USFL Score, highlights: New Jersey Generals clinch a spot in the playoffs, defeat Tampa Bay Bandits, 20-13

By May 28, 2022, 3:17 PM EDT
1 Comment

The New Jersey Generals are the first team in the USFL to secure a playoff spot, defeating the Tampa Bay Bandits 20-13. New Jersey, leading the North Division, moves to 6-1 and extends their winning streak.

New Jersey got out to an early lead and were up 17-3 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter for the Generals, they faced a fourth quarter surge from Tampa Bay. The Bandits outscored the Generals 10-3 in the second half and nearly tied the game, as quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led his team all the way down to the New Jersey 12-yard line late in the fourth quarter. The Generals defense held strong to clinch the win and their spot in the playoffs.

The Generals were led by backup quarterback Luis Perez after starter De’Andre Johnson sustained a left ankle injury in last week’s game against Houston. Perez completed 19 of 25 attempts for 174 yards, including one touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin. Running back Darius Victor continued his dominance on the ground, leading New Jersey in rushing with 72 yards and one touchdown. Generals kicker Austin Jones completed two of three field goal attempts on the day.

Tampa Bay moves to 3-4, with their first losing streak of the season. They sit in third place in the South Division behind the New Orleans Breakers. New Orleans faces the Michigan Panthers later tonight in Birmingham.

The top two teams in each division will advance to the playoffs following the 10-week regular season. The playoff games will take place on Saturday, June 25 in Canton, Ohio.

Head coaches for the New Jersey Generals and Tampa Bay Bandits

The Generals and Bandits are two of three teams in the USFL with head coaches who have NFL head coaching experience. New Jersey is led by 68-year-old Mike Riley, who was the head coach of the San Diego Chargers for three seasons from 1999-2001. His most recent head coaching job came in 2019, where he led the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF.

Meanwhile the Bandits are led by Todd Haley, who 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.

Generals vs. Bandits score, results, highlights

Final score: New Jersey Generals 20, Tampa Bay Bandits 13

1st quarter, 5:37 (Generals): L.Perez pass short right complete to TB 14. Catch made by K.Turpin at TB 14. Gain of 15 yards. K.Turpin for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd quarter, 14:46 (Bandits): T.Rausa 34 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-R.DiSalvo, Holder-B.Wright.

2nd quarter, 7:42 (Generals): D.Victor rushed to TB End Zone for 6 yards. D.Victor for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd quarter, 2:00 (Generals): A.Jones 35 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-S.Flanick, Holder-.

3rd quarter, 0:16 (Bandits): T.Rausa 37 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-R.DiSalvo, Holder-.

4th quarter, 12:05 (Generals): A.Jones 43 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-S.Flanick, Holder-.

4th quarter, 10:06 (Bandits): J.Ta’amu pass deep middle complete to NJ End Zone. Catch made by J.Franklin at NJ End Zone. Gain of 20 yards. J.Franklin for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Generals vs. Bandits reaction and coverage

2:58 p.m. EST: Tampa Bay turns it over on downs. The Generals take over and let the clock wind down. Final score from Birmingham: New Jersey 30, Tampa Bay 13.

2:52 p.m. EST: Jordan Ta’amu leads the Bandits down into New Jersey territory on a critical drive. Tampa Bay face second-and-12 at the New Jersey 16 with 0:49 left in the game.

2:35 p.m. EST: Tampa Bay converts on fourth-and-3 to keep their drive alive. Ta’amu finds Derrick Dillon for a gain of 14 yards.

2:22 p.m. EST: Ta’amu finds John Franklin III for a 20-yard touchdown. Rausa’s extra point is good to cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 7 with 10:02 left on the clock.

New Jersey 20, Tampa Bay 13

2:15 p.m. EST: Tampa Bay holds New Jersey to a field goal attempt. Austin Jones’ 43-yard attempt is good to extend the Generals’ lead.

New Jersey 20, Tampa Bay 6 with 12:00 left to play.

2:12 p.m. EST: Luis Perez finds Alonzo Moore on second-and-10 for a gain of 35. The Generals are down at the Tampa Bay 27.

2:08 p.m. EST: The clock winds down, bringing us to the end of the third quarter. The Generals will have the ball on their own 39 to start the fourth in Birmingham.

2:05 p.m. EST: Tyler Rausa’s 37-yard field goal attempt is good. Tampa Bay trails 17-6 with 0:16 left in the third quarter.

2:03 p.m. EST: The Bandits go for it on fourth-and-10. Ta’amu keeps the ball and runs for a gain of 11 to keep the drive alive.

1:47 p.m. EST: Jordan Ta’amu throws his third interception of the day, ending an otherwise promising opening drive for Tampa Bay to start the second half. Ta’amu’s pass was picked off by Shalom Luani and the Generals will take over at their own 13.

1:24 p.m. EST: Another interception for Dravon Askew-Henry! Askew-Henry picks off Jordan Ta’amu’s pass and the Generals take over as time winds down in the half.

New Jersey 17, Tampa Bay 3 at halftime.

1:17 p.m. EST: The Generals are held to a field goal attempt. Austin Jones is good from 35 yards to extend New Jersey’s lead.

Generals 17, Bandits 3 with 2:00 left in the half.

1:04 p.m. EST: Austin Jones’ 52-yard field goal attempt is no good for the Generals.

1:02 p.m. EST: Generals pick! Jordan Ta’amu’s pass is intercepted by Dravon Askew-Henry. New Jersey will take over at the Tampa Bay 35.

12:55 p.m. EST: Darius Victor rushes six yards into the end zone for the Generals. Austin Jones’ extra point is good and New Jersey continues to lead.

Generals 14, Bandits 3 with 7:28 left in the half.

12:38 p.m. EST: Tyler Rausa’s 34-yard field goal attempt is good and the Bandits are on the board.

New Jersey 7, Tampa Bay 3 with 14:42 left in the second quarter.

12:33 p.m. EST: That’s the end of the first quarter. Generals lead 7-0.

12:30 p.m. EST: The Bandits go for it on fourth-and-3. Jordan Ta’amu connects with Corbin Kaufusi for a gain of 31 yards and the Bandits are down to New Jersey’s 17-yard line.

12:22 p.m. EST: Touchdown New Jersey! Luis Perez finds KaVontae Turpin for a 15-yard touchdown.

Austin Jones’ extra point is good. Generals 7, Bandits 0 with 5:40 left in the first quarter.

Everything you need to know about the USFL:

What time and channel is the Generals vs. Bandits?

RELATED: How to watch the New Jersey Generals vs. Tampa Bay Bandits

  • When: Saturday, May 28 at 12:00 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
0 Comments

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.
Getty Images
0 Comments

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**