For the second game in a row, Birmingham wide receiver Marlon Williams scored a long-range touchdown, and it kicked off the Stallions to a 22-13 win over the New Orleans Breakers on Saturday night in a clash of the two undefeated teams. remainder of the USFL.
While Birmingham emerged from Week 3 as the only undefeated team in the USFL, the new league also has a winless team as the Pittsburgh Maulers lost to the Michigan Panthers 24-0 on Sunday afternoon at Birmingham’s protective stadium, the site for all four. games this weekend.
The Week 3 schedule began with the Tampa Bay Bandits’ 27-26 victory over the Houston Gamblers on Saturday. The Bandits’ Tyler Rausa hit a 46-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to cap a possession of eight plays, 48 yards and 111 seconds for game-winning runs.
The New Jersey Generals closed out the weekend with a 24-16 win over the Philadelphia Stars on Sunday night.
In the Stallions’ 33-28 win over Houston last week, Williams scored on a 64-yard touchdown reception as he got behind the Gamblers’ defense for quarterback J’Mar Smith’s long pass. On his 47-yard touchdown against the Breakers, the former mobile prep standout scored with a juke-filled and tackle-breaking run through the New Orleans defense.
Williams’ touchdown put Birmingham up 7-0 with 8:23 left in the first half. The Stallions scored the game’s final 12 points, including a safety, in the fourth quarter — and survived a blocked punt — to overtake New Orleans.
A look at players with Alabama football roots from Week 3 of the USFL season:
Tampa Bay Bandits wide receiver John Franklin III holds a reception against Houston Gamblers cornerback Ryan White during a USFL game on Saturday April 30, 2022 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Bandits 27, Houston Players 26
· Gamblers tight end Brandon Barnes (Russell County, Alabama State) had a 14-yard reception.
· Gamblers inside linebacker Beniquez Brown (Florence) made two tackles and broke a pass.
· Bandits defensive end Mekhi Brown (Alabama) had six tackles.
· Bandits cornerback Christian Campbell (Central-Phenix City) had four tackles.
· Bandits running back BJ Emmons (Alabama) ran for 37 yards on nine carries and caught two passes for 3 yards.
Bandits wide receiver John Franklin III (Auburn) gained 23 yards on four receptions and rushed for 12 yards on three carries
· Gamblers defensive end Ahmad Gooden (Talladega, Samford) recorded four tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage.
· Gamblers defensive tackle Cory Thomas (McAdory) did not record any stats.
Gamblers kicker Nick Vogel (UAB) made his two field goal attempts – connecting on a 46-yarder with 9:05 left in the first quarter and a 51-yarder with 3:03 left in the third quarter – and went 2-for-3 on extra points. Last week, Vogel became the first USFL kicker to score a 50-yard field goal and went a yard better than that in Week 3.
· Gamblers cornerback Ryan White (Auburn) had four tackles.
· Gamblers offensive tackle John Yarbrough (Homewood) has no stats.
Houston Gamblers tight end Brandon Barnes runs after making a reception during a USFL game against the Tampa Bay Bandits on Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
New Orleans Breakers tight end Sal Cannella makes a reception during a USFL game against the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday April 30, 2022 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
Birmingham Stallions 22, New Orleans Breakers 13
· Breakers tight end Sal Cannella (Auburn) had six receptions for 64 yards.
· Breakers defensive tackle Connor Christian (Jacksonville State) made three tackles, including two from behind the line of scrimmage.
· Stallions running back Jordan Chunn (Madison County, Troy) was on the inactive roster and was not eligible to play.
· Stallions cornerback Tae Hayes (Decatur) recorded two tackles.
· Breakers tight end Justin Johnson (Hoover) made a tackle on special teams.
· Breakers kicker Austin MacGinnis (Prattville) missed a 43-yard field goal attempt and completed 1 of 2 extra kicks.
· Stallions Justice Powers (UAB) offensive tackle was on the inactive roster and was not eligible to play.
· Stallions wide receiver Peyton Ramzy (Bessemer Academy, Tuskegee) had an 8-yard run.
· Breakers guard Steven Rowzee (Troy) caught a deflected pass for a loss of 1 yard.
· Breakers cornerback Keith Washington II (Prattville) recorded four tackles and intercepted a pass.
· Stallions wide receiver Marlon Williams (McGill-Toolen) caught a 47-yard touchdown pass.
New Orleans Breakers cornerback Keith Washington II breaks up a pass during a USFL game against the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday April 30, 2022 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
New Jersey Generals tight end Braedon Bowman hosts a reception during a USFL game against the Philadelphia Stars on Sunday May 1, 2022 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
New Jersey Generals 24, Philadelphia Stars 16
· Generals offensive tackle Calvin Ashley (Auburn) had no stats.
· General tight end Braedon Bowman (Southern Alabama) had a 4-yard reception.
· Generals cornerback Trae Elston (Oxford) made a tackle.
· Generals wide receiver Randy Satterfield (Jemison, West Alabama) had no stats.
· Generals tight end Wes Saxton (Hueytown, South Alabama) has no stats.
· Stars cornerback Bradley Sylve (Alabama) was on the inactive roster and was not eligible to play.
· Generals cornerback/punt returner Christian Tutt (Auburn) was on the inactive roster with an ankle injury.
New Jersey Generals safety Trae Elston (21) breaks up a pass during a USFL game against the Philadelphia Stars on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.(Photo by Douglas DeFelice/USFL/Getty Images)
Week 4 of the USFL season will also be played at Protective Stadium, beginning with a game on Friday — the Philadelphia Stars vs. Michigan Panthers at 9 p.m. CDT. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast the game. A Saturday doubleheader includes the New Jersey Generals-Pittsburgh Maulers game at 1:30 p.m. on Peacock and the Tampa Bay Bandits-Birmingham Stallions contest at 6 p.m. on FOX. On Sunday, the Houston Gamblers and New Orleans Breakers face off at 2 p.m. on Peacock.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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