The eighth week of the USFL season is upon us, and the Birmingham Stallions are set up for its final game at Protective Stadium. This Saturday, the Stallions will be taking on the Philadelphia Stars.
Both teams sit at the top of their respective divisions, and a win will give either team the best record in the USFL. At the moment, the Stallions have the best record in the league at 5-2, but there are four teams that are right behind them at 4-3 that could shake things up in these last three weeks of the season.
This will be the first time these two teams have lined up against each other this season. The last time they met was in the 2022 USFL Championship where the Stallions came out on top, 33-30.
GAME PREVIEW
Line: Stallions -6, O/U, 45.5 per Odds by FOXBET -250 Stallions, +190 Breakers
Date/Location: Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
Kickoff Time: 3:00PM EST
TV/Streaming: NBC
Injury Report:
Roster Moves:
Key Storylines
As it’s been for most of the season, forcing turnovers would go a long way to securing wins easier, but Birmingham’s defense has yet to sustain that level of success. They’ve forced just eight turnovers in seven games, which is tied for the second-worst turnover ratio in the USFL. Fortunately for them, they only have seven giveaways, the best in the league. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has the most takeaways (13) and the most giveaways (12) in the USFL.
This has been a storyline to watch all season. Birmingham probably wouldn’t have two losses on the year if they could cause more turnovers. Are they going to be able to on Sunday and give their offense a short field?
Additionally, it will be interesting to see how the Stallions defense fends off against a struggling defense. In prior games, Birmingham has had a tendency to play down to their competition and make games tighter than they need to be. The Stars are averaging just 270.3 yards of offense per game, the third worst in the league. To be fair, the Stallions defense has played better recently. They have gotten healthier on that side of the ball and will need another solid performance.
Stallions-Stars Preview
Looking at the odds, Birmingham has the edge, as they are favored by nearly a touchdown. While this is a rematch of the championship from a year ago, it just feels like Birmingham’s game to win. They are hitting their stride at the right time with the playoffs nearing the horizon.
Birmingham’s offense will be dictated based on how well quarterback Alex McGough plays. He’s been on a hot streak and you shouldn’t expect anything different in this one. Against a Stars defense that allows nearly 300 yards per game, McGough and company should be in a great spot to put up big time numbers.
Each game the rest of the way are equally as important, but this one could push the Stallions ahead of the rest of the field. Birmingham is riding a two-game winning streak and should extend it to three for the first time this season.
Prediction: Stallions 27, Stars 16
