The regular season in the USFL has reached its penultimate week of play. Next weekend (June 17 and 18) is the final week for regular season play, and only the Birmingham Stallions know they will be playing in Week 11. The parity in the league this spring has been palpable throughout the year.
The New Orleans Breakers led the year off by rattling off 4 wins, while the Memphis Showboats began 0-3. The two swapped fortunes from there, with Memphis putting together a winning streak of 5 and the Breakers dropping 3 straight. For the other 6 teams in the league, the streaks were much more minimal through much of the season.
The Stallions are the hottest team in the league currently, riding the wave of a 4 game win streak. The Breakers have won their last two, to keep in the South Division championship race. The Gamblers and Showboats are still in play for a playoff spot entering week 10 play. If the Breakers
In the North, the story has been much of the same throughout the year. At the season midpoint, the 4 teams all held a 2-3 record, leading to a 4-way tie for first and simultaneously last. The 2nd half of the year has not led to clearer waters, with the murkiness reaching a fever pitch.
USFL Standings following the week 9 matchups
This weekend's New Jersey Generals - Pittsburgh Maulers match-up is a win and in situation, despite both teams being 3-6 on the year, with the winner taking the North crown should the Philadelphia Stars continue their tailspin against the Michigan Panthers. If Philadelphia wins, they would be the Champions of the North, but a loss would put the Panthers in a playoff bout with the winner of Saturdays match-up in Canton.
The South division can get murky should Houston beat New Orleans, and Memphis beats Birmingham. Then, there would be three teams (New Orleans, Memphis, and Houston) finishing 6-4 and 3-3 in the division which would result in a tiebreaker for the South's second playoff spot.
PLAYOFF TIEBREAKERS (Courtesy of USFL.com)
If, at the end of the 10-week regular season, two or more teams in the same division finish with identical won-lost records, the following tiebreakers will be used to determine playoff berths:
1. Head-to-head
2. Best won-lost percentage in games played within the division
3. Strength of victory (aggregate won-lost percentage of teams defeated)
4. Best net points in all games
5. Best net touchdowns in all games
6. Coin toss
The two North play-off teams will face off on Saturday, June 24th in Canton, OH at 8 pm (broadcast on NBC | Peacock) while the South representatives square off on Sunday, June 25th at 7 pm in Birmingham, AL (broadcast on FOX). The League Championship game is slated for July 1 at 8 pm from Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, OH with NBC | Peacock providing television coverage. Our very own Marshawn Powers and I will be on hand for the games in Canton through the playoffs. Be sure to check back here and on our site's social media channels for recaps and videos of the Play-offs.
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