Birmingham Stallions' 2022 USFL schedule: Three things to know
The Birmingham Stallions' full schedule for the 2022 USFL season was released Monday.
The Stallions, coached by Skip Holtz, open the season against the New Jersey Generals on April 16 at Protective Stadium in a game that will be nationally televised by FOX, NBC and Peacock.
Tickets for all USFL regular-season games drop at 7 p.m. ET Monday and can be purchased directly at theUSFL.com. Adult general admission tickets are $10, and each ticketed adult can receive up to three free tickets for children under the age of 15.
Said coach Skip Holtz of his team's inaugural schedule: "I am excited about all the games, especially the three in our division. But with this being year one, I think I am most looking forward to the game with the New Jersey Generals because it will be the first game of the new USFL. We will learn about our team and get a chance to see them compete for the first time.
"There will be no love lost as we get the opportunity to compete in our division against Houston, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. I have known and competed against Kevin Sumlin and Larry Fedora for years in the college game. I can’t wait to compete against them in the USFL."
Here's a look at Birmingham's 10 regular-season games, which will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, for the inaugural season:
Week 1: vs. New Jersey Generals, April 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX/NBC/Peacock
Week 2: at Houston Gamblers, April 23, 7 p.m. ET, FS1
Week 3 (April 30-May 1): at New Orleans Breakers
Week 4 (May 6-8): vs. Tampa Bay Bandits
Week 5 (May 13-15): at Philadelphia Stars
Week 6 (May 21-22): vs. Michigan Panthers
Week 7 (May 28-29): at Pittsburgh Maulers
Week 8 (June 3-5): vs. New Orleans Breakers
Week 9 (June 11-12): vs. Houston Gamblers
Week 10 (June 18-19): at Tampa Bay Bandits
Here are three things to know about Birmingham's 2022 schedule:
1. The Stallions’ opener against the Generals on April 16 will be the first game of the USFL’s inaugural 2022 season and will be simulcast on FOX, NBC and Peacock. That will make it the first sporting event to be broadcast on competing TV networks since Super Bowl I.
2. When Birmingham faces Tampa Bay in Week 4 and in its season finale in Week 10, the matchup will feature the first receiver selected in the USFL Draft (Victor Bolden Jr. of the Stallions) against the first cornerback chosen (Delrick Abrams Jr. of the Bandits).
3. Stallions coach Skip Holtz and Gamblers coach Kevin Sumlin will match wits twice during the season (Weeks 2 and 9). The two faced each other in the 2009 Conference USA Championship Game, as Holtz’s East Carolina team defeated Sumlin’s Houston squad 38-32.
RJ Young's game to watch: Generals at Stallions, Week 1
The opening game of the inaugural USFL season is a matchup worthy of being simulcast on both FOX and NBC/Peacock.
This game features several contrasting matchups: The Generals are led by a former NFL and college head coach in Mike Riley, with an accomplished college quarterback in Ben Holmes as the presumptive starter. The Stallions feature a head coach in Skip Holtz who will coach his first game as a professional head coach, with an NFL veteran in Alex McGough as his presumptive starting QB.
Why Mike Riley will take QB Ben Holmes to the next level
Holmes, who was 23-2 as a starter at Tarleton State, will distribute the ball to a dizzying assortment of skill-position players, including Texas Christian wide receiver and former freshman All-American KaVontae Turpin.
In the backfield, New Jersey can turn to a running back with an accomplished résumé in Mike Weber, a former Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Big Ten performer at Ohio State. Weber won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in 2020.
Defensively, the Generals and Stallions feature two of the better linebackers selected in the USFL Draft. New Jersey's Chris Orr was an All-Big Ten performer at Wisconsin, and Birmingham's Scooby Wright was a unanimous All-American, Nagurski and Bednarik Award winner and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at Arizona.
