2023 USFL Rules: Kickoff changes, forward fumbles, emergency QBs and more

0 Comments

The 2023 USFL football season kicks off this Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16  with four games starting with a Philadelphia Stars vs Memphis Showboats match up at 4:30 PM ET. The New Jersey Generals will take on the Birmingham Stallions at 7:30 PM ET. On Sunday afternoon, it’s the Michigan Panthers vs Houston Gamblers at noon on NBC and Peacock followed by a battle between the Pittsburgh Maulers and New Orleans Breakers at 6:30 PM.

While most of the league’s rules are in line with the traditional game of football that we’re used to watching at the collegiate and professional level, the USFL has incorporated a few unconventional rule changes to bring even more excitement to the game. See below for the 2023 USFL rules and how they differ from the NFL.

RELATED: 2023 USFL Opening Schedule – How to watch this weekend’s spring football games

2023 USFL Rules:

Extra Points:

After scoring, teams will have the option of attempting a 1-point kick from the 15-yard line, a 2-point scrimmage play from the 2-yard line, or a 3-point scrimmage play from the 10-yard line.

  • Once the team has declared their choice they cannot change their extra point option (timeouts or penalties won’t allow changes).
  • If a touchdown is scored on a 1 or 2-point try by either team, 2 points are awarded.
  • If Team A scores a touchdown on a 3-point try, then 3 points are awarded; if Team B scores a touchdown on a 3-point try, then 2 points are awarded.

Onside Kick vs Scrimmage Play:

Teams will have two options to keep the ball after scoring:

  • An onside kick from the 25-yard line.
  • Running a 4th-and-12 play from their own 33-yard line. If a team makes a first down, it keeps the ball; if it fails, the defense gets the ball.

Kickoffs/Punts:

All kickoffs must be made from the 25-yard line:

  • No kicking team member may line up any further back than one yard. The receiving team must have a minimum of eight players in the set-up zone between their 35- and 45-yard lines
  • After a kickoff travels 20 yards, the first touch must be by the receiving team. If untouched, the kick becomes dead, and the ball belongs to the receiving team at that spot.
  • For punts, gunners may not line up outside the numbers and can’t be double-team blocked until the ball is kicked.

Game Timing:

  • Play clock: 35 seconds (25 for administrative stops)
  • The game clock stops for first downs inside the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.

Replays:

Each coach gets one replay challenge.

  • The replay crew can overrule incorrect personal foul calls (roughing the passer, hits on defenseless players, facemasks, horse collars, etc.). They will also be responsible for determining whether the act of pass interference is obviously intentional when it occurs 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

Overtime:

Overtime will be a shootout:

  • Each team alternates 1-play possessions from the 2-yard line (each score is worth 2 points).
  • Each team gets up to 3 plays, the team that scores the most points wins.
    • If Team A scores on the first 2 plays and Team B doesn’t score (4-0), the game is over.
    • If the game remains tied after each team runs 3 plays, overtime continues under sudden death.\

Forward Passes: 

  • Teams are allowed to throw two forward passes from behind the line of scrimmage.

Penalties:

  • Defensive pass interference: A defender intentionally tackling a receiver beyond 15 yards becomes a spot foul.
    • Also, the penalty is a spot foul if it occurs 15 yards or less from the line of scrimmage or a 15-yard penalty from the line of scrimmage if the spot of the foul is beyond 15 yards.
  • Offensive pass interference: If a pass doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage, there are no pass interference or ineligible player downfield penalties.

What are the new rules for the 2023 USFL season?

Kickoffs:

  • In a change from last season when kickoffs were made from the 25-yard line, kickoffs will now be made from the 20-yard line.

Incomplete Passes:

  • Last season, the game clock started after incomplete passes in only the 1st and 3rd quarter–this season the clock will start after incomplete passes in the 1st, 3rd, and up to 5-minue mark in the 2nd and 4th quarter in an effort to speed up game play.

Emergency Quarterback:

  • Teams will now be allowed to have an emergency third QB that will be listed as inactive. If he is activated and plays in any of the first three quarters, the first two QBs will not be allowed to re-enter the game. If the emergency QB enters in the 4th quarter, the original two quarterbacks will be allowed to re-enter.

Forward Fumble:

  • If the ball is fumbled from field to play into and out of the end zone, it will be returned to the spot of the fumble and the team that fumbled will retain possesion.

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


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)

Check out these other stories from NBC Sports’ Road to the USFL Kickoff Series:

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

2023 USFL Week 7 Schedule: How to watch Houston Gamblers vs Showboats, start times, live stream info

0 Comments

Week 7 of the 2023 USFL season  kicks off with four games you don’t want to miss. First, on Saturday, May 27 it’s the Birmingham Stallions (4-2) vs New Orleans Breakers (4-2) at 4:00 PM ET at Protective Stadium. Then at 9:00 PM, the Philadelphia Stars (3-3) will go head-to-head with the Pittsburgh Maulers (2-4) at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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

On Sunday, May 28, the USFL excitement starts at 2:30 PM with a Houston Gamblers (4-2) vs Memphis Showboats (3-3) match up on USA and Peacock. Then, at 5:30 PM the Michigan Panthers  (2-4) face the the New Jersey Generals (2-4) in Canton, Ohio to cap off the night. See below for additional information on how to watch/live stream each game this weekend.

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

2023 USFL Week 7 Schedule:

*All times are listed as ET

Saturday, May 27

Birmingham at New Orleans –  4:00 p.m. (FOX)

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh – 9:00 p.m. (FS1)

Sunday, May 28

Houston at Memphis – 2:00 p.m. (USA and Peacock)

Michigan at New Jersey – 5:30 p.m. (FS1)

Where are the new locations for 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: 2023 USFL Season –  Who are this year’s USFL head coaches?

How can I watch USFL games on Peacock?

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of new & hit movies and TV shows, including Peacock Originals and current hits from NBC and Bravo. There’s always something new to discover.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

Check out these stories from NBC Sports’ Road to the USFL Kickoff Series:


USFL Week 6 Highlights:

Every touchdown from Week 6:

Showboats dominate Maulers 22-0:

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

2 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 Stars 27, Memphis Showboats 23
Birmingham Stallions 27, New Jersey Generals 10

Sunday, April 16
Michigan Panthers 29, Houston Gamblers 13 
New Orleans Breakers 22, Pittsburgh Maulers 15

WEEK 2

Saturday, April 22
New Orleans Breakers 38, Houston Gamblers 31 
Birmingham Stallions 42, Memphis Showboats 2

Sunday, April 23
New Jersey Generals 20, Pittsburgh Maulers 3 
Michigan Panthers 24, Philadelphia Stars 10

WEEK 3

Saturday, April 29
New Orleans Breakers 45, Birmingham Stallions 31
Houston Gamblers 30, Memphis Showboats 26 

Sunday, April 30
Pittsburgh Maulers 21, Philadelphia Stars 13
New Jersey Generals 28, Michigan Panthers 13 

WEEK 4

Saturday, May 6

Houston Gamblers 41, Philadelphia Stars 16
Memphis Showboats 29,  Michigan Panthers 10

Saturday, May 7

New Orleans Breakers 20, New Jersey Generals 17
Birmingham Stallions 24, Pittsburgh Maulers 20

WEEK 5

Saturday, May 13
Pittsburgh Maulers 23,  Michigan Panthers 7
Houston Gamblers 27, Birmingham Stallions 20

Sunday, May 14
Philadelphia Stars 24, New Jersey Generals 21 
Memphis Showboats 17,  New Orleans Breakers 10

WEEK 6

Saturday, May 20
Memphis Showboats 22, Pittsburgh Maulers 0
Birmingham Stallions 27, Michigan Panthers 13

Sunday, May 21
Philadelphia Stars 16, New Orleans Breakers 10
Houston Gamblers 16, New Jersey Generals 10

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)

Check out these other stories from NBC Sports’ Road to the USFL Kickoff Series:

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