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The USFL is officially here Saturday night when the New Jersey Generals take on the Birmingham Stallions. The two teams will play in Birmingham, where all USFL games will occur in this inaugural season.
This is a monumental night for the league as it looks to get off to a great start. Recently, leagues like the AAF and XFL have not been able to last, although the latter is back in 2023.
A great first night would be the first necessary step towards getting fans interested and tuning in every week. That is the primary key to success for any new professional sports league.
So what do fans need to know about this matchup?
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Generals vs. Stallions match preview USFL Week 1
The Generals have one of the lesser-known quarterback and head coach tandems in the USFL. Mike Riley, a former NFL and college coach, leads the franchise, while De'Andre Johnson is set to line up under center.
After drafting quarterback Ben Holmes with the No. 4 overall pick, the team has already faced adversity. They have already released him due to an injury right before the start of the season. Johnson will now compete with former AAF star Luis Perez for the position.
Meanwhile, the Stallions have more stability with Skip Holtz as head coach. He is fresh off a failed tenure at Lousiana Tech but brings decades of experience to his new squad. Alex McGough, formerly of FIU, is his signal-caller to open the season.
Birmingham also has an intriguing top receiver in Victor Bolden Jr., who spent some time with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. Like everyone in the USFL, he is trying to rebuild his stock and maybe return to the big leagues one day soon.
Generals vs. Stallions match details
When: Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
TV: FOX, NBC
Spread: Stallions -2.5
O/U: 43.5
Generals vs. Stallions match prediction
Predicting Week 1 of any football season is difficult. But when it comes to a brand new league? That is extremely tough, especially when considering that every team will play its games in Birmingham this year.
The Stallions have a brief edge as the favorites on the betting lines. Not being forced to change quarterbacks so early in the year should help, along with the fact they have a former NFL veteran in Scooby Wright leading the way on defense. That experience is invaluable for such a young league.
Fans, in general, are just excited to see what each team can do. Yet the odds tell a story, which has us leaning towards the Stallions in this inaugural USFL game.
Prediction: Stallions 24-14 Generals
