1983: Stars Even Score with Defeat of Bandits

The Philadelphia Stars had a 7-1 record in the inaugural United States Football League season and faced a rematch on April 30, 1983 with the one team that had beaten them thus far, the Tampa Bay Bandits. Coached by Jim Mora, the Stars featured a ball-control offense led by QB Chuck Fusina and star rookie RB Kelvin Bryant as well as a tough and opportunistic defense. They survived a close call against the Boston Breakers the previous week that provided them with a two-game cushion in the Atlantic Division.

Tampa Bay had won its first four games before losing two of three and was at 6-2 and trying to hold off the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division. Under the guidance of Head Coach Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had a strong passing attack and while they had lost veteran QB John Reaves to a broken wrist, young backup QB Jimmy Jordan out of Florida State was performing well in his place.

There were 41,559 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium for the Saturday contest. The Stars set the tone on their first possession, driving 77 yards in 11 plays. RB Allen Harvin had a 10-yard carry and Kelvin Bryant ran the last 10 for a touchdown, with David Trout adding the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

Still in the opening period, a fumble by Tampa Bay RB Sam Platt after a nine-yard gain on a reverse was recovered by SS Scott Woerner. Four plays later, the Stars added three points with a 44-yard Trout field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Bandits got on the board as the result of an eight-play, 52-yard series that featured a pass from Jimmy Jordan to WR Eric Truvillion for a 33-yard gain. It was Jordan to Truvillion again for a two-yard TD to finish the possession off and Zenon Andrusyshyn converted to make it a three-point game.

The home team had an opportunity to tie the score with 1:28 remaining in the first half, but Andrusyshyn was wide to the left on a 37-yard field goal attempt. The Stars remained ahead by 10-7 at halftime.

Philadelphia started off the third quarter with a methodical drive, mixing runs and passes. Facing second-and-ten at the Tampa Bay 20, Harvin took off on a sweep to the right for a touchdown. Trout added the point after and the visitors were now up by 17-7. The Bandits responded with a series that resulted in a 25-yard Andrusyshyn field goal to make it a seven-point contest.

Tampa Bay had largely controlled Bryant in the first half, but on the ensuing Philadelphia possession the star rookie took charge as he broke away for a 22-yard carry to the Tampa Bay nine, gained six yards on the next play, and finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:35 remaining in the third quarter. Trout again converted to extend the visitors’ lead to 14 points.

The Bandits had opportunities in the fourth quarter, but failed to capitalize. A poor 27-yard punt by Philadelphia’s Sean Landeta from his own end zone gave Tampa Bay the ball at the Stars’ 39. But on a third down play, a Jordan pass was intercepted by CB Antonio Gibson to snuff out the threat. It proved to be all the Stars needed as they won convincingly by a final score of 24-10.

Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (332 to 321), almost evenly split between rushing (175) and passing (157) yards, while the Bandits were held to 69 yards on the ground while gaining 252 through the air. The Stars also led in first downs (20 to 16) and time of possession (32:44 to 27:16). Tampa Bay accumulated six sacks, to just one by Philadelphia, but also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the visitors.

Chuck Fusina completed 17 of 28 passes for 232 yards and gave up one interception. Kelvin Bryant rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries that included two touchdowns and also had four catches for 21 yards while Allen Harvin contributed 67 yards on 9 rushing attempts that also included a TD. WR Willie Collier led the Philadelphia receivers with five catches for 73 yards.

For the Bandits, Jimmy Jordan was successful on 24 of 47 throws for 260 yards and a touchdown, but also was intercepted three times. Eric Truvillion and Sam Platt had seven catches apiece, for 81 and 56 yards, respectively, and Truvillion scored a TD while Platt also led the club in rushing with 46 yards on 10 attempts.

“Philadelphia played well,” said a frustrated Coach Steve Spurrier,” but we hurt ourselves a lot. We were just a little bit away from making the big plays.”

The Stars continued to play well and cruised to a 15-3 record, reaching the USFL Championship game before falling to the Michigan Panthers. Tampa Bay won its next three games but collapsed down the stretch and ended up at 11-7, third in the Central Division and out of the playoffs. 

The win over the Bandits was the sixth hundred-yard rushing game for Kelvin Bryant, who led the USFL at that point with 929 yards, and in the end he was second to New Jersey’s Herschel Walker with 1442 yards, scoring 16 touchdowns along the way. He also caught 53 passes for another 410 yards and a score and received MVP honors from the league.

1984: Stars Defeat Generals in USFL Playoff Contest

Two rivals from the Atlantic Division of the United States Football League faced off in a First Round Playoff game on June 30, 1984. The Philadelphia Stars had gone 16-2 during the regular season, the league’s best record, but both losses were to the New Jersey Generals, the club that finished second in the division with a 14-4 tally. The second meeting had been just the previous week, and Philadelphia had been uncharacteristically sloppy in both contests.

The Stars, who narrowly lost the USFL Championship game the previous year, were coached by Jim Mora. QB Chuck Fusina, the league’s most efficient passer, directed the ball-control offense that featured RB Kelvin Bryant (pictured #44 above, with WR Willie Collier) operating behind a solid line. The tough and opportunistic defense that included All-League performers in NT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, CB Garcia Lane, and FS Mike Lush yielded a league-low 12.5 points per game.

New Jersey was coached by Walt Michaels and was much improved over the 1983 unit thanks to the addition of significant veteran talent. QB Brian Sipe was one of those upgrades, and while he didn’t have a big season, he was far more effective than the signal callers of the previous year. RB Herschel Walker was again the key to the offense, but he suffered from a sore shoulder all season and looked more tentative, although he still rushed for 1399 yards and 16 TDs while FB Maurice Carthon also reached a thousand yards (1042). The defense benefited from the addition of linebackers Willie Harper, Bobby Leopold, and Jim LeClair, FS Gary Barbaro, and CB Kerry Justin.

The game was played before 19,038 fans at Franklin Field of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, once home of the NFL Eagles, due to a conflict with major league baseball’s Phillies for use of Veterans Stadium. The locker rooms were too small to accommodate the teams and they had to suit up at the nearby Hollenbeck Center and walk to the stadium.

It had rained during the morning, but stopped prior to kickoff. In the first quarter, a promising ten-play possession for the Generals ended with a pass by Brian Sipe being intercepted by FS Scott Woerner at the Philadelphia 16, and he returned it to his 40.  

The opening period remained scoreless as the teams traded punts. Early in the second quarter, another turnover by the Generals set up the first score of the game. Pete Kugler sacked Sipe, causing the quarterback to fumble. LB John Bunting recovered and the Stars took just three plays to travel 49 yards. Chuck Fusina connected with WR Scott Fitzkee for 17 yards and FB David Riley for 22, and Kelvin Bryant reached the end zone on a ten-yard sweep. David Trout added the extra point and Philadelphia was ahead by 7-0 three minutes into the period.

New Jersey’s next possession ended in a punt and Garcia Lane, sprung thanks to outstanding blocks by DB Bill Hardee and WR Herbert Harris, returned it 70 yards for a TD. Trout again converted to widen the home team’s lead to 14-0.

The Generals, down by two touchdowns, were forced out of their game plan, but they advanced into Philadelphia territory on the next series, helped along by a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Stars. However, the visitors came up empty when Roger Ruzek missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt. Bryant immediately took off on a 38-yard jaunt to key an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Bryant catching an 11-yard touchdown pass over his shoulder in the corner of the end zone. Trout added the point after. The first half ended with Ruzek failing on a field goal try from 49 yards and, despite New Jersey running more plays and generating the most yards, the Stars took a 21-0 lead into halftime. Adding to their problems, the Generals lost three starters to injuries in the hard-hitting first half: Gary Barbaro, Kerry Justin, and G Wayne Harris.

The Stars punted following the first possession of the third quarter and New Jersey advanced into scoring territory, but after reaching the Philadelphia 15 following Herschel Walker’s run to convert a fourth down, the Stars stiffened on defense and Ruzek missed a third field goal attempt, hooking to the left from 42 yards.  

Philadelphia proceeded to put together a 20-play drive that covered 75 yards and ran 11:48 off the clock. Bryant punched over from the one for a touchdown that, with Trout’s PAT, put the Stars up by 28-0 with 10:41 to play and effectively sealed the win. The Generals finally got on the board when Sipe threw to WR Clarence Collins for a 14-yard TD, but it was of no consequence. Philadelphia advanced to the next round by a decisive score of 28-7.

New Jersey had the edge in total yards (313 to 269) and first downs (24 to 17), but also suffered the game’s only two turnovers, both of which were turned into points by the Stars. Philadelphia held the Generals to just 70 yards on the ground and recorded three sacks, to one by New Jersey. There were a total of 16 penalties called in the hard-hitting game, with the Stars getting flagged 10 times.

Kelvin Bryant rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries that included two touchdowns and scored another on one of his two catches for 32 yards. Chuck Fusina didn’t go to the air often but was typically efficient, completing 9 of 14 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, including six-of-six for 77 yards in the first half. David Riley and Scott Fitzkee caught three passes apiece, for 39 and 33 yards, respectively.

For the Generals, Brian Sipe was successful on 24 of 40 throws for 259 yards and a TD along with one interception. Herschel Walker was limited to 50 yards on 15 rushing attempts but led the club with 6 catches for 79 yards. Clarence Collins contributed 5 receptions for 62 yards and a score and TE Jeff Spek added 58 yards on his 5 catches.

“A loss today meant the season,” said Kelvin Bryant. “We really wanted to get them because they were the only team to beat us.”

“We were a lot more physical today, there was a lot of emotion out there,” said Coach Mora of the Stars.

The Stars went on to defeat the Birmingham Stallions the following week for the Eastern Conference title and won the USFL Championship handily over the Arizona Wranglers. New Jersey came back in 1985 to go 11-7 and again qualify for the playoffs, and once more fell to the Stars, now based in Baltimore, in the first round.

1983: Stars Hold Off Gold in USFL Debut

Two of the new United States Football League’s teams, the Philadelphia Stars and Denver Gold, made their debut at Denver’s Mile High Stadium on March 6, 1983. The Gold had remained true to the USFL’s original plan of keeping player costs low and lacked high-priced talent on the roster, but Head Coach Red Miller was a popular figure among Denver football fans, having led the NFL Broncos to a Super Bowl appearance. QB Jeff Knapple was out of Northern Colorado and played briefly for the Broncos and RB Bo Matthews had spent eight seasons in the NFL, primarily with San Diego. Moreover, the Gold sold more season tickets than any other USFL team coming into the inaugural season, some 33,000, and there were 45,102 enthusiastic fans in attendance for the opening contest.

The visiting Stars faced many questions entering their first season. Head Coach Jim Mora, a former assistant coach with New England in the NFL, had only been hired in January after George Perles, originally signed to coach the team, quit to take the head coaching job at Michigan State. The defense had come in for considerable criticism in the media following a disastrous preseason scrimmage against the Tampa Bay Bandits. The biggest name on offense was rookie RB Kelvin Bryant out of North Carolina, while the quarterback was Chuck Fusina (pictured calling signals above), formerly of Penn State and a little-used backup in the NFL. 

The field at Mile High Stadium had been covered by a tarp and was in good condition while piles of snow ringed the sidelines from a major storm the previous day, but the weather was pleasant for the game. The Gold had the first possession and Jeff Knapple completed two passes to TE Bob Niziolek, but after reaching their own 45, another throw was intercepted by SS Scott Woerner.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Stars pinning the Gold inside their 20 and starting their second possession of the game in Denver territory at the 42. The visitors moved methodically down the field and scored on a two-yard bootleg by Chuck Fusina. David Trout added the extra point.

Neither team was able to move effectively for the remainder of the opening period, again trading punts. Philadelphia’s maligned defense was particularly effective, utilizing stunts and blitzes to keep Denver’s offense in check (and that hadn’t been utilized in the preseason).

In the second quarter, Philadelphia advanced into Denver territory but a 36-yard field goal attempt by Trout was blocked. The Gold were still unable to generate offense and a third-down sack had them punting from their own end zone. The Stars again moved well but a fumble by Kelvin Bryant was recovered by FS Tom Sullivan at the Denver 18.

Shortly thereafter, a long pass by Knapple was intercepted by CB Roger Jackson and the Stars advanced effectively, but a botched field goal attempt kept them from potentially adding to their lead with 21 seconds left in the first half. However, on the next play RB Harry Sydney fumbled the ball away after catching a short pass, giving the Stars one last shot in the dwindling seconds. Trout finished off the half with a 50-yard field goal and the score was 10-0 at halftime.

The Stars were forced to punt following the first series of the third quarter and the Gold had good field position just inside Philadelphia territory. However, a sack on third down by LB Glenn Howard cost 13 yards and forced Denver to kick the ball away. Another punt was followed by a diving Howard intercepting a Knapple pass at his own 43, but the visitors were again stifled by the tough Denver defense and punted.

The next possession for the Gold ended with Knapple fumbling the ball away on a bootleg, giving the Stars the ball at the Denver 34. Philadelphia capitalized when Trout kicked a 29-yard field goal in the last minute of the period and the visitors took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

The home fans booed the ineffective Knapple as he returned to the field for the next Denver series, which ended with yet another turnover, this time an interception by LB Jon Brooks. Following a 47-yard field goal attempt by the Stars that had to be aborted due to a bad snap, the Gold took over with favorable field position and it was Ken Johnson, a veteran with five years of CFL experience, at quarterback. He threaded a pass to WR Vic James on a third-and-15 play to get the ball to the Philadelphia 20 and another throw rifled to Niziolek picked up another 17 yards to the three. Three running plays had the Gold facing fourth-and-inches and Johnson kept the ball himself, running wide for a touchdown to cap the nine-play, 54-yard series. Speelman added the extra point to make it a six-point contest with 6:30 to play.

The fired-up Denver defense forced the Stars to punt and the Gold took over at their 35. With the Stars blitzing on every play and the crowd roaring, the Gold advanced into Philadelphia territory on a possession highlighted by a 23-yard carry by Sydney and a Johnson pass to James to get to the nine. Sydney plowed for four yards to the five but, with their backs to the wall and time running out, the Stars stopped two running plays and a lob by Johnson into the end zone on fourth down was beyond FB Larry Canada’s grasp. Philadelphia held on for a 13-7 win.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Stars led in total yards (232 to 215) while Denver had the edge in first downs (15 to 13). However, the Gold turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Philadelphia. The Stars also were penalized nine times while four flags were thrown on Denver.

Chuck Fusina completed 16 of 29 passes for 137 yards and gave up no interceptions while running for Philadelphia’s lone touchdown as part of his 25 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Kelvin Bryant had a modest debut with 51 yards on 18 carries but led the Stars with 6 catches, for 34 yards. WR Scott Fitzkee gained 46 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Gold, Jeff Knapple was successful on 11 of 23 throws for just 70 yards while giving up four interceptions. Ken Johnson was 6 of 10 in relief for 66 yards and had none intercepted. Harry Sydney ran for 50 yards on 9 carries. Larry Canada, in addition to running the ball 7 times for 20 yards, led the team with five pass receptions, for 27 yards, while Vic James gained 38 yards on his two catches and Bob Niziolek accumulated 34 yards on his three receptions.

“I can’t say enough about them,” said Coach Jim Mora of his team’s defense. “They’ve been taking a lot of – I don’t want to say crap – but they had something to prove today.”

The Philadelphia defense kept doing the job for the remainder of the season, and the offense improved with Bryant as the key performer. The Stars went 15-3 and advanced to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Michigan Panthers. Denver’s defense also continued to play well, but the offense remained a problem and neither Coach Miller nor QB Knapple made it to the end of the season. Miller was fired with the team’s record at 4-7, to be replaced by Craig Morton, the quarterback of the 1977 AFC Champion Broncos. Knapple was waived and picked up by the New Jersey Generals on the way to leading the league by giving up 19 interceptions (while tossing just three TD passes). Denver placed third in the Pacific Division with a 7-11 record but remained popular with the fans and led the USFL in attendance.

1985: Big Plays by Mills on Defense Spur Stars to Defeat of Renegades

The Baltimore Stars, reigning champions of the United States Football League, were struggling at 5-6-1 as they faced the Orlando Renegades on May 17, 1985. Highly successful as a Philadelphia-based franchise in 1983 and ’84, the Stars were having difficulty adjusting to the move to Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland (Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium was unavailable) while continuing to practice in Philadelphia. However, Head Coach Jim Mora’s team still had a solid defense plus an effective ball-control offense directed by QB Chuck Fusina that featured RB Kelvin Bryant.

The Renegades, coached by Lee Corso, were the remnant of the far-less-successful Washington Federals of the prior two years. They came into the contest at 3-9, but were showing improvement after getting off to a 0-6 start. Highly mobile QB Reggie Collier led the attack but the defense was poor, often failing in the second half of games.

There were 23,121 fans in attendance on a Friday night at Orlando Stadium. The Renegades took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, first on a six-yard TD pass from Reggie Collier to WR Jackie Flowers less than two minutes into the contest that was set up when Baltimore’s Kelvin Bryant fumbled the ball away at his own 11 yard line, safety Victor Jackson recovering, and then on a four-yard run by RB Leon Perry that completed a six-play, 50-yard possession. Jeff Brockhaus added the extra point after each.

The Stars came back in the second quarter when Chuck Fusina threw long to Bryant for a 43-yard touchdown and David Trout added the point after. However, Perry scored a second touchdown shortly thereafter, carrying from two yards out. Trout kicked a 42-yard field goal for the visitors in the final minute, but the Renegades held a surprising 21-10 lead at the half.

The Stars were known for their opportunism on defense, and two big plays by inside LB Sam Mills in the first four minutes of the second half turned the game around. First, he returned an intercepted pass 20 yards for a touchdown. Then he forced a fumble with a hard tackle of RB Henry Odom, who had just caught a Collier pass across the middle, which gave the Stars the ball at the Orlando 22 when DE William Fuller recovered. Six plays later, Bryant ran five yards for another Baltimore TD. The Stars were suddenly in front by 24-21.

The Renegades came back strong on offense, driving to the Baltimore one on their next series. However, the Stars repelled three straight runs and it was Mills making a big stop of Odom inches from the goal line on fourth down that ended the threat. The Stars responded with an 83-yard drive and Trout added a 34-yard field goal before the period was over.

There was one more score midway through the fourth quarter as Fusina passed to WR Herbert Harris for a 16-yard TD, icing the cake for the Stars. Baltimore came away with a comfortable 34-21 win thanks to 24 unanswered second half points.

Orlando outgained the Stars (348 yards to 301) and had more first downs (24 to 19). However, the Renegades also turned the ball over five times, four on fumbles, while the visitors did so twice. The Stars also recorded five sacks, to three for the home team. There were many penalties, with Philadelphia flagged 15 times to 9 called on Orlando.

Chuck Fusina completed 15 of 30 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Kelvin Bryant ran for 87 yards on 16 carries and also led the club with 5 pass receptions for 74 yards, scoring one TD apiece on the ground and through the air.

For the Renegades, Reggie Collier was successful on 27 of 47 throws for 243 yards and a TD with one picked off. Collier was also Orlando’s rushing leader as he accumulated 50 yards on five attempts. Jackie Flowers caught 7 passes for 93 yards and a score.

The win evened the Stars’ record at 6-6-1 and they went on to win four of their next five games to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7-1 tally. The rally continued into the postseason as they went on to defeat the Oakland Invaders and repeat as USFL Champions. Orlando ended up at 5-13 and the bottom of the conference. 

Sam Mills was a consensus first-team All-USFL selection for the third straight year. An undersized (5’9”, 225 pounds) player out of Montclair State in New Jersey who had previously failed in free agent tryouts with the NFL Browns and CFL Argonauts, he made the most of his opportunity in the Spring league and, following the demise of the USFL, moved on to the New Orleans Saints of the NFL along with Coach Mora. He was selected to four Pro Bowls as a member of the Saints and one after moving on to the Carolina Panthers.

1985: Big Plays Propel Stars to Semifinal Playoff Win Over Stallions

On July 7, 1985 the Baltimore Stars traveled to Birmingham to take on the Stallions in a United States Football League Semifinal playoff game before a crowd of 23,250 in attendance at Legion Field.

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora, were the defending USFL Champions and had gone a combined 31-5 over the course of the league’s first two regular seasons, advancing to the league title game after each, while based in Philadelphia. With the pending move to a Fall schedule, the franchise was forced to relocate and had difficulty with the adjustment. The team’s practice facilities remained in Philadelphia while games were played before small crowds at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. The Stars started off at 1-3-1 and were just 4-5-1 before winning six of their last eight contests to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference at 10-7-1, qualifying for a playoff berth. They edged the New Jersey Generals in the Quarterfinal round to reach the Semifinal playoff.

As they had been in their first two seasons, the Stars were a ball-control team on offense directed by efficient QB Chuck Fusina and featuring RB Kelvin Bryant. The defense remained tough and opportunistic.

Birmingham, coached by Rollie Dotsch, was a well-balanced team that ranked second defensively and third in offensive production. QB Cliff Stoudt passed for 3358 yards and 34 touchdowns, RB Joe Cribbs ran for 1047 yards, and WR Jim Smith had 87 pass receptions for 1322 yards and 20 TDs. All-League FS Chuck Clanton intercepted 16 passes. Moreover, the Stallions had beaten Baltimore in both of their meetings during the regular season and were looking to make it a clean sweep - especially after being denied advancement to the USFL Championship game by the Stars the previous year.

Baltimore struck quickly, scoring on the game’s third play when CB Jonathan Sutton returned an intercepted pass for a 36-yard touchdown. The Stars followed up by scoring again on their first offensive possession on a 30-yard TD pass from Chuck Fusina to WR Victor Harrison. Birmingham was in a 14-0 hole after a quarter of play.

The Stars added to their lead in spectacular fashion in the second quarter when Fusina connected with Kelvin Bryant on a USFL playoff-record 70-yard touchdown pass play.

There was no further scoring in the third quarter, but in the fourth quarter the Stars came through with another big play. At their own 24 yard line, Bryant broke through the middle of the line, got past the linebackers and sped 76 yards for a TD.

Down by an insurmountable 28-0, the Stallions finally got on the board when WR Joey Jones caught a pass from Cliff Stoudt for a 14-yard touchdown. Joe Cribbs added a one-yard TD in the final minute of play that only made the result appear less lopsided. The Stars advanced by a score of 28-14.

While playing catch-up virtually the entire game, the Stallions led in total yards (370 to 366) and first downs (21 to 14). However, the Stars came through with big plays while Birmingham averaged only 2.4 yards per rushing play (19 for 46 yards) and turned the ball over twice, once leading directly to a score, while Baltimore suffered one.

Kelvin Bryant had a total of 217 yards from scrimmage as he rushed for 116 yards on 13 carries and gained 101 yards on four pass receptions. Chuck Fusina didn’t go to the air often but completed 10 of 16 passes for 210 yards and two TDs with none intercepted.

For the Stallions, WR Jim Smith caught 10 passes for 110 yards as Cliff Stoudt went to the air 50 times and completed 29 for 327 yards and a TD with the one big interception. Stoudt was also the club’s leading rusher with 30 yards on 7 carries while Joe Cribbs was held to 13 yards on 9 attempts.

“I have a lot of respect for Birmingham’s defense,” said Jim Mora afterward, “but their defense may be easier to break a big play on than it is to gain a simple four to five yards.” 

Baltimore went on to defeat the Oakland Invaders to repeat as USFL Champions in what would prove to be the league’s last game. Hopes for a favorable financial result in the USFL’s anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL were dashed when, although the verdict was favorable, the jury awarded just one dollar in compensation (tripled to three dollars in accordance with the law) and the planned move to the Fall for ’86 never occurred. 

1985: Franco Kicks 5 Field Goals to Propel Bulls Over Stars

The Philadelphia Stars had appeared in the first two United States Football League Championship games, and won the second. For the 1985 season, they had become the Baltimore Stars in anticipation of the USFL’s move to the fall for ’86. While it created an awkward arrangement, with practice facilities in Philadelphia and home games shifted to Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland, the Stars were still a strong team on both sides of the ball. The conservative offense continued to be directed by QB Chuck Fusina and featured RB Kelvin Bryant, and the defense was outstanding, having given up a league-lowest average of 12.5 points per game in ’84. Organizationally, under owner Myles Tannenbaum, President/GM Carl Peterson, and Head Coach Jim Mora, the Stars were the class of the league.

They opened the 1985 season on February 24 against the Jacksonville Bulls. Coming off a 6-12 record in their inaugural campaign, the Bulls had admirable fan support (an average attendance of 46,730 per game). Coached by Lindy Infante, the team had taken steps to improve the offense by dealing for 35-year-old veteran QB Brian Sipe, most recently of the New Jersey Generals, and adding RB Mike Rozier, whose rookie season was spent with the defunct Pittsburgh Maulers.   

A crowd of 51,045, the biggest of the USFL’s opening week, was on hand at the Gator Bowl. Near the end of the scoreless first quarter, Sipe went down with a shoulder separation after being hit from the blind side by CB Bill Hardee in the process of completing a seven-yard pass on a third-down play and backup Robbie Mahfouz took over for the Bulls. Sipe left the contest after having completed five of six passes for 51 yards.

Brian Franco got the Bulls on the board first with a 42-yard field goal. He and Baltimore’s David Trout traded three-pointers for the remainder of the period, with Franco connecting again from 24 yards in between Trout’s kicks from 30 and 27 yards. The score was 6-6 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, Fusina was picked off by Jacksonville safety Don Bessillieu. It set up Franco’s longest field goal of the day, from 51 yards, which barely cleared the crossbar. With 5:31 remaining in the period, and capping a 10-play, 69-yard drive, Mahfouz threw to FB Marvin Lewis for a two-yard touchdown. Jacksonville led by 16-6 after three quarters.

Franco added two more field goals in the final period, from 27 and 50 yards, the first following a second Fusina interception. The last field goal also followed a turnover when Bessillieu picked up a fumble by Stars FB David Riley and ran it 40 yards to the Baltimore 45. The score was 22-6 with 8:40 left in the contest.

Early in the fourth quarter, Fusina was sidelined with a thumb injury, bringing backup Tim Riordan into the game for the Stars. Now with one minute remaining in the contest, Riordan threw to WR Herbert Harris for a three-yard touchdown that he then followed with a pass to WR Willie Collier for a successful two-point conversion.

The ending turned dramatic as the Stars successfully executed an onside kick that was recovered by LB Larry McCoy. However, after advancing to the Jacksonville 32, Riordan was sacked for a ten-yard loss and Baltimore was able to run just two more plays before time ran out. Jacksonville won by a final score of 22-14.

The Stars had the edge in total yards (340 to 240) and first downs (23 to 12). They did well against Jacksonville’s running attack, holding the Bulls to 57 yards on 22 attempts while gaining 82 yards on their own 27 carries. However, the uncharacteristically sloppy defending champs also turned the ball over four times, to none suffered by the Bulls. Jacksonville also recorded four sacks, to none by Baltimore.

After replacing Brian Sipe, Robbie Mahfouz (pictured below) completed 17 of 24 passes for 132 yards with a TD and no interceptions. The team’s leading receiver was TE Mark Keel, who caught 6 passes for 54 yards. Mike Rozier rushed for 30 yards on 13 carries.  Brian Franco tied the USFL record with his five field goals in as many attempts.

For the Stars, Chuck Fusina was successful on 8 of 15 throws for 122 yards with no TDs but two interceptions before having to leave the game. Tim Riordan completed 13 of his 21 passes for 117 yards and one TD with none intercepted. Kelvin Bryant gained 53 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Willie Collier had 7 pass receptions for 112 yards and WR Scott Fitzkee contributed 64 yards on his 4 catches.

“Brian Franco had an incredible day,” exclaimed Coach Lindy Infante as he presented his kicker with a game ball.

“I have mixed emotions about this game,” added Infante, referencing the injury to Sipe. “Naturally, I’m upset we’ve lost a player of Brian’s ability, but we beat an awful good football team and I have to be happy about that.”

Franco had been cut by the Stars in favor of Trout two seasons before. He had also been cut by Jacksonville the previous year but was re-signed three games into the season. His opening-game performance ignited a fine season in which Franco was successful on 24 of 29 field goal attempts, was perfect on 45 extra points, and ended up with 117 points, which ranked fifth in the league and second among placekickers.

Sipe was diagnosed with a “complete shoulder separation” and was out for 12 weeks. In the meantime, veteran NFL backup QB Ed Luther took over the starting job. Robbie Mahfouz returned to the bench and ended up completing 24 of 38 passes for 205 yards with two TDs and an interception.

The Bulls put together a 9-9 record to finish sixth in the seven-team Eastern Conference. While the Stars continued to struggle during the first half of the season, they won five of their last six games and ended up in fourth place at 10-7-1. Having qualified for the postseason, they went on to retain the USFL title in the league’s last game.

1984: Stars Throttle Wranglers for USFL Title

The Philadelphia Stars were a team on a mission during the 1984 United States Football League season. Head Coach Jim Mora’s squad had gone 15-3 in the league’s inaugural ’83 campaign but lost a closely-fought title game to the Michigan Panthers by two points. The Stars were just as efficient and dominating during the ’84 regular season, going 16-2. QB Chuck Fusina (pictured above) led a conservative but potent offense centered around RB Kelvin Bryant and an outstanding line anchored by OT Irv Eatman and C Bart Oates. The “Doghouse Defense” was, if anything, even better than it had been the previous year and featured All-League honorees in DT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, CB Garcia Lane, and FS Mike Lush. The club had beaten the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions to advance once again to the USFL Championship Game.

Their opponent on July 15, 1984 was the Arizona Wranglers, under Head Coach George Allen. The veteran-laden club that had (for the most part) played as the Chicago Blitz in ’83 was similar to the Stars in having a ball-control offense and rugged defense. 37-year-old QB Greg Landry no longer had a strong arm but still had plenty of savvy behind center and the running game boasted two thousand-yard rushers in Tim Spencer (1212) and Kevin Long (1010). WR Trumaine Johnson was a top receiver (90 catches, 1268 yds., 13 TDs). The defense ranked first overall and contained DE Karl Lorch, DT Kit Lathrop, and LB Ed Smith. However, Arizona’s road to the postseason had been more difficult – the Wranglers started off slowly but won their last four games to finish second in the Pacific Division at 10-8 and qualify as a Wild Card. They won two closely-fought games over the Houston Gamblers and Los Angeles Express to make it to the title game.

There was a crowd of 52,662 on hand at Tampa Stadium for the second USFL Championship game. The Stars took control from the start, driving 66 yards in 10 plays in the opening series of the game capped by a four-yard touchdown carry by RB Bryan Thomas (pictured below). Following a three-and-out possession by Arizona, Philadelphia again put together a long scoring drive that took nine plays to travel 54 yards. Fusina scored on a quarterback sneak from a yard out and, while David Trout missed the extra point attempt, Philadelphia was ahead by 13-0 after a quarter of play.

Fusina completed his first ten passes and the Stars’ offense moved methodically down the field, but in the second quarter turnovers kept the team from scoring again and nearly allowed the Wranglers to get back into the game. Backup TE Ken Dunek, in the lineup in place of injured starter Steve Folsom, fumbled early in the second quarter at the Arizona 43 yard line. The Wranglers recovered and capitalized when Frank Corral booted a 37-yard field goal.

Another Philadelphia drive into Arizona territory was stopped at the Wranglers’ 11 but Trout missed a 27-yard field goal attempt. Just before halftime, an 84-yard drive by the Stars came up empty when Kelvin Bryant, who was hampered by a toe injury, fumbled at the goal line – the play resulted in a touchback. The score remained 13-3 at the intermission although Philadelphia had rolled up 249 yards to just 49 for the Wranglers.

Arizona’s offense came alive in the first series of the third quarter. The Wranglers advanced 40 yards, but facing third-and-three at the Philadelphia 39, Greg Landry’s pass intended for Tim Spencer was broken up by LB Mike Johnson. While a furious Landry shouted at officials that Spencer had been interfered with, the protest was to no avail and Arizona was forced to punt.

Once again the Stars moved smoothly down the field. However, after reaching the Arizona 16, they came up empty once again when Fusina’s third-down pass was tipped by Kit Lathrop and intercepted by Ed Smith, who returned it 37 yards to the Philadelphia 46. It seemed once again that the Arizona offense would put points on the board, advancing to the 23, but the Stars defense held and Corral missed a field goal attempt from 40 yards.

The Wranglers suffered only one turnover, but it served to put the game out of reach. Landry fumbled while being sacked by DE Don Fielder at the Arizona 11 yard line and DT Buddy Moor recovered for the Stars. Seven plays later, Bryant scored from a yard out and Philadelphia took a commanding 20-3 lead with just under ten minutes left in the contest. David Trout capped the scoring with a 39-yard field goal as the Philadelphia defense stifled the Wranglers the rest of the way. The Stars became USFL Champions by a score of 23-3 that easily could have been much larger.

Philadelphia ran 59 running plays, a USFL postseason record, and dominated time of possession by 43:19 to 16:41. They also outgained Arizona by 414 yards to 119 and, while the Stars turned the ball over three times, the Wranglers were only able to take advantage with the lone field goal, while Arizona’s single turnover led to seven points for Philadelphia. Arizona, known for its outstanding pass rush during the regular season, was unable to put pressure on Fusina and did not sack him at all.

Chuck Fusina, the game’s MVP, completed 12 of 17 passes for 158 yards with no TDs and one interception. Kelvin Bryant led the running game with 115 yards on 29 carries that included a touchdown while Bryan Thomas contributed 69 yards on 11 attempts and one TD. WR Tom Donovan caught three passes for 43 yards.

For the Wranglers, Greg Landry was successful on just 6 of 20 throws for 54 yards. No player caught more than one pass, with WR Lenny Willis gaining 16 yards on Arizona’s longest pass completion of the game and Trumaine Johnson gaining 15 on his sole catch. Held to only 72 rushing yards as a team, Tim Spencer led the way with 33 yards on 8 carries.

“There’s no doubt we are the best team in the USFL,” said a triumphant Jim Mora afterward. “There was no denying this team.” Mora further added, “Our goal after losing to Michigan last year was not just to get to Tampa, but to win this game tonight.”

“We had opportunities to get back in the game after a couple of turnovers, but we didn’t take advantage of them,” said George Allen, coaching his last pro game at age 66. “We didn’t play as well as I thought we would, so Philadelphia deserves to win the championship.”

Allen saluted his players by saying, “I’m proud of them even though we lost. They played hard and came back from adversity all season long.”

In the ensuing offseason, the Stars moved to Baltimore (necessitated by the USFL’s plan to shift to a fall schedule for a 1986 season that never happened) and, while not as dominant during the regular season, rallied to win a second straight title in ’85. The Wranglers stayed in place but were merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws for 1985 and went 8-10 to finish fourth in the Western Conference.  

1983: Invaders Roll Up Yards, But Bryant & Stars Prevail

The Philadelphia Stars were off to a 5-1 start in the inaugural United States Football League season as they faced the Oakland Invaders at Veterans Stadium on April 16, 1983. Under the direction of Head Coach Jim Mora, the Stars boasted a stingy defense and a ground-oriented offense that featured rookie RB Kelvin Bryant (pictured above). The Invaders, coached by John Ralston, were 3-3, but that made them contenders in the Pacific Division as, entering Week 7, all of the teams had identical records. Two ex-Raiders, RB Arthur Whittington and TE Raymond Chester, were key players on the offense, as was QB Fred Besana, a former minor league star.

There were 34,901 fans in attendance for the Saturday game at the Vet. For much of the first half, they saw Oakland outplay the Stars, but fail to score points. Bryant, who had been held to under a hundred yards in the previous two games as he played with a bruised sternum, was held to three yards in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Oakland ran up 215 yards of offense in the first half, yet came up empty. Within inches of a touchdown on one first quarter possession, FB Jairo Penaranda fumbled into the end zone and CB Antonio Gibson recovered for the Stars. In addition, PK Kevin Shea missed two field goal attempts, of 46 and 42 yards, to stifle scoring opportunities.

Deep into the second quarter, Philadelphia’s offense had generated just one first down and was being kept in check. However, that all changed when Bryant took a handoff in his own territory, appeared to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage near the sideline, but then broke a tackle and reversed field. 45 yards later he was pulled down at the Oakland 25, setting up a 39-yard field goal by David Trout for the first score of the game.

Following the Trout field goal, the Stars got the ball back quickly when safety Mike Lush intercepted a Besana pass and returned it 33 yards. Bryant again made a big play with less than two minutes remaining in the half, running for a 37-yard touchdown, and Philadelphia went into halftime with a 10-0 lead. Bryant, thanks to the two long runs, gained 99 yards rushing in the second quarter alone.

Near the end of the third quarter, Besana threw to WR Wyatt Henderson for an eight-yard TD, the first touchdown the Stars defense had allowed in three weeks (they had surrendered just six points in their previous two games combined). However, Philadelphia put the game away in the fourth quarter when QB Chuck Fusina connected with WR Tom Donovan for an 18-yard touchdown. The defense kept Oakland in check the rest of the way and the final score was 17-7.

The Invaders outgained Philadelphia (339 yards to 270) and generated far more first downs (23 to 12). But they failed to score points when they had the opportunity and turned the ball over three times (the Stars suffered no turnovers at all).

Kelvin Bryant gained 118 yards on 14 carries that included one touchdown. Chuck Fusina completed 9 of 16 passes for 146 yards with a TD and no interceptions. Bryant, WR Willie Collier, and FB Booker Russell each caught two passes, with Collier’s 57 yards leading the club.

For Oakland, Fred Besana was successful on 26 of 42 throws for 271 yards and included a touchdown, but two were picked off. Arthur Whittington gained 89 yards rushing on 27 attempts. Raymond Chester caught 6 passes for 51 yards while Wyatt Henderson accumulated 78 yards on five receptions and scored the team’s lone TD.

“I’ve never been around a defense that comes through like these guys, week after week after week,” said Coach Mora. “They bend, but they don’t break.”

A disappointed Fred Besana said afterward, “It’s the same old story, we drive up and down the field, then we have breakdown after breakdown.”

The Stars continued on to a 15-3 record, winning the Atlantic Division, and advanced to the USFL Championship game, which they lost in a close 24-22 contest against the Michigan Panthers. The Invaders finished first in the Pacific Division with a mediocre 9-9 tally and lost to the Panthers in the Semifinal playoff round.

Kelvin Bryant was leading the league in rushing after the win over Oakland with 713 yards. He ultimately ended up as the runner-up to New Jersey’s Herschel Walker with 1442 yards on 318 carries (4.5 avg.) and was named MVP by the league.

1985: Invaders and Stars Play to Only USFL Tie

Just as it has been the case in the NFL since 1974, the use of limited overtime during the regular season made ties unlikely in the United States Football League. However, one game did end in a tie during its three-year existence - on March 3, 1985 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the Oakland Invaders and Baltimore Stars played to a deadlock.

The visiting Stars, under Head Coach Jim Mora, were the defending league champions. With the projected move to a fall schedule for 1986, the franchise moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore in order to not have to face direct competition with a NFL club. Relocating was causing difficulties for the team, which was upset by Jacksonville in the season-opening game the week before. The Stars still practiced in Philadelphia and were forced to play home games at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium due to the unavailability of Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.

While the Invaders, like the Stars, were in the league for the third year, they had undergone a transformation during the preceding offseason. With the USFL consolidating some franchises, the Oakland team had been combined with the Michigan Panthers, thus creating a far stronger club. The Invaders had put together two mediocre seasons in a weak division, but Michigan had been in the playoffs both years and won the championship in 1983. As a result, key additions to the Oakland offense were QB Bobby Hebert, WR Anthony Carter (pictured above), and running backs Albert Bentley and John Williams, all stalwart performers for the Panthers. They had won their opening game against Denver after starting slowly and rallying in the fourth quarter.

There were 20,495 fans in attendance as the Stars dominated in the first half. Four minutes into the contest, Baltimore QB Chuck Fusina threw to WR Victor Harrison for a 61-yard touchdown and early 7-0 lead.

Fusina, who was nursing a thumb injury suffered during the season-opening loss, threw for an 11-yard TD to WR Herbert Harris in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Stars were keeping Oakland’s offense in check.

It seemed as though the Stars had the game wrapped up when they extended their lead to 17-0 in the third quarter, following a 27-yard David Trout field goal. The solid defense had held the Invaders to just 101 yards and five first downs up to that point.

But on the last play of the third quarter, Hebert passed to WR Gordon Banks for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 17-7. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Harris fumbled on the kickoff return and Oakland recovered, setting up a 40-yard field goal by Novo Bojovic to make it a seven-point game.

Now it was Baltimore having trouble moving the football, and with time running out in regulation, the Invaders drove 59 yards in 31 seconds to tie the score. Hebert threw to Carter for an 18-yard touchdown with one second left on the clock and, with the successful extra point, the contest was forced into overtime.

Both teams had opportunities to win during the extra period. With 4:25 left to play, Trout missed a 49-yard field goal attempt for the Stars. Michigan’s Bojovic tried for a 48-yard field goal with 1:47 remaining, but Baltimore LB George Cooper blocked the kick. As a result, the final score was 17-17.

The Stars outgained the Invaders (374 yards to 330) and had more first downs (22 to 16). However, they also turned the ball over four times (one interception, three fumbles) to three by Oakland, and the Invaders sacked Fusina seven times, while Baltimore’s defense got to Hebert on four occasions.

Chuck Fusina completed 20 of 30 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns and the one interception. The Stars gained 148 yards on the ground, led (as usual) by star RB Kelvin Bryant, who gained 74 yards on 18 carries. RB Allen Harvin caught 5 passes for 41 yards, while Victor Harrison had 77 yards on his two catches, including the one TD.


For Oakland, Bobby Hebert (pictured at left) went to the air 46 times and had 19 completions for 302 yards with two touchdowns and two picked off. Anthony Carter caught 6 passes for 152 yards, including the game-tying TD. The Invaders were able to rush for only 55 yards on 26 attempts, and John Williams accounted for 35 of those yards on 13 carries.

“We came back, and we should have won,” said Bobby Hebert afterward. “Our defense played great. Why we don't play well the first three quarters is something I can't answer. It s just something that's happening.”

The Invaders lost badly to Houston the following week, but rebounded with three straight wins, on the way to placing first in the Western Conference at 13-4-1.

Baltimore continued to struggle, losing at Memphis before finally beating the New Jersey Generals convincingly. They were 5-6-1 two-thirds of the way through the season, and looked unlikely to repeat as champions, but then finished strong with five wins in their last six games to end up at 10-7-1. That placed them fourth in the Eastern Conference, but also got them into the playoffs where they won twice on the road to return to the USFL Championship game – a rematch with the Invaders that they won.

1985: Stars Defeat Invaders in Final USFL Title Game

The championship game of the United States Football League on July 14, 1985 was billed as the circuit’s last as a spring entity, but ultimately it was the USFL’s final contest altogether. There were 49,263 fans on hand at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ for the matchup between the Baltimore Stars and Oakland Invaders.

The Stars, reigning USFL champions who had moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore in preparation for the switch to fall, used the familiar formula under Head Coach Jim Mora to return to the title game for the third time. QB Chuck Fusina competently guided the offense. RB Kelvin Bryant rushed for 1207 yards and caught 40 passes for 407 more. WR Scott Fitzkee had his most productive season, catching 73 passes for 882 yards. The opportunistic defense, featuring LB Sam Mills, DE William Fuller, and S Mike Lush, was still one of the best.

However, the Stars weren’t as dominant in the regular season as they had been the previous two years in Philadelphia (31-5 overall), starting slowly and ending up in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7-1 record. The fact that the team continued to train in Philadelphia while playing 40 miles from Baltimore at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium likely contributed to the club’s on-field difficulties. They had to win two postseason games on the road, against the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions, to make it back to the championship game.

Oakland benefited from a merger with the Michigan Panthers following the ’84 season which greatly improved the team’s nucleus. Head Coach Charlie Sumner inherited QB Bobby Hebert, who relegated Fred Besana to the bench as he ranked second in passing yards with 3811 and third with 30 TD passes, and WR Anthony Carter, who caught 70 passes for 1323 yards and 14 touchdowns. The other wide receiver, Gordon Banks, prospered by pulling in 62 catches for 1115 yards and another five scores.

The Invaders accumulated the USFL’s best record, 13-4-1, in winning the Western Conference. They narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Bandits in the first round of the playoffs and then won against the Memphis Showboats to gain a spot in the title contest.

The game began in a heavy rain, to the benefit of the more conservative Stars. Baltimore scored first on a 16-yard pass play from Fusina to Fitzkee. However, Oakland was able to take advantage of the slippery throwing conditions as safety David Greenwood picked off an errant pass by Fusina and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. The score stood even at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Kelvin Bryant scored twice in the second quarter, on runs of 7 and 17 yards, with a one-yard TD by Oakland RB John Williams in between. The Stars held a 21-14 advantage at halftime and the Invaders offense had been able to put together only one scoring drive. Well defended by Stars CB Garcia Lane, Anthony Carter contributed just one catch for four yards.

The situation changed in the third quarter. First, Novo Bojovic connected on a 19-yard field goal for the Panthers. Then Carter began to get loose on crossing patterns, and Hebert connected with him for a seven-yard TD pass that staked Oakland to a 24-21 lead.

In the fourth quarter the Stars put together a drive that resulted in Bryant’s third touchdown of the game (pictured at top) on a 7-yard run. With time running down, the Invaders took over on their four yard line and methodically moved downfield. Williams made key runs and Hebert completed a 28-yard pass to Carter on yet another crossing pattern, and with 2:50 remaining on the clock Oakland faced a third-and-two situation at the Baltimore five.

Williams carried and was stopped for no gain by Sam Mills, but even more significantly, FB Tom Newton was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Instead of facing a fourth-and-two situation, it was now third-and-17. Hebert threw two incomplete passes and the Stars clinched the 28-24 win.

Kelvin Bryant was the game’s MVP, rushing 23 times for 103 yards and three TDs as well as leading the club with five catches for another 56 yards. Struggling with a slippery football, neither quarterback had a particularly strong showing. Chuck Fusina completed 15 of 26 passes for 155 yards with the one costly interception. Bobby Hebert was successful on just 14 of 30 throws for 187 yards with a TD and an interception. John Williams led the Invaders with 96 rushing yards on 13 carries while Anthony Carter was the top receiver with 5 catches for 74 yards and a TD.

Overall, Oakland won the statistical battle, outrushing the Stars 155 yards to 150 and gaining 177 net passing yards to 124. But they committed eight penalties to Baltimore’s four, including the costly flag on Newton.

An angry Coach Sumner said afterward, “It had been a rough game. They’d been calling offsetting penalties all night. How could they call it on just one guy?” But Newton admitted, “I was just too aggressive.”

The closely-fought championship game provided a fitting conclusion to the USFL’s existence, although no one knew it at the time. The league’s planned move to the fall for 1986 ended up not happening. While the league won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, instead of being awarded a large settlement, it received just three dollars in damages. With overall debt topping $160 million, the USFL folded a year after Kelvin Bryant scored the last touchdown in its three-year history.