USFL Score, highlights: Tampa Bay Bandits overtake Michigan Panthers, 27-20

By May 13, 2022, 11:41 PM EDT
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Week 5 of USFL action kicked off with the Tampa Bay Bandits defeating the Michigan Panthers, 27-20. Both teams sat outside of second place in their respective divisions entering tonight’s matchup. The top two teams in each division will advance to the playoffs. 

The Panthers and Bandits were tied up through the first and second quarters. Tampa Bay scored a touchdown part way through the third and Michigan was unable to respond, with Shea Patterson throwing an interception. The Bandits entered this week with just one takeaway, last in the USFL. They had two tonight, that interception as well as a fumble recovery on Michigan’s final drive to seal their victory. 

Tampa Bay, who moves to 3-2, had just 273 total yards compared to 409 for Michigan. The Bandits’ touchdown plays accounted for nearly half of their total yardage with three of their four touchdowns coming on 30-plus yard plays, including a 50-yard completion from quarterback Jordan Ta’amu to wide receiver Derrick Dillon. Running back Juwan Washington led the Bandits in rushing, with 48 yards including two rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver John Franklin III had five receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.

The Bandits’ defense was able to shut down Michigan’s run game and running back Reggie Corbin, who led the league in rushing entering Week 5. Corbin, who averaged 100 yards a game after Week 4, rushed for just 28 yards in 12 carries tonight.

Michigan moves to 1-4 with another close defeat. The Panthers’ four losses have come by a total of 17 points. Quarterback Shea Patterson did seem to find his rhythm in the passing game, completing 23 of 37 attempts for 306 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end La’Michael Pettway. 

Head coaches for Michigan Panthers and Tampa Bay Bandits

The two teams are led by two of the more prominent coaching resumes with 64-year-old Jeff Fisher leading the Panthers and 55-year-old Todd Haley leading the Bandits.

Panther’s head coach Jeff Fisher spent 22 years as an NFL head coach with the Oilers/Titans and Rams. This is his first head coaching job since leaving the Rams during the 2016 season. Meanwhile Tampa Bay’s Todd Haley spent 22 seasons as an NFL coach, including three seasons with the Chiefs. He has worked as the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals,Steelers and Browns. The Cardinals appeared in Super Bowl XLIII during his tenure. Haley also had coaching stints with the Bears and Cowboys.

Fisher and Haley faced each other once as NFL head coaches. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, Haley Chief’s defeated Fisher’s Tennessee Titans, 34-14. The Chiefs went on to officially clinch the AFC West title later that day.

Panthers vs. Bandits score, results, highlights

Final score: Tampa Bay Bandits 27, Michigan Panthers 20

1st quarter, 8:42 (Panthers): J.Walker pass complete to TB 30. Catch made by R.O’Malley at TB 30. Gain of 30 yards. R.O’Malley for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

1st quarter, 8:33 (Bandits): J.Ta’amu pass complete to TB 50. Catch made by D.Dillon at TB 50. Gain of 50 yards. D.Dillon for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd quarter, 10:11 (Panthers): C.Murphy 36 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-S.Griffin, Holder-.

2nd quarter, 4:06 (Bandits): J.Washington rushed to MICH End Zone for 3 yards. J.Washington for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the runner broke the plane and the play was upheld.

2nd quarter, 0:17 (Panthers): C.Murphy 41 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-S.Griffin, Holder-.

3rd quarter, 8:44 (Bandits): J.Ta’amu pass complete to MICH 43. Catch made by J.Franklin at MICH 43. Gain of 43 yards. J.Franklin for 43 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th quarter, 6:08 (Panthers): S.Patterson pass complete to TB 25. Catch made by L.Pettway at TB 25. Gain of 25 yards. L.Pettway for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th quarter, 3:46 (Bandits): J.Washington rushed to MICH End Zone for 30 yards. J.Washington for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Panthers vs. Bandits reaction and coverage

11:21 p.m. EST: Time runs down and that’s the ball game. Final score: Tampa Bay 27, Michigan 20.

11:16 p.m. EST: The Bandits recover another Michigan fumble! Tampa Bay will take over at the 50-yard line with 1:55 to play.

11:11 p.m. EST: Michigan converts on fourth-and-1 to keep their drive alive as we hit the 2:00 warning in Birmingham.

11:05 p.m. EST: Touchdown Bandits! Juwan Washington rushes 30 yards into the end zone to give Tampa Bay the lead once more. Rausa’s extra point is good.

Tampa Bay 27, Michigan 20 with 3:41 left to play.

10:58 p.m. EST: Patterson to Pettway for a 25-yard Panthers touchdown! Murphy’s extra point is good and we’re tied at 20 with 6:00 left to play.

10:34 p.m. EST: That’ll bring us to the end of the third. The Michigan Panthers will have the ball at their own 13-yard line to start the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay leads 20-13.

10:24 p.m. EST: Shea Patterson’s pass is intercepted by Christian Sam. The Bandits will take over at their own 18-yard line.

10:12 p.m. EST: Ta’amu launches the ball and finds John Franklin for a 43-yard Bandits touchdown!

Tyler Rausa’s extra point is good. Tampa Bay 20, Michigan 13 with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter.

10:01 p.m. EST: Tampa Bay has the ball at their own 25-yard line to start the second half.

9:47 p.m. EST: And that’s the half! We’re tied up at 13 in Birmingham.

9:42 p.m. EST: Cole Murphy’s 41-yard field goal attempt is good to tie it back up with 0:17 on the clock.

Michigan 13, Tampa Bay 13

9:39 p.m. EST: It’s Patterson to Lenoir for a gain of 41 to put the Panthers down at the Tampa Bay 23-yard line with 0:35 left in the half.

9:20 p.m. EST: Juwan Washington rushes into the end zone. The play is reviewed and confirmed for a Tampa Bay touchdown.

Tyler Rausa’s extra point attempt is no good. Bandits 13, Panthers 10 with 4:01 left in the half.

9:18 p.m. EST: A pass interference call on Michigan’s Terry Myrick puts Tampa Bay at the Panthers 1-yard line.

9:02 p.m. EST: Cole Murphy’s 36-yard field attempt is good to give the Panthers the lead with 10:07 left in the second.

Michigan 10, Tampa Bay 7.

8:55 p.m. EST: The Panthers fake the punt, as kicker Cole Murphy completes to Cameron Scarlett to successfully convert on fourth-and-six.

8:49 p.m. EST: The first quarter comes to a close from Protective Stadium. Michigan 7, Tampa Bay 7.

8:27 p.m. EST: Tampa Bay responds! Ta’amu finds Derrick Dillon for a 50-yard touchdown and it’s just 7-7 in Birmingham with 8:22 in the first.

8:22 p.m. EST: Touchdown Panthers! It’s Shea Patterson to Joe Walker to Ryan O’Malley for the Michigan TD. It’s the first time we’ve seen the USFL’s two forward pass rule in play this season.

RELATED: 2022 USFL Rules: Overtime changes, 3-point conversions, forward passes and more

Cole Murphy’s extra point is good. Panthers 7, Bandits 0 with 8:33 left in the first quarter.

8:21 p.m. EST: Reggie Corbin rushes for 19 yards to put Michigan at the Tampa Bay 30-yard line.

Everything you need to know about the USFL:

What time and channel is the Panthers vs Bandits on?

RELATED: How to watch the Michigan Panthers vs Tampa Bay Bandits

  • When: Friday, May 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET on USA Network
  • Where: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama

2023 USFL Season Schedule: Dates, times, locations, new teams, playoff format, and more

By Mar 14, 2023, 11:50 AM EDT
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The 2023 USFL Season kicks off on Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16 with four thrilling games. First, the Philadelphia Stars will take on the Memphis Showboats at 4:30 PM ET followed by a New Jersey Generals vs Birmingham Stallions match up at 7:30 PM ET. On Sunday, the Michigan Panthers will go head-to-head with the Houston Gamblers at noon, followed by a Pittsburgh Maulers vs New Orleans Breakers match up at 6:30 PM.

RELATED: 2023 USFL Draft order – Complete list of every pick from Round 1 through Round 10

Season 2 of the USFL features four host cities–Detroit, Memphis, Canton, and Birmingham. This is a significant change from last year when all 10-regular season games were contested in Birmingham, Alabama and playoff games took place in Canton, Ohio. Additionally, the 2023 season will also feature a new team. The Tampa Bay Bandits will now be called the Memphis Showboats. Memphis was one of the original teams featured in the first edition of the USFL.

See below for the full 2023 USFL Season Schedule as well as answers to any questions you may have before the upcoming season. Be sure to check back for the latest updates to the schedule.

RELATED: Control what you can control – How journey through the fire led Generals RB Darius Victor to the USFL

How many teams are in the USFL?

There are a total of 8 teams in the USFL that make up two divisions:

North Division:

  • Michigan Panthers
  • New Jersey Generals
  • Philadelphia Stars
  • Pittsburgh Maulers

South Division:

  • Birmingham Stallions
  • Houston Gamblers
  • New Orleans Breakers
  • Memphis Showboats

Where will games be contested during the 2023 USFL Season?

The 2023 USFL season will feature four host cities: Detroit, Memphis, Canton, Ohio and Birmingham, Alabama.

  • The New Jersey Generals and Pittsburgh Maulers will be hosted in Canton, Ohio at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
  • The Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers will be hosted in Birmingham at Protective Stadium.
  • The Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars will be hosted in Detroit, Michigan at Ford Field.
  • The Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers will be hosted in Memphis, Tennessee at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

RELATED: Just Keep Going – Stallions RB CJ Marable makes a policy of perseverance

How many weeks are in the USFL’s regular season?

There are 10 weeks in the regular season. Each team will go head-to-head with division rivals twice and face off against teams of the opposite division once.

How will 2023 USFL playoffs work?

After the 10 week regular season comes to a close, the top two teams from each division will go head-to-head in two playoff games in late June, with the winners advancing to the USFL Championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

2023 USFL Season Schedule:

*All times are listed as ET

WEEK 1

Saturday, April 15
Philadelphia at Memphis – 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
New Jersey at Birmingham – 7:30 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, April 16
Michigan at Houston – 12 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Pittsburgh at New Orleans – 6:30 p.m. (FS1)

WEEK 2

Saturday, April 22
Houston at New Orleans – 12:30 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Memphis at Birmingham – 7 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, April 23
New Jersey at Pittsburgh – 12 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Michigan at Philadelphia – 7 p.m. (FS1)

WEEK 3

Saturday, April 29
New Orleans at Birmingham – 12:30 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Memphis at Houston – 7 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, April 30
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia – 12 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
New Jersey at Michigan – 4 p.m. (FOX)

WEEK 4

Saturday, May 6 
Houston at Philadelphia – 1 p.m. (FOX)
Memphis at Michigan –  7:30 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)

Sunday, May 7
New Orleans at New Jersey – 3 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Birmingham at Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. (FS1)

WEEK 5

Saturday, May 13
Pittsburgh at Michigan – 12:30 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Houston at Birmingham – 4 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, May 14
New Jersey at Philadelphia – 12 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Memphis at New Orleans – 3 p.m. (FOX)

WEEK 6

Saturday, May 20
Pittsburgh at Memphis – 12:30 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Birmingham at Michigan –  4 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, May 21
New Orleans at Philadelphia – 12 p.m. (FS1)
New Jersey at Houston – 4 p.m. (FOX)

WEEK 7

Saturday, May 27
Birmingham at New Orleans –  4 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh – 9 p.m. (FS1)

Sunday, May 28
Houston at Memphis – 2 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Michigan at New Jersey – 5:30 p.m. (FS1)

WEEK 8

Saturday, June 3
Houston at Pittsburgh – 12 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Philadelphia at Birmingham – 3 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)

Sunday, June 4
Memphis at New Jersey – 1 p.m. (FOX)
Michigan at New Orleans – 4 p.m. (FOX)

WEEK 9

Saturday, June 10
Michigan at Pittsburgh – 12 p.m. (FOX)
New Orleans at Memphis – 3 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)

Sunday, June 11
Birmingham at Houston – 2 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Philadelphia at New Jersey – 7 p.m. (FOX)

WEEK 10

Saturday, June 17
Pittsburgh at New Jersey – 1 p.m. (USA and Peacock)
Birmingham at Memphis – 4 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, June 18
New Orleans at Houston – 4 p.m. (FS1)
Philadelphia at Michigan – 7 p.m. (FOX)

RELATED: XFL, USFL to dump the worst rule in football

2023 USFL Draft order: Complete list of every pick from Round 1 through Round 10

By Feb 22, 2023, 6:09 PM EST
It's the Pittsburgh Maulers vs New Jersey Generals this Friday night on USA Network.
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As the USFL prepares for its second season, it reached a historic milestone by completing the 2023 USFL Draft. Eight teams selected a total of 80 eligible players across 10 rounds.

Out of over 3,000 eligible players, the first pick of the draft was Michigan State offensive tackle Jarrett Horst to the Michigan Panthers. The Panthers selected first because the winner of the Week 10 contest vs. the Pittsburgh Maulers decided the team that started the draft. The Panthers were victorious 33-21. The New Jersey Generals did not have a pick in the first round and their second and fifth-round picks were penalized because of “a violation of offseason roster management rules.” Instead, the Generals had its first pick shifted to the last pick of the entire draft in Round 10.

The USFL was founded in 1982. Since the USFL does not take place during the NFL season, it was intended to “try and fill the NFL-sized hole for fans when it begins play in the spring.” After its founding, the USFL ceased operations two seasons later in 1986. The 2023 season marks the first time since the beginning of the league that has had back-to-back seasons. Usually, spring leagues would host a 60-round selection draft, but USFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston said that they are working to add more talent to each team’s roster, not rebuilding the eight teams.

The top 3 players selected in the draft were Horst, Incarnate Word quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr., and Appalachian State quarterback Chase Brice.

2023 USFL Draft

Round 1

  1. Michigan Panthers – Jarrett Horst, OT, Michigan State
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Lindsey Scott Jr., QB, Incarnate Word
  3. Houston Gamblers – Chase Brice, QB, Appalachian State
  4. Memphis Showboats – Mason Brooks, OT, Mississippi
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
  6. Philadelphia Stars – Alfred Edwards III, OT, Utah State
  7. Birmingham Stallions – Kadeem Telfort, OT, UAB

Round 2

  1. Michigan Panthers – Tanner Morgan, QB, Michigan State
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Malik Hamm, DE, Lafayette
  3. Houston Gamblers – Justin Ford, CB, Montana
  4. Memphis Showboats – Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Noah Taylor, LB, Virginia
  6. Philadelphia Stars – Anderson Hardy, OT, Appalachian State
  7. Birmingham Stallions – Quinton Barrow, OT, Grand Valley State
  8. New Jersey Generals – Adrian Martinez, QB Kansas State

Round 3

  1. Michigan Panthers – Santrell Latham, LB, Southern Miss
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Tre’Quan Dorsey, OL, St. Francis
  3. Houston Gamblers – Joseph Fisher, OG, Shepard
  4. Memphis Showboats – Brevin Allen, DE, Campbell
  5. New Orleans Breakers – DJ Ivey, CB, Miami, Fla.
  6. Philadelphia Stars – Isaac Moore, OT, Temple
  7. Birmingham Stallions – Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville
  8. New Jersey Generals – JJ Holloman, WR, Tennessee State

Round 4

  1. Michigan Panthers – DJ Scaife Jr., OL, Miami Fla.
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Ferlando Jordan, DB, SE Louisiana
  3. Houston Gamblers – Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State
  4. Memphis Showboats – Benny Sapp III, DB, Northern Iowa
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina
  6. Philadelphia Stars – Truman Jones, DE, Harvard
  7. Birmingham Stallions – Derius Davis, WR, TCU
  8. New Jersey Generals – Victor Jones, DE, Akron

Round 5

  1. Michigan Panthers – Dashaun White, LB, Oklahoma
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Isaiah Land, DE, Florida A&M
  3. Houston Gamblers – Jeffrey Johnson, DT, Oklahoma
  4. Memphis Showboats – Michael Ezeiki, TE, UCLA
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Isaiah Moore, LB, NC State
  6. Philadelphia Stars – Earl Bostick Jr., OT, Kansas
  7. Birmingham Stallions – Zeke Vandenburgh, LB, Illinois State
  8. New Jersey Generals – De’Jahn Warren, CB, Jackson State

Round 6

  1. Michigan Panthers – Levi Russo-Bell, DE, Texas State
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Nash Jensen, OG, North Dakota State
  3. Houston Gamblers – Keenan Isaac, DB, Alabama State
  4. Memphis Showboats – Jerome Carvin, OL, Tennessee
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Dante Stills, DL, West Virginia
  6. New Jersey Generals – Derrick Tucker, DB, Texas Southern
  7. Philadelphia Stars – Jose Ramirez, DE, Eastern Michigan
  8. Birmingham Stallions – Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary

Round 7

  1. Michigan Panthers – Gunnar Oakes, TE, Eastern Michigan
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Taylor Grimes, WR, Incarnate Word
  3. Houston Gamblers – Alex Jensen, OL, South Dakota
  4. Memphis Showboats – Nehemiah Shelton, CB, San Jose State
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Darius Hagans, RB, Virginia State
  6. New Jersey Generals – Jermaine McDaniel, DE, North Carolina A&T
  7. Philadelphia Stars – Demontrey Jacobs, OL, South Florida
  8. Birmingham Stallions – Grant Dubose, WR, Charlotte

Round 8

  1. Michigan Panthers – Andrew Farmer II, OLB, Lane College
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – CJ Turner, WR, SE Louisiana
  3. Houston Gamblers – Brady Russell, TE, Colorado
  4. Memphis Showboats, Trea Shropshire, WR, UAB
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Jake Bobo, WR, UCLA
  6. New Jersey Generals – Adam Korsak, P, Rutgers
  7. Philadelphia Stars – Trey Botts, DL, Colorado State-Pueblo
  8. Birmingham Stallions – Mark Evans II, Ol, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Round 9

  1. Michigan Panthers – Chim Okorafor, OT, Benedictine
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Jacob Slade, DT, Michigan State
  3. Houston Gamblers – Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State
  4. Memphis Showboats – Silas Dzansi, OT, Virginia Tech
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Alex Palczewski, OT, Illinois
  6. New Jersey Generals – Jalen Holston, RB, Virginia Tech
  7. Philadelphia Stars – Destin Mack, CB, Citadel
  8. Birmingham Stallions – B.J. Thompson, DE, Stephen F. Austin

Round 10

  1. Michigan Panthers – Sidy Sow, OG, Eastern Michigan
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers – Ethan Evans, K, Wingate
  3. Houston Gamblers – Colby Reeder, LB, Iowa State
  4. Memphis Showboats – Antonio Fletcher, S, Southern Illinois
  5. New Orleans Breakers – Tyler Baker-Williams, CB, NC State
  6. New Jersey Generals – Nick Zecchino, LS, Purdue
  7. Philadelphia Stars – Dre Terry, LB, Alabama A&M
  8. Birmingham Stallions – Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
  9. New Jersey Generals – Rey Estes, CB, Grambling State**