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We have some old and some new in the Divisional Round of the USFL playoffs. After a chaotic Week 10 the field has been set with the Birmingham Stallions the favorite to repeat. The only team guaranteed a spot ahead of the final weekend, the Stallions wrecked the hopes of the Memphis Showboats with a 27-20 win covering the USFL betting line as a 4.5-point favorite. New Orleans wrapped up the second seed in the South with a 17-10 win over Houston setting up a rematch from last year’s Divisional Round game that produced a 31-17 Birmingham victory. The Stallions lost just twice during the season with one of those setbacks to the Breakers in Week 3. New Orleans amassed 483 yards in the 45-31 victory. The Stallions got their revenge in Week 7 with a 24-20 triumph.
The flip side has two new combatants vying for the USFL North title and a trip to the championship tilt. The Pittsburgh Maulers upset New Jersey earning a spot in the playoffs where they’ll face the Michigan Panthers on Saturday. Both teams finished the regular season with a 4-6 record. Pittsburgh registered half its wins during the season against Michigan winning both meetings by a combined score of 42-14 while going 2-0 as a USFL pick against the spread. The playoff teams from the North went a combined 1-7 against the other division with Michigan’s 29-13 decision over Houston in Week 1 the lone victory. For only the third time all season the Maulers are favored laying 3-points on the opening line. You can make football bets online for the USFL playoffs BetRivers sportsbook.
USFL Divisional Playoff Schedule
Michigan Panthers (4-6) at Pittsburgh Maulers (4-6)
Date and Time: Saturday, June 24, 8 p.m. ET
Opening Odds: Pittsburgh -3, O/U 38
Panthers at Maulers TV Coverage: NBC
It’s an unlikely matchup but considering the state of the USFL North not unexpected. By far the worst division in the league with three teams posting four wins and New Jersey winning just three, the Maulers earned the crown with their four wins coming within divisional play. Pittsburgh is playing its best football since the reboot last year posting its first winning streak by taking down Michigan and New Jersey the last two weeks. It’s been a struggle all season to score points with the Maulers averaging 17.7 points with a league-low 242.8 yards per game. I guess it’s a good thing the defense has been as good as it has been. The group surrendered just 13 points over the final two games and an average of 8.3 points in its four wins.
Looking to juice up the offense the Panthers made the switch to recently acquired E.J. Perry at quarterback for the finale. The move paid off with the team scoring more than 20 points for only the second time in eight games in the 23-20 upset of Philadelphia. Perry was 12 of 23 throwing the ball but showed off his dual threat ability with a team-high 48 rushing yards and a TD. It’s hard to say the offense turned a corner since the Panthers managed just 205 yards against the Stars, but threat of Perry running the ball will stress Pittsburgh’s defense. Still, the team’s showed their inability to do much offensively all season as they rank at the bottom in scoring with another low-scoring affair likely.
USFL Prediction: Pittsburgh -3 / UNDER 38
New Orleans Breakers (7-3) at Birmingham Stallions (8-2)
Date and Time: Sunday, June 25, 7 p.m. ET
Opening Odds: Birmingham -3.5, O/U 45
Breakers at Stallions TV Coverage: FOX
This is the USFL’s championship game with the two best teams going after it. The defending champion Stallions closed with five straight wins after their two losses came in a three week span earlier in the year. Behind MVP candidate Alex McGough, the Stallions led the league in total offense (332.6 ypg) and scoring (28.7 ppg). McGough led the USFL completing 67.4 percent of his passes with 20 TDs. He also finished third with 2,105 yards while the Stallions scored at least 24 points during their closing winning streak.
The Breakers can light it up too with their MVP hopeful McLeod Bethel-Thompson leading the USFL with 2,433 passing yards. Wes Hills led the league in rushing and Sage Surratt place third in receiving yards. Statistically the Breakers have an edge on defense finishing second in yards and points allowed. They also had a league-best 28 sacks and intercepted 12 passes. There won’t be any surprises with the teams sharing the Birmingham hub and playing for the sixth time in the last two years. It’s going to be about what team executes and the Stallions are playing at a high level making them my USFL betting pick.
USFL Prediction: Birmingham -3.5 / OVER 45
Check out the latest USFL betting odds at BetRivers.
