XFL 2023 Results: Week 9 Scores and Best Twitter Reaction from Saturday

The penultimate week of the 2023 XFL season kicked off Saturday with a pair of games that had playoff implications.

In the first contest, the Houston Roughnecks clinched the No. 1 seed in the South Division and home field in the South Division Championship Game with a come-from-behind win over the Vegas Vipers.

The San Antonio Brahmas were then set to battle for their playoff lives when hosting the Orlando Guardians in the late game.

Here is a rundown of Saturday's XFL scores and results, plus a recap of all of the gridiron action.

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XFL Week 9 Saturday Scores

Houston Roughnecks def. Vegas Vipers, 28-21

San Antonio Brahmas def. Orlando Guardians, 25-23

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Roughnecks 28, Vipers 21

Houston had already clinched a playoff berth entering Saturday, and while home-field advantage was likely as well, it eliminated all doubt with a 28-21 win over a pesky Vipers team.

The Roughnecks trailed 12-0 in the second quarter before the defense provided a spark late in the half, as linebacker Deandre Johnson sacked Vegas quarterback Jalan McClendon and stripped him of the ball, allowing Tavante Beckett to scoop it up and score a touchdown:

Houston's defense struck again in the third quarter when defensive back Ajene Harris stripped former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant of the ball and returned it for another touchdown.

With a one-point conversion, the Roughnecks took a 13-12 lead, and they never looked back, as they scored 19 unanswered points after the Vipers' initial 12-0 lead.

During the early part of the season, Houston boasted one of the most explosive offenses in the XFL, as quarterback Brandon Silvers led the way, along with wide receivers Jontre Kirklin and Deontay Burnett, as well as running back Max Borghi.

Losing Kirklin to a season-ending injury undoubtedly hurt the offense, but the defense has stepped up, which is right in line with Roughnecks head coach Wade Phillips' background, as he spent many years in the NFL as a head coach and defensive coordinator.

With the Houston defense being primarily responsible for the comeback win, that side of the ball received a ton of praise on Twitter:

Once the defense got the Roughnecks back in the game, the lead was maintained and extended thanks largely to the running game.

Borghi finished with 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while Brycen Alleyne added 42 yards and a score of his own.

Vegas made a late comeback bid by scoring a touchdown with 6:23 left and holding Houston to a field goal on the ensuing drive, but on the final drive of the game, a Vipers pass to the end zone fell harmlessly to the ground.

By virtue of the win, Houston has nothing to play for next week against the Arlington Renegades, meaning it can rest players in an effort to be as healthy as possible for the playoffs.

As for the Vipers, they could have another chance to play spoiler next week when they face a Seattle Sea Dragons team that is still fighting for a playoff spot.

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Brahmas 25, Guardians 23

San Antonio avoided being eliminated from playoff contention with a comeback victory over Orlando on Saturday night.

The Guardians began Saturday's game by going up 14-3 over the Brahmas, but San Antonio came charging back late in the second quarter on a rushing touchdown by running back Jacques Patrick, cutting Orlando's lead 14-10 entering halftime.

San Antonio then came out of the locker room buzzing early in the third quarter as Parker Romo kicked a 29-yard field goal to put the Brahmas within one point of the Guardians before Jack Coan found Travis Toivonen to give the team its first lead of the night.

The Brahmas held a 19-14 lead entering the fourth quarter, and while a pick-six by Drew Beesley helped San Antonio take a 25-17 lead over Orlando, the Guardians charged back with a late touchdown of their own to cut the lead to 25-23 with just under four minutes remaining in the game.

The Brahmas retained possession for the final 3:55 of the game to close out the victory.

San Antonio entered Week 9 ranked last in the XFL in passing, having rotated four different quarterbacks this season. Jack Coan, who has received much of the blame for the team's struggles as the leading quarterback, put together a solid performance on Saturday night.

The former Notre Dame quarterback completed 25-of-31 passes for 302 yards and one touchdown in the win. Patrick finished with 20 carries for 80 yards and one score, and Nick Holley led the team with four receptions for 105 yards.

The Brahmas will move on to face the D.C. Defenders in Week 10 in what should be a difficult matchup, while the Guardians will take on the St. Louis Battlehawks.