1985 USFL Season

Originally written by Jeff Haggar

For its 3rd and final season, the USFL cut back to the following 14-team lineup, but still used an 8-team playoff format:

Birmingham Stallions  

New Jersey Generals  

Memphis Showboats  

Baltimore Stars  

Tampa Bay Bandits  

Jacksonville Bulls  

Orlando Renegades

Oakland Invaders  

Denver Gold  

Houston Gamblers  

Arizona Wranglers  

Portland Breakers  

San Antonio Gunslingers  

Los Angeles Express

Week 1

Sat 2/23, Renegades @ Bandits, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 2/24, Generals @ Stallions, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 2/25, Showboats @ Gunslingers, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Ed Biles

Week 2

Fri 3/1, Generals @ Renegades, ESPN, 8 pm, Fred Manfra, Mike Adamle

Sat 3/2, Express @ Breakers, ESPN, 9 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 3/3, Gamblers @ Bandits, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 3/4, Showboats @ Bulls, ESPN, 8 pm, Roger Twibell, Ed Biles

Week 3

Sat 3/9, Stars @ Showboats, ESPN, 9 pm, Tom Mees, Paul Maguire

Sun 3/10, Express @ Generals, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 3/11, Bulls @ Outlaws, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Marv Levy

Week 4

Sat 3/16, Outlaws @ Bandits, ESPN, 1:30 pm, Tom Mees, Mike Adamle

* Sat 3/16, Gunslingers @ Express, ESPN, 8 pm, ??, ??

Sun 3/17, Generals @ Stars, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 3/18, Gold @ Gamblers, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Ed Biles

Week 5

Thu 3/21, Renegades @ Bulls, ESPN, 8:30 pm, Fred Manfra, Mike Adamle

* Sat 3/23, Express @ Outlaws, ESPN, 9 pm, ??, ??

Sun 3/24, Bandits @ Generals, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 3/25, Gunslingers @ Gold, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 6

* Fri 3/29, Bandits @ Showboats, ESPN, 9 pm, ??, ??

Sat 3/30, Generals @ Outlaws, ESPN, 10 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 3/31, Stars @ Gamblers, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 4/1, Gunslingers @ Breakers, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 7

Thu 4/4, Showboats @ Renegades, ESPN, 8 pm, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy

Sat 4/6, Bulls @ Bandits, ESPN, 8 pm, Tom Mees, Paul Maguire

Sun 4/7, Gamblers @ Generals, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 4/8, Outlaws @ Gold, ESPN, 9 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Week 8

Fri 4/12, Gunslingers @ Bulls, ESPN, 8 pm, Tom Mees, Marv Levy

Sat 4/13, Invaders @ Stallions, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 4/14, Breakers @ Generals, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 4/15, Gold @ Bandits, ESPN, 8 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 9

Fri 4/19, Generals @ Showboats, ESPN, 8 pm, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy

Sat 4/20, Express @ Gold, ESPN, 9 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 4/21, Bandits @ Stallions, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 4/22, Gunslingers @ Invaders, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 10

Fri 4/26, Showboats @ Gold, ESPN, 9 pm, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy

Sat 4/27, Outlaws @ Invaders, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 4/28, Stallions @ Bulls, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 4/29, Renegades @ Generals, ESPN, 7 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 11

Fri 5/3, Stallions @ Showboats, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Marv Levy

Sat 5/4, Bandits @ Express, ESPN, 8 pm, Tom Mees, Paul Maguire

Sun 5/5, Generals @ Bulls, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 5/6, Gamblers @ Breakers, ESPN, 9 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 12

Sat 5/11, Express @ Invaders, ESPN, 6 pm, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy

Sat 5/11, Breakers @ Stallions, ESPN, 9 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 5/12, Gamblers @ Showboats, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 5/13, Gunslingers @ Renegades, ESPN, 8 pm, Fred Manfra, Mike Haffner

Week 13

Fri 5/17, Stars @ Renegades, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Billy Taylor

Sat 5/18, Showboats @ Bandits, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 5/19, Generals @ Gold, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 5/20, Bulls @ Gamblers, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Mike Haffner

Week 14

Thu 5/23, Invaders @ Gold, ESPN, 9 pm, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy

Sat 5/25, Showboats @ Breakers, ESPN, 9 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 5/26, Generals @ Bandits, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 5/27, Renegades @ Stallions, ESPN, 8 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 15

Thu 5/30, Gold @ Express, ESPN, 9 pm, Tim Brando, Marv Levy

Sat 6/1, Showboats @ Generals, ESPN, 7 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 6/2, Bulls @ Stars, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 6/3, Stallions @ Gamblers, ESPN, 8 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 16

Fri 6/7, Renegades @ Showboats, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Marv Levy

Sat 6/8, Stars @ Stallions, ESPN, 4 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 6/9, Gamblers @ Gold, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 6/10, Bulls @ Generals, ESPN, 7 pm, Tim Brando, Mike Haffner

Week 17

Fri 6/14, Gold @ Breakers, ESPN, 10 pm, Tim Brando, Marv Levy

Sat 6/15, Generals @ Invaders, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Paul Maguire

Mon 6/17, Gunslingers @ Gamblers, ESPN, 8 pm, Roger Twibell, Mike Haffner

Week 18

Fri 6/21, Express @ Renegades, ESPN, 8 pm, Fred Manfra, Billy Taylor

Sat 6/22, Outlaws @ Showboats, ESPN, 8 pm, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire

Sun 6/23, Stallions @ Generals, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Mon 6/24, Invaders @ Gamblers, ESPN, 8 pm, Tim Brando, Mike Haffner

Quarterfinals

Sat 6/29, Gamblers @ Stallions, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Sun 6/30, Bandits @ Invaders, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Semifinals

Sat 7/6, Invaders @ Showboats, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

Sun 7/7, Stars @ Stallions, ABC, 2:30 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

USFL Championship

Sun 7/14, Stars vs Invaders (at East Rutherford), ABC, 8 pm, Keith Jackson, Lynn Swann, Tim Brant

* any corrections or missing info appreciated

- ABC dropped the regional concept and went with national games.

- ESPN added some Thu and Fri night games.

- ABC did not cover any games in week 17 because of its US Open coverage.

- ABC only televised 2 of the 4 quarterfinal playoff games. There was no national TV for the Gold @ Showboats or Stars @ Generals playoff contests that weekend.