USFL Score, highlights: Pittsburgh Maulers out of playoff contention after 29-18 loss to New Jersey Generals

By Jun 3, 2022, 11:00 PM EDT
USFL: APR 16 New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions
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The New Jersey Generals defeat the Pittsburgh Maulers, 29-18, for their seventh straight win.

New Jersey (7-1) got out to a quick start, scoring on their opening drive. Led by new quarterback Roland Rivers, making his first start in the USFL, the Maulers responded and scored. The Generals got out to a 23-7 lead at halftime and were able to hold off a fourth-quarter surge from Pittsburgh to clinch the win.

Luis Perez played at QB for the Generals the entire game, completing 18 of 24 attempts for 220 yards and 1 touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin. New Jersey’s ground game was in full showing tonight, led by Darius Victor, who had 17 carries for 87 yards and three touchdowns, a single-game season high for the running back.

With this loss, the Pittsburgh Maulers (1-7) are eliminated from playoff contention. They’ll face the Philadelphia Stars and Michigan Panthers to finish out their season.

If the Philadelphia Stars defeat the Michigan Panthers on Sunday, they will clinch the second spot from the North Division. 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 Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals

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, offensive-minded Kirby Wilson leads the Maulers. This is the 60-year-old’s first time being a head coach at any level. Wilson spent 23 years in the NFL as a running back coach for eight different organizations.

Riley and Wilson have a connection that dates back to the beginning of their football careers. Wilson played under Riley for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League in 1983. Riley was an assistant coach for the Blue Bombers at the time. This matchup was their second meeting as head coaches; their first came earlier this season where the Generals defeated the Maulers, 21-13, in Week 4.

Maulers vs. Generals score, results, highlights

1st quarter, 12:43 (Generals): D.Victor rushed to PIT End Zone for 3 yards. D.Victor for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

1st quarter, 7:30 (Maulers): R.Rivers rushed to NJ End Zone for 5 yards. R.Rivers for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd, 13:01 (Generals): D.Victor rushed to PIT End Zone for 7 yards. D.Victor for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd, 5:58 (Generals): L.Perez pass complete to PIT 24. Catch made by K.Turpin at PIT 24. Gain of 24 yards. K.Turpin for 24 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

2nd, 0:02 (Generals): A.Jones 50 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-S.Flanick, Holder-.

3rd, 4:06 (Maulers): R.Ahmed 61 yard field goal attempt is good, Center-M.Fraboni, Holder-.

4th, 12:59 (Generals): D.Victor rushed to PIT End Zone for 1 yards. D.Victor for 1 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th, 6:13 (Maulers): R.Rivers pass short left complete to NJ 25. Catch made by I.Hennie at NJ 25. Gain of 25 yards. I.Hennie for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th, 6:03 (Maulers): TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. R.Rivers steps back to pass. Catch made by H.Thedford at NJ 2. Gain of yards. TWO-POINT ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.

Maulers vs. Generals reaction and coverage

10:57 p.m. EST: New Jersey kneels it down as the clock winds down. The Generals hold off a fourth-quarter surge from the Maulers for the win.

Final score: New Jersey 29, Pittsburgh 18

10:50 p.m. EST: Ramiz Ahmed’s 49-yard field goal attempt is no good. It’s an 11-point game with 3:06 left.

10:42 p.m. EST: Pittsburgh uses their fourth-down possession play on the kickoff. Rivers finds Jalen McCleskey for a gain of 18 yards and the Maulers have possession at the New Jersey 49.

10:37 p.m. EST: Touchdown Maulers! Roland Rivers finds Isiah Hennie for six. Pittsburgh two-point conversion is good and we have an 11-point game.

Generals 29, Maulers 18 with 6:03 left on the clock.

10:30 p.m. EST: The Maulers get down inside the New Jersey 10-yard line but the Generals’ defense hold.

Generals 29, Maulers 10 with 8:41 left in the game.

10:17 p.m. EST: Darius Victor picks up his third touchdown of the night. The Generals’ two-point attempt is unsuccessful.

New Jersey 29, Pittsburgh 10 with 12:56 left to play

10:10 p.m. EST: The third quarter comes to a close and it’s a 13-point game in Birmingham.

10:03 p.m. EST: Ramiz Ahmed’s 61-yard field goal attempt is good for three and a USFL record.

Generals 23, Maulers 10 with 4:01 in the third.

9:43 p.m. EST: And the second half gets underway from Birmingham.

9:31 p.m. EST: Austin Jones’ 50-yard field goal attempt is good to end the half. It’s his longest of the season.

New Jersey 23, Pittsburgh 7 at the half.

9:15 p.m. EST: Interception, fumble, recovery… Maulers come away with the ball after Chris Orr intercepts Roland Rivers’ pass before fumbling.

Pittsburgh has possession at their own 26-yard line.

9:10 p.m. EST: Perez to Turpin for a 24-yard touchdown and New Jersey extends their lead.

Austin Jones’ extra point attempt is no good. Generals 20, Maulers 7 with 5:46 left in the half.

8:57 p.m. EST: The Maulers go for it on fourth-and-1 and successfully convert to keep their drive alive. Pittsburgh first down at the their own 45-yard line.

8:49 p.m. EST: Touchdown Generals! Darius Victor rushes in for his second touchdown of the night, his eighth of the season.

Austin Jones’ extra point attempt is good. New Jersey 14, Pittsburgh 7 with 12:56 to play in the half.

8:45 p.m. EST: And at the end of the first quarter, we’re tied up at 7 from Legion Field.

8:23 pm. EST: The Maulers respond with a touchdown of their own! QB Roland Rivers, in his first start, keeps the ball and runs into the end zone himself for six. Ramiz Ahmed’s extra point attempt is good and we’re tied up with 7 apiece early in the first quarter.

8:13 p.m. EST: New Jersey’s opening drive takes them all the way as Darius Victor rushes into the end zone for his seventh rushing touchdown of the season. Austin Jones’ extra point is attempt is good.

Generals 7, Maulers 0 with 12:38 left in the first.

8:03 p.m. EST: Week 8 of USFL action is ready to kick off from Legion Field!

Week 8 of USFL action kicks off Friday night with the Pittsburgh Maulers facing off against the New Jersey Generals.

The Generals (6-1) became the first team to clinch a playoff spot with their 20-13 win over the Tampa Bay Bandits last week.

Everything you need to know about the USFL:

What time and channel is the Maulers vs. Generals on?

RELATED: How to watch the Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Jersey Generals

  • When: Friday, June 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET on USA Network
  • Where: Legion Field 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**