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, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire
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, Jim Simpson, Paul Maguire
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, Fred Manfra, Marv Levy
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.