USFL 2022: Five must-see games in the regular season
By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Analyst
A full slate of spring football is set for 2022, with the USFL unveiling its 10-week regular-season schedule Monday.
The action kicks off April 16, with the Birmingham Stallions hosting the New Jersey Generals in one of many must-see games on the new league’s schedule. Unless the two teams qualify for the championship game — which will be played in July at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio — that will be the only time those two square off in 2022, as they are interconference opponents.
The eight teams of the USFL were divided into two four-team divisions, the North and the South.
Along with the Generals, the North Division is made up of the Michigan Panthers, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers. The South Division includes the Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.
Each team will face its divisional foes twice in 2022, as well as playing each of the four clubs from the opposing division.
For this inaugural season, all regular-season games will be played in Birmingham, Alabama.
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.
While projecting which teams will contend for the championship is difficult at this early juncture, there is no denying that the rosters create plenty of fascinating matchups. As such, here are a handful of this season's must-see USFL games.
New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions, Week 1
April 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX, NBC and Peacock
It's only a cliché because it's true — you get one chance to make a first impression — and every indication is the USFL picked the right clubs to lure television viewers and a passionate hometown fan base in scheduling the Stallions to host the Generals on April 16 in the league opener.
Viewers will be entertained from the outset, with the clashing styles of the two quarterbacks. With his rocket arm and easy athleticism, Birmingham’s Alex McGough certainly looks the part of a modern-day, dual-threat quarterback.
On the flip side, with his compact frame, poise and precision, New Jersey’s Ben Holmes puts the general in field general. The two QBs are extensions of their head coaches, with McGough likely to excel in Skip Holtz’s wide-open attack and Holmes the perfect candidate to match with the steadfast Mike Riley.
"Helping a team form its identity"
While the quarterbacks will get most of the attention, it could be the matchups outside between receivers and cornerbacks that dictate who wins this game. The Generals boast one of the most explosive receivers in the USFL in J’Mon Moore, a 6-foot-3, 207-pound blazer who reminds me of Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf. Moore is the breakaway threat Riley has always featured in his more traditional pro-style attack, but Birmingham boasts one of the more gifted secondaries in the USFL, including the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Brian Allen, a former fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers who practiced against Metcalf as a member of the Seahawks back in 2019.
New Orleans Breakers vs. Tampa Bay Bandits, Week 2 and Week 9
April 24, 3 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock
While it won’t be future Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Tom Brady lighting up secondaries in this clash of the South, quarterback aficionados will still want to tune in when the Breakers and Bandits square off. This game features two of the most exciting quarterbacks in the USFL in New Orleans’ Kyle Sloter and Tampa Bay’s Jordan Ta’amu.
Despite the fact that Sloter is the wily veteran of the league at 28 years old, he is a bit more raw as a quarterback, having spent much of his youth playing wide receiver. However, the athleticism and grit needed to play remain, and Sloter is as passionate and competitive as it gets. The younger Ta’amu is both more even-keeled and more of a natural passer, with spectacular elusiveness and speed of his own.
Kyle Sloter's college highlights
Of course, it doesn’t matter how talented the quarterbacks are if their clubs cannot protect them. The Breakers had the top choice of the pass-rushers in this year’s draft and wisely invested in former Georgia star Davin Bellamy, who possesses the length, burst and bend to have Ta’amu looking to escape the pocket before his receivers have a chance to get free. Bellamy, who was clocked at 4.58 seconds in the 40-yard dash after measuring in at just under 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, will be familiar with at least one of the tackles charged with protecting Ta’amu. The Bandits invested their first pick among offensive tackles on another former Bulldog, Tyler Catalina, with the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder expected to start at left tackle.
With all due respect to the gifted quarterbacks, the winner of this Dawg fight could play just as critical a role in determining who wins these two USFL South showdowns.
Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers, Week 1
April 17, noon ET, NBC and Peacock
Every time he takes the field, all eyes will be on No. 1 overall pick Shea Patterson for the Michigan Panthers, but his head coach, former longtime NFL coach Jeff Fisher, is too smart to ask his young quarterback to do all the heavy lifting. That's why his club’s selection of contrasting former Big Ten running backs Steve Scott III (6-2, 231 pounds, Indiana) and Reggie Corbin (5-10, 200 pounds, Illinois) is noteworthy. Between the burly Scott and the elusiveness offered by Corbin, the Panthers should have an exciting, thunder-and-lighting-style running game to complement their dual-threat quarterback.
"Fall in love with us" — Jeff Fisher on what he wants from Panthers fans
The Big Ten storyline doesn’t end with the Panthers, of course. The Houston Gamblers might have hit a jackpot with their own Big Ten quarterback in former Northwestern star Clayton Thorson, who started a conference-record 53 games for the Wildcats and is the only QB in the history of the league to throw for more than 10,000 yards and rush for 20-plus touchdowns.
Given his dual-threat ability, Thorson appears to be an ideal fit in coach Kevin Sumlin’s offense — similar to how the backs at Michigan fit well with Fisher. The Gamblers might have the speed and physicality at linebacker to bottle up the Panthers’ running backs, however, with Azeem Victor, in particular, likely to star at this level.
Pittsburgh Maulers vs. Philadelphia Stars, Week 2 and Week 9
April 23, noon ET, FOX
Although Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are just a few hours from each other in the Keystone State, football fans in this region have not often been treated to divisional rivalries like the USFL will boast when the Maulers and Stars clash at least twice this spring. But in the USFL, the regional rivalry makes for an easy backdrop and figures to make the two divisional games between the Maulers and Stars extra compelling.
That is hardly the only reason to watch this rivalry, however. There is also the showdown between two "small-school" quarterbacks Kyle Lauletta (Pittsburgh) and Bryan Scott (Philadelphia), who hail from Richmond and Occidental College, respectively. Lauletta, who spent time with the Eagles among his handful of NFL stops, might be especially eager for the opportunity to remind the City of Brotherly Love of his talent.
Besides familiarity, Lauletta’s Maulers would seem to have the advantage in other ways as well. Based on prior film, the Maulers should live up to their name in the pass-rush department, boasting a trio of edge rushers led by Carlo Kemp that could give Scott — a traditional pocket-passer — some trouble.
"They're going to see a great brand of football!"
Finally, while one served as a player and the other as a coach, there is bound to be some rivalry between head coaches Kirby Wilson (Pittsburgh) and Bart Andrus (Philadelphia), as each spent time with the Toronto Argonauts prior to taking over for their USFL franchises.
Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions, Week 6
While the season-opener April 16 against New Jersey is sure to rile up Birmingham fans, hosting the Panthers and top pick Shea Patterson also will generate plenty of buzz. Michigan made a lot of fans happy with the selection of Patterson, a former Wolverine, but many of the football-loving fans in Birmingham will remember the quarterback for the flashes he showed at the University of Mississippi.
Like Birmingham quarterback Alex McGough, Patterson is a true dual-threat. When he’s looking to pass, he is likely to focus on playmaking receivers Quincy Adeboyejo and Lance Lenoir. As mentioned, however, Birmingham boasts a quality secondary, with the height and speed to complicate Patterson’s approach.
Perhaps the most intriguing element of this matchup, however, is not the QB showdown or even the clash of the up-tempo offense preferred by Holtz and the relatively "old-school" approach favored by Fisher. Instead, the reunion of brothers Aaron Adeoye (Birmingham) and Adewale Adeoye (Michigan), pass-rushers who were selected 11th and 16th overall in the USFL draft, make this a must-see matchup.
"Speed and space" — Skip Holtz describes how the Stallions will play
At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Aaron is the larger man with perhaps the greater upside. He started the game later than his brother, spending most of his collegiate career playing basketball before he gave the gridiron a shot as a fifth-year senior at Southwest Missouri State, where he flashed enough to eventually earn a roster spot with the Baltimore Ravens. His slightly smaller brother, Adewale, is a more compact 6-foot-3, 270 pounds and is further developed, having registered 84 tackles, including 9.5 for loss at Utah State.
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.
