Spring football is back, as the USFL will try to capitalize on an opportunity to expand the game. For the third time in the last four years, a new football league will attempt to stick around.
The USFL features eight franchises that were also in the original USFL, which ran from 1983 to 1986, and retained rights to key original team names (Philadelphia Stars, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, etc.). What separates the USFL from the Alliance of American Football and the XFL is all the games in its inaugural season are being played in a centralized location in Birmingham, Alabama — at Protective Stadium and Legion Field.
As for the postseason, four teams will qualify (the top two teams in each division) and the games will be held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The USFL Championship Game will also be played in Canton on Sunday, July 3.
The 2022 USFL season will begin on Saturday, April 16 as games will be played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from April through July. Here is the 2022 USFL schedule, along with the latest scores:
Week 1
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Birmingham Stallions 28, New Jersey Generals 24 |
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Houston Gamblers 17, Michigan Panthers 12 |
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New Orleans Breakers 23, Philadelphia Stars 17 |
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Tampa Bay Bandits 17, Pittsburgh Maulers 3 |
Week 2
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New Jersey Generals 10, Michigan Panthers 6 |
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Philadelphia Stars 30, Pittsburgh Maulers 23 |
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Birmingham Stallions 33, Houston Gamblers 28 |
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New Orleans Breakers 34, Tampa Bay Bandits 3 |
Week 3
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Tampa Bay Bandits 27, Houston Gamblers 26 |
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Birmingham Stallions 22, New Orleans Breakers 13 |
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Michigan Panthers 24, Pittsburgh Maulers 0 |
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New Jersey Generals 24, Philadelphia Stars 16 |
Week 4
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Philadelphia Stars at Michigan Panthers |
Friday, May 6, 8 p.m. ET on FS1 |
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New Jersey Generals at Pittsburgh Maulers |
Saturday, May 7, 12:40 p.m. ET on Peacock |
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Tampa Bay Bandits at Birmingham Stallions |
Saturday, May 7, 5 p.m. ET on Fox |
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Houston Gamblers at New Orleans Breakers |
Sunday, May 8, 1 p.m. on NBC |
Week 5
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Birmingham Stallions at Philadelphia Stars |
May 13-15, TBA |
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Michigan Panthers at Tampa Bay Bandits |
May 13-15, TBA |
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New Orleans Breakers at New Jersey Generals |
May 13-15, TBA |
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Pittsburgh Maulers at Houston Gamblers |
May 13-15, TBA |
Week 6
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Houston Gamblers at New Jersey Generals |
May 21-22, TBA |
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Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions |
May 21-22, TBA |
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Pittsburgh Maulers at New Orleans Breakers |
May 21-22, TBA |
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Tampa Bay Bandits at Philadelphia Stars |
May 21-22, TBA |
Week 7
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Birmingham Stallions at Pittsburgh Maulers |
May 28-29, TBA |
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New Jersey Generals at Tampa Bay Bandits |
May 28-29, TBA |
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New Orleans Breakers at Michigan Panthers |
May 28-29, TBA |
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Philadelphia Stars at Houston Gamblers |
May 28-29, TBA |
Week 8
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Houston Gamblers at Tampa Bay Bandits |
June 3-5, TBA |
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Michigan Panthers at Philadelphia Stars |
June 3-5, TBA |
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New Orleans Breakers at Birmingham Stallions |
June 3-5, TBA |
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Pittsburgh Maulers at New Jersey Generals |
June 3-5, TBA |
Week 9
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Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions |
June 11-12, TBA |
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New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers |
June 11-12, TBA |
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Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers |
June 11-12, TBA |
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Tampa Bay Bandits at New Orleans Breakers |
June 11-12, TBA |
Week 10
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Birmingham Stallions at Tampa Bay Bandits |
June 18-19, TBA |
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Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers |
June 18-19, TBA |
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New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers |
June 18-19, TBA |
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Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals |
June 18-19, TBA |
Playoffs
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TBA |
June 25, 3 p.m. ET |
Fox |
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TBA |
June 25, 8 p.m. ET |
NBC/Peacock |
Championship
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TBA |
July 3, 7:30 p.m. ET |
Fox |
The USFL will operate under a different set of rules and regulations that will make the game more exciting for the fans. Included are the extra point system that rewards teams for successful conversion tries, stand-still kickoffs, alternative onside kicks, and a best-of-three playoff shootout for overtime.
All the new USFL rules can be found here. The USFL will attempt to springboard spring football once again, especially with the XFL and NFL collaborating in 2023. The league has an opportunity to create a niche for itself over the next several months.
KVSP