In a tightly contested USFL game at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, TN, the Houston Gamblers (1-2) managed to secure a nail-biting 30-26 victory over the Memphis Showboats (0-3) on April 29th. The game saw both teams exchanging leads throughout the match, making for an entertaining and suspenseful showdown.

Quarterback Cole Kelley led the Memphis Showboats with 21 completions on 38 attempts, totaling 307 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Kelley also contributed to the ground game with four rushing attempts for 17 yards. Running back Kerrith Whyte had three carries for six yards and added two catches for 36 yards, including a touchdown. Ryan McDaniel was the top receiver for the Showboats, hauling in three catches for 71 yards and one touchdown.

On the other side, Houston Gamblers’ quarterback Kenji Bahar completed 22 of his 36 pass attempts, throwing for 235 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Mark Thompson had an impressive performance, carrying the ball 21 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding three catches for 32 yards. Wide receiver Justin Hall was the star in the receiving department, catching six passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

Both teams’ defenses fought valiantly, with the Showboats totaling 73 tackles, one sack, one interception, and four pass deflections, while the Gamblers registered 51 tackles, two sacks, one interception, and five pass deflections.

Gamblers’ kicker Nick Vogel successfully converted three extra points and a 40-49 yard field goal, while Showboats’ kicker Brandon Wright made two extra points, a 20-29 yard field goal, and a 30-39 yard field goal.

Despite their best efforts, the Memphis Showboats couldn’t quite seal the deal, falling to a 0-3 record, while the Houston Gamblers improved to 1-2. The thrilling nature of this matchup has USFL fans eager for more action-packed games in the weeks to come.

USFL Box Score