United States Football League Logo

United States Football League 1983-1985

United States Football League Logo [Reference: 1]

USFL 1983

PWLTPFPAPct
Atlantic Division
*Philadelphia Stars181530379204.833
Boston Breakers181170399334.611
New Jersey Generals186120314437.333
Washington Federals184140297422.222
Central Division
*Michigan Panthers181260451337.667
*Chicago Blitz181260456271.667
Tampa Bay Bandits181170363378.611
Birmingham Stallions18990343326.500
Pacific Division
*Oakland Invaders18990319319.500
Los Angeles Express188100296370.444
Denver Gold187110284304.389
Arizona Wranglers184140261442222

Reference: [1]

Home TeamAway Team
Divisional Playoffs
Philadelphia Stars44Chicago Blitz38
Michigan Panthers37Oakland Invaders21
1983 USFL Championship GameMile High Stadium, Denver
Michigan Panthers24Philadelphia Stars22

Reference:[2]

USFL 1984

PWLTPFPAPct
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
*Philadelphia Stars181620479225.889
*New Jersey Generals181440430312.778
Pittsburgh Maulers183150259379.167
Washington Federals183150270492.167
Southern Division
*Birmingham Stallions181440539316.778
*Tampa Bay Bandits181440498347.778
New Orleans Breakers188100349395.444
Memphis Showboats187110320455.389
Jacksonville Bulls186120327455.333
Western Conference
Central Division
*Houston Gamblers181350618400.722
*Michigan Panthers181080400382.556
San Antonio Gunslingers187110309325.389
Oklahoma Outlaws186120251359.333
Chicago Blitz185130340466.278
Pacific Division
*Los Angeles Express181080338373.556
*Arizona Wranglers181080502284.556
Denver Gold18990356413.500
Oakland Invaders187110242348.389

Reference: [3}]

Home TeamAway Team
Conference Semi-Finals
Philadelphia Stars28New Jersey Generals7
Birmingham Stallions36Tampa Bay Bandits17
Arizona Wranglers17Houston Gamblers16
Los Angeles Express27Michigan Panthers21
USFL Semi-Finals
Philadelphia Stars20Birmingham Stallions10
Arizona Wranglers35Los Angeles Express23
1984 USFL ChampionshipTampa Stadium, Florida
Philadelphia Stars23Arizona Wranglers3

Reference: [4]

USFL 1985

PWLTPFPAPct
Eastern Conference
*Birmingham Stallions181350436299.722
*New Jersey Generals181170418378.611
*Memphis Showboats181170429337.611
*Baltimore Stars181071368260.583
*Tampa Bay Bandits181080405422.556
Jacksonville Bulls18990407402.500
Orlando Renegades185130308481.278
Western Conference
*Oakland Invaders181341473359.750
*Denver Gold181170433389.611
*Houston Gamblers181080544388.556
Arizona Wranglers188100376405.444
Portland Breakers186120275422.333
San Antonio Gunslingers185130296436.278
Los Angeles Express183150266456.167

Reference: [5]

v

Home TeamAway Team
Quarter-Finals
Baltimore Stars20New Jersey Generals17
Birmingham Stallions22Houston Gamblers20
Memphis Showboats48Denver Gold7
Oakland Invaders30Tampa Bay Bandits17
USFL Semi-Finals
Baltimore Stars28Birmingham Stallions14
Oakland Invaders28Memphis Showboats19
1985 USFL Championship GameMeadowlands, New Jersey
Baltimore Stars28Oakland Invaders24

Reference: [6]

Report

Michigan Panthers defeated Philadelphia Stars 24-22 in the 1983 USFL Championship Game, but the Stars were to win the only two other USFL Championships: 23-3 against the Arizona Wranglers in 1984 and 28-24 as the Baltimore Stars in 1985, triumphing over the Oakland Invaders.

The 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were the heyday of Rival Major Football Leagues to the National Football League. Not only did the American Football League of 1960 to 1969 become so successful that it forced a merger with the NFL, so that there is now a Super Bowl between the AFL and NFL Champions (since the 1970 merger AFC and NFC). The United States Football League was the third such league after the World Football League of 1974-1975. Styling itself the “Outlaw League” it had team names such as Houston Gamblers, Arizona Wranglers, Portland Breakers and San Antonio Gunslingers.

The United States Football League put teams in cities that did not have NFL teams, and played a Spring Schedule, which gave it an edge when looking for fans on seats in stadiums, however, it was locked out of Television Contracts by the NFL, which was proven in an anti-trust action taken by the USFL against the NFL. However, the League was only awarded €1 in compensation by the courts, and folded in its third season, making the mistake off going head-to-head with the NFL in the autumn, an idea of Donald Trump, owner of the New Jersey Generals, and President of the United States of America from 2016 to 2020.

References

Websites

[1] USFL.info (2017) 1983 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1983standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[2] USFL.info (2017) 1983 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1983playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[3] USFL.info (2017) 1984 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1984standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[4] USFL.info (2017) 1984 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1984playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[5] USFL.info (2017) 1985 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1985standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[6] USFL.info (2017) 1985 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1985playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

Images

[7] Sports Logos History (2018) USFL Logo 1983-1985 [Internet] Available from: https://sportslogohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/united_states_football_league.png [Accessed 31 December 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jillian Glynn, Fiona Corrigan, Niamh Hughes, Jim Naughton, Kevin Smyth, Ian Collins, Ian Clarke, Brian Bird.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 3 January 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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