The Columbus Aviators fell behind 14-0 three plays into the second quarter in their game at Houston Sunday afternoon. However, they got to within a point before halftime. Neither team would score a touchdown the rest of the way. The Gamblers did add a field goal to come away with a 17-13 victory. Here are our three takeaways from Sunday’s action:

1.    If the Aviators are going to have any success in the second half of the season, after going 1-4 in the first half, they need to find an offensive rhythm, or any offense other than short-yard rushing. They had opportunities in the fourth quarter, down by four, to get into the end zone. They had it second and goal on the Houston one and lost 11 yards on the next two plays before missing a field goal. On the next drive, quarterback Jalan McClendon fumbled at the Gamblers’ 11-yard-line on a scramble.

2.   After giving up two touchdowns, the Columbus defense settled in and gave the Aviators chances to come away with a win. A defensive interference call in the end zone provided an opportunity for Houston to take a touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, but the D-line held tight and the Gamblers had to settle for a field goal. Patrick Jenkins in particular had a solid outing with four solo tackles, including two tackles for loss in the same fourth quarter series to help force a punt.

3.   Houston appears to be struggling with its attendance. There are no official numbers available yet for Sunday, but the crowd at Shell Energy Stadium, which has a capacity of 20,600, was tiny as observed by the television-watching eye. Crowds around the UFL have been positive overall, but the Gamblers seem to have an issue. Last week, they announced a crowd of 4,880 — the lowest figure of the 2026 UFL season.