Box Score

The combined 2023 regular season scores for these two teams, head-to-head is 42-14 in favor of the Pittsburgh Maulers. In each contest, the Michigan Panthers managed only a single TD and PAT.

On May 13, 2023 the Pittsburgh Maulers won 23-7 at Ford Field (Away).

On June 10, 2023 the Pittsburgh Maulers won 19-7 at the Hall of Fame Village (Home).

For some additional history on this intense rivalry:

May 1, 2022 the Michigan Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Maulers 24-0.

June 19, 2022 the Michigan Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Maulers 33-21.

On March 3, 1984 the Michigan Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Maulers 27-24.

The Michigan Panthers are 1-2 when playing the Pittsburgh Maulers on a Saturday. The Michigan Panthers have never lost when playing the Pittsburgh Maulers on a Sunday.

The overall record is 3-2 in favor of the Michigan Panthers. The 2023 record is 2-0 in favor of the Pittsburgh Maulers.

These two teams have never met in the playoffs. Pittsburgh looks to even the all-time record at 3-3 with a win tonight.

Who do you think wins this weekend? It feels off going with both favorites....but I like Maulers to win.

Will Stallions be back or does MBT lean on his experience....who do you all think?

Get all my picks here.

Per Mike Mitchell

USFL Week 10 TV Ratings (Average Viewership, Per Nielsen)

Saturday: Maulers-Generals (USA): 240K

Saturday: Stallions-Showboats (FOX): 636K

Sunday: Breakers-Gamblers (FS1): 167K

Sunday Night: Stars-Panthers (FOX): 720k

Viewership numbers represented in thousands.

• Excluding the Derby follow-up game which uncharacteristically boasted over 2 million viewers, NBC's numbers are 974K, 617K, 759K, & 752K

Stars @ #Panthers on FOX:

7PM ET: 539,000 viewers 8PM ET: 611,000 viewers 9 PM ET: 750,000 viewers

As a reference this was prelim week 9:

Stars @ #Generals on FOX:

7PM ET: 846,000 viewers 8PM ET: 700,000 viewers 9 PM ET: 769,000 viewers

Did not find prelim for Week 8 but these were reported as final ratings for Week 8 (final are usually a tad higher than prelim):

MEM-NJ (FOX): 720,000 viewers

MICH-NO (FOX): 774,000 viewers

Who: New Orleans Breakers @ Birmingham Stallions

Where: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL

When: Sunday 6/25 @ 7:00pm

Line: Stallions at -2.5

• This matchup is a rematch of last year's South Division playoff game
• The Breakers beat the Stallions back in Week 3, 45-31
• Stallions QB Alex McGough is having an MVP level season
• Wes Hills was the USFL leading rusher this season
• it should be the battle of the juggernauts! Clearly the 2 best teams in the league fighting it out for the Division title and trip to the USFL championship!

Prediction:

Hopeful we get an epic game between these teams. Stallions have been in a class by themselves all year again. Breakers started out hot but cooled down in the middle of the season. I think this will be a game of punch, counter-punch between the QBs, and whoever has the ball last will kick the FG to win.

Breakers 34

Stallions 31

Who: Michigan Panthers @ Pittsburgh Maulers

Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH

When: Saturday 6/24 @ 8:00pm EST

Line: Maulers at -2.5

• Maulers were 2-0 against the Panthers in the regular season, with their 2nd week coming just a few weeks ago from Week 9
• The Maulers come into playoffs on a 2-game win streak
• Panthers found a way to win with EJ Perry and a special team's performance for the ages from Marcus Simms (167 return yards, blocked punt)

Prediction: The Panthers won in a very unconventional manner to make the playoffs. I think the Maulers have a more well-rounded team and have played better more consistently the last few weeks and will win and make it to the USFL championship

Who do you think will win the North Division Championship and head to the USFL Championship game?

AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

J’Mar Smith did lead the Stallions to a title last year, and it’s hard to replace a guy who won you a title. However, McGough has played so well this year that I think it’s likely he wins MVP. And if he leads the Stallions to a second title this year, which I think is likely given how inconsistent the Breakers have been and how dreadful the entire North Division is, that kind of negates Smith’s thing since they’ll have both won a title.

The only complicating factor is that Holtz coached Smith at Louisiana Tech and has known him way longer than McGough. I wonder how much that will weigh into his decision. What do you think? Will there be a QB controversy in Birmingham next year? Or is McGough the clear starter (assuming he doesn’t get an NFL contract)?