offensive yards. While Birmingham was on the brink of playoff contention, they'll have another chance to sneak in next weekend at home.

Up next: The Aviators will host the Louisville Kings on Sunday afternoon, and the Stallions host the Houston Gamblers on Saturday afternoon.