clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

How to watch Orlando Guardians vs. Houston Roughnecks in XFL Week 1

We’ve got all the details for watching the game, which will be available across ABC/ESPN platforms. We break down how to watch on TV and via live online stream.

By Ryan Sanders
Seattle Dragons v Houston Roughnecks Photo by Thomas Campbell/XFL via Getty Images

The 2023 XFL campaign is set to get underway this weekend, marking the start of the XFL’s second iteration and its first televised games since 2020. The weekend’s second game features the Orlando Guardians facing off against the Houston Roughnecks with kickoff set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The action can be seen on ESPN and FX or via live stream on ESPN+.

Ahead of Saturday’s action, let’s take a closer look at the game with odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Orlando Guardians vs. Houston Roughnecks

This marks the second season for both sides, although the first XFL season in 2020 was cut short at the halfway point due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the Guardians made the move from New York to Orlando while the Roughnecks stayed put in Houston.

Houston ended up at the top of the league in 2020, finishing 5-0 as the only undefeated team in the league. The Guardians finished third in the east division with a record of 3-2.

Orlando will be led by QB Paxton Lynch, who was a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and spent time with the Broncos, the Seahawks, and the Steelers before exiting the NFL and playing in both the CFL and USFL. 2023 will see Lynch’s XFL debut. Kicker Johnny Townsend will also be on the Guardians’ roster. Townsend spent time with several different NFL teams between 2018 and 2021, but will also be making his XFL debut this season.

The Roughnecks will feature QB Cole McDonald, who spent time with the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals in 2020 and 2021, although he never made an appearance for either team. He played one game for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL before he was released, and will make his XFL debut with Houston this weekend.

Houston comes into this game as the favorite, priced at -115 on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Guardians are slight underdogs at -105 ahead of Saturday’s action.

Game time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN/FX
Live Stream: ESPN+
Date: Saturday, February 18
Announcers: TBD
Location: TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX
Moneyline: Roughnecks -115, Guardians -105

More From DraftKings Nation