On Saturday, April 15, the second season of the reborn United States Football League kicks off in Memphis. Last year, the USFL played all its games in Birmingham, Alabama, at Legion Field and Protective Stadium.
In 2023, eight teams will play throughout the country at four host cities: Detroit, Memphis, Canton, and Birmingham. These cities, and their respective teams, are all gearing up to welcome the USFL for a few months of spring football action.
Additionally, the best football betting sites are gearing up for USFL betting as they’ve already released odds on games and a futures prop bet for the 2023 USFL Championship.
When Is The USFL Championship Game?
The 2023 USFL campaign will last from April 15 to July 1. Following a ten-week regular season, four teams compete in a playoff semifinal for the right to go to the 2023 USFL Championship Game.
On Saturday, July 1, the final two teams remaining will meet at 8:00 p.m. EST for the USFL Championship Game in Canton.
USFL games can be watched on FOX, FS1, NBC, and the USA Network in 20231. The 2023 USFL Championship Game is scheduled to be broadcasted live on NBC2.
It’s beautiful 😍
The 2023 regular season schedule is SET 🙌 pic.twitter.com/U8JuRxaLgJ
— USFL (@USFL) February 7, 2023
2023 USFL Championship Odds
The following USFL odds are courtesy of Bovada:
TEAM | ODDS | TEAM | ODDS |
---|---|---|---|
Birmingham Stallions | +300 | Memphis Showboats | +500 |
New Jersey Generals | +300 | Houston Gamblers | +600 |
New Orleans Breakers | +500 | Michigan Panthers | +650 |
Philadelphia Stars | +500 | Pittsburgh Maulers | +700 |
The Birmingham Stallions and New Jersey Generals are co-favorites to win the 2023 USFL Championship. The Stallions are defending USFL champs after defeating the Stars by a score of 33-30 last year.
J’Mar Smith and Alex McGough combined for 208 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception on 60.7% passing. Former Alabama running back, Bo Scarbrough, was the catalyst in the win with 135 yards on 10.4 yards per carry3.
The Stallions won the South Division following a 9-1 campaign in the regular season. In the North Division, the Generals had an impressive regular season with a 9-1 record. However, the Generals were upset in the semifinals against the Stars, 19-14.
Birmingham and New Jersey are alone at the top with +300 odds for winning the 2023 USFL Championship. Trailing the Stallions and Generals is a pack of teams with not much separation in the USFL betting odds.
2023 USFL Predictions
The USFL odds suggest that the Stallions and Generals, who won the South and North Divisions last season, are the top squads to reach the USFL Championship Game in Canton, Ohio.
However, are the Stallions and Generals’ USFL Championship odds worth betting on? We are searching for the best value on the board at Bovada.
In addition to the USFL Championship odds, you can find football spread betting, moneylines, and totals for this season.
Birmingham Stallions (+300)
The Birmingham Stallions followed up a fantastic season with a stellar postseason in 2022.
Despite not dominating statistically, they still managed to go 9-1 and win the 2022 USFL Championship. Birmingham was consistently good where it mattered the most.
The Stallions were fourth in passing yards per game and second in rushing yards per game. They finished second in the USFL with 16.1 points and first with 268.8 yards conceded per game4.
Expect the Stallions’ defense to be a pillar of this team again in 2023. However, the offense is going to lose plenty of luster without Victor Bolden Jr. and Osirus Mitchell in the mix.
Bolden Jr. led the USFL in all-purpose yardage. The receiver racked up 1,209 all-purpose yards with 134.3 yards per game5.
Scooby Wright just secured a USFL championship for the Birmingham Stallions! 😯 pic.twitter.com/aY88hHiSz4
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) July 4, 2022
He ended up winning the MVP of the USFL Championship Game and parlayed his successful season into a contract with the Arizona Cardinals6.
He isn’t the only Stallion leaving the USFL for greener pastures in the NFL. Osirus Mitchell signed with the Green Bay Packers7. Mitchell is a big 6’5” target that will not be at J’Mar Smith’s disposal.
The defense should shine for the Stallions this season. That being said, there are key offensive weapons missing from last year’s championship team in 2023.
There is better value on the USFL Championship odds at Bovada.
New Jersey Generals (+300)
It was a frustrating ending last season for the New Jersey Generals. They did just about everything perfectly going into the playoffs.
After a 28-24 loss to Stallions in the season opener, the Generals won nine straight games to finish at 9-1. They didn’t lose their next game until the semifinals against the Philadelphia Stars.
The usually reliable Generals’ offense ran into trouble against what was considered a porous Philadelphia defense. The Generals finished first in the USFL with 349.4 yards per game8.
However, starting quarterback Luis Perez opted to play in the XFL this season. Former ‘Last Chance U’ star, De’Andre Johnson, is likely to run with the starters in Week 1.
The Generals drafted former standout Nebraska Cornhusker and Kansas State Wildcats signal-caller, Adrian Martinez. As a fifth-year senior at Kansas State, Martinez passed for 6 touchdowns and 1 interception on 64.1% completions.
Locked in 🔒 pic.twitter.com/8eJU9xTpvg
— New Jersey Generals (@USFLGenerals) March 24, 2023
His greatest asset was on the ground as a runner. Martinez galloped for 525 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final collegiate season9. A knee injury suffered last season significantly limited his full potential.
Former CFL quarterback, Dakota Prukop, signed with the Generals in an attempt to see the field more. Prukop played sparingly as a backup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this past season.
The Generals will have a new quarterback at the controls in 2023. They will be without the USFL Regular Season MVP, KaVontae Turpin.
Turpin led the USFL with 540 receiving yards. He also chipped in with 4 receiving touchdowns to lead the Generals in scoring. Their second-most productive receiver wasn’t in the Top 10 in receiving yardage10.
There are likely better options than the Generals at (+300) odds to win the 2023 USFL Championship.
Memphis Showboats (+500)
The Memphis Showboats, formerly known as the Tampa Bay Bandits, is a team that will likely show improvement this year.
The Bandits went 4-6 in their inaugural season before moving to Memphis for the second season of the USFL. Despite having one of the best quarterbacks in the league, the Bandits were unable to put everything together.
Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led the USFL in passing with 2,104 yards and 14 passing touchdowns. However, his 12 interceptions held the team back from having more success11.
If Ta’amu can cut back on turning the ball over, the Showboats should be in better shape to make a deep run this season.
Wide receiver Derrick Dillon returns to the team following 386 receiving yards, which was the sixth-best mark in the USFL12. The former LSU star and Giant should play a pivotal role for the Showboats in 2023.
There is room for the defense to grow this season. The Bandits finished fifth in the USFL with 295.1 yards allowed per game. An aggressive defense that generates more than 6 interceptions would go a long way13.
Overall, the Showboats will rise and fall with the play of Ta’amu. He can’t afford to be careless with the football or it is going to be another mediocre campaign for the Memphis.
USFL Championship Predictions
Given their USFL betting odds, there is one team in particular that sticks out on the board at Bovada – the Philadelphia Stars +500.
It was a valiant effort from the Philadelphia Stars late in the season. They reached the playoffs and then knocked off the one-loss Generals in a major upset, 19-14.
The Stars took the Stallions down to the wire in the 2022 USFL Championship Game in a 33-30 loss. Entering halftime, the Stars had a double-digit deficit (20-9).
Instead of laying down, Philadelphia fought back to make it a game despite losing starting quarterback Case Cookus. The regular season problems that were covered up in the semifinals crept into the USFL Championship Game.
We are 1️⃣0️⃣ days away from the S E A S O N 💫💫💫 #ForPhilly | @CaptainCookus10 pic.twitter.com/kOuFeoCeqY
— Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars) April 6, 2023
The defense couldn’t get a stop when they needed it. The Stars finished last in the USFL with 345.8 yards allowed per game. If there was any silver lining, they tied for first in the league with 13 team interceptions14.
In 2022, Philadelphia had the highest-scoring offense by a solid margin. They notched an impressive 26.2 points per game behind the hot hand of Cookus15.
Cookus was the most efficient quarterback in the league. He passed for 12 touchdowns to 5 interceptions last season.
While Cookus did not pass for the most yardage, he took care of the football and moved the offense down the field. After undergoing rehab in the offseason for the knee injury suffered in the championship, Cookus is healthy for 2023.
With the Stallions and Generals losing key cogs offensively, the Stars have a clear path to being the best unit in the USFL.
Bug Howard and Jordan Suell, who were both in the Top 10 for receiving yards, return to the Stars in 202316. Newcomer Corey Coleman should have a big impact in the passing game as well.
Additionally, No. 1 running back Matt Colburn returns to Philadelphia. If Cookus stays healthy this season, they are going to be a tough offense to get stops against.
Ultimately, the Stars will need more defense to win the 2023 USFL Championship. The team added multiple cornerbacks in free agency to help Channing Stribling in the secondary.
On the edge, the additions of Carson Taylor and Ali Fayad are worth monitoring early this season. Both have the potential to be significant disruptors in the offensive backfield.
The offense is set to put up big numbers again this season. With an improved defense, the Stars are a major threat.
At +500 USFL Championship odds, Philadelphia is the best value bet on the board at Bovada.
Sources
USFL TV Schedule 2023: Where to watch, stream | Sports Media Watch. Retrieved From “https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/usfl-tv-schedule-2023-fox-nbc-peacock-stream/”
USFL 2023 schedule: Dates and times for the entire 10-week regular season and playoffs | CBS Sports. Retrieved From “https://www.cbssports.com/usfl/news/usfl-2023-schedule-dates-and-times-for-the-entire-10-week-regular-season-and-playoffs/”
Birmingham Stallions vs. Philadelphia Stars – July 03, 2022 | FOX Sports. Retrieved From “https://www.foxsports.com/usfl/championship-birmingham-stallions-vs-philadelphia-stars-jul-03-2022-game-boxscore-43”
USFL Team Defense Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/stats”
USFL Player Yardage Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/”
USFL Championship MVP WR Victor Bolden Jr. Signs with Arizona Cardinals | USFL News Hub. Retrieved From “https://usflnewshub.com/usfl-news/usfl-championship-mvp-wr-victor-bolden-jr-signs-with-arizona-cardinals/”
Packers Adding Former USFL Receiver Osirus Mitchell | FanNation Packer Central. Retrieved From “https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/packers-adding-6-foot-5-former-usfl-receiver”
USFL Team Yardage Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/”
Adrian Martinez Stats | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/4361182/adrian-martinez”
USFL Player Receiving Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/”
USFL Player Passing Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/”
USFL Player Receiving Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/player-stats?category=receiving&sort=rec_yyds&season=2022&seasonType=reg&sortOrder=desc”
USFL Team Defense Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/team-stats?category=defense&sort=def_pts_a&season=2022&seasonType=reg&sortOrder=asc”
USFL championship game: How to watch on tv, stream, kickoff time | CBS Sports. Retrieved From “https://www.cbssports.com/usfl/news/usfl-championship-game-how-to-watch-on-tv-stream-kickoff-time-preview-for-stallions-vs-stars/”
USFL Player Receiving Stats | The USFL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.theusfl.com/player-stats?category=receiving&sort=rec_yyds&season=2022&seasonType=reg&sortOrder=desc”