Analytics Students Shape UFL Gameplay with Rule and Strategy Influence in Sports Sphere
In a groundbreaking partnership, the United Football League (UFL) welcomed students from the David B. Falk College of Sport at Syracuse University to work on various projects during the 2025 season. This marked the first time an American college or university collaborated with the nation's premier spring football league.
The UFL officials, including Operations Manager Bryan Kilmeade, Senior Vice President of Technology Scott Harniman, and Vice President of Football Technology Brad Campbell, were particularly impressed with the quick development of the QB Decision Score model, a metric created by two students, Austin Ambler and Danny Baris, to quantify quarterback decision-making based on predicted Expected Points Added (EPA) of each receiver on a play.
Bryan Kilmeade, a sport management major in the Falk College, earned a minor in sport analytics and had Professor Rodney Paul and Advisor Francesco Riverso. Kilmeade stayed connected with Paul and Riverso throughout his early professional career and was involved with the XFL and USFL, which merged to form the UFL.
The sport analytics students, including Austin Ambler, Danny Baris, Toby Halpern, Zach Seidel, Nolan Bruton, Eleanor O'Connor, and Johann Perera, attended the UFL's championship game in St. Louis. They capped their internship experience by staffing the Fan Fest Sportable booth and the Tech Suite, where they displayed their work from the season.
The students worked on significant projects for the UFL, some of which were elevated to the teams and their coaches during the season. For instance, they developed a point after touchdown conversion (PAT) decision chart and an onside kick alternative. Their efforts were not overlooked, as film producer and UFL co-owner Dany Garcia was among the many dignitaries who were impressed by the students' presentation.
Rodney Paul, the Department of Sport Analytics Chair at the David B. Falk College of Sport, and Francesco Riverso, the current Director of Corporate Partnerships and External Engagement at the college, oversaw the students' projects. The students' real-world experience at the UFL has proven to be invaluable, as they were able to apply the skills they learned to other projects in their future roles.
The UFL championship trophy was won by the DC Defenders, who defeated the Michigan Panthers 58-34. The full story of this unique partnership and the students' contributions can be found on the Falk College of Sport's website. Russ Brandon, UFL President and CEO, is a member of the Falk College of Sport Advisory Board, further strengthening the connection between the league and the university.
In 2025, the UFL hired seven students from the David B. Falk College of Sport to work on data analysis during the season. This partnership not only provided the students with real-world experience but also brought innovative ideas and fresh perspectives to the UFL. The collaborative efforts between the UFL and the Falk College of Sport have set a precedent for future partnerships between sports leagues and academic institutions.
The UFL officials, such as Bryan Kilmeade, were impressed with the sports-analysis projects done by the students from the David B. Falk College of Sport, particularly the QB Decision Score model created by Austin Ambler and Danny Baris.
The sports analytics students, who worked on various projects for the UFL in 2025, including the development of a PAT decision chart and an onside kick alternative, showcased their work at the Tech Suite during the UFL championship game in St. Louis.
