1983: Bandits Rally to Defeat Gold in Storm-Interrupted Game

The Tampa Bay Bandits were trying to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive in the United States Football League’s first season as they faced the Denver Gold on June 27, 1983.

Coached by the offense-minded Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had broken out to a 4-0 start with 33-year-old veteran QB John Reaves throwing to a fine corps of receivers led by WR Eric Truvillion (pictured above). However, Reaves suffered a broken wrist and, while rookie Jimmy Jordan performed capably in his place, he encountered injury problems as well. The addition of another talented first-year player, RB Gary Anderson, midway through the season helped, but Tampa Bay had trouble winning consistently down the stretch and was 10-6 and fighting the Chicago Blitz and surging Michigan Panthers for dominance in the tough USFL Central Division.

Denver had a 7-9 record in the mediocre Pacific Division. Craig Morton had taken over the coaching reins five weeks before and while the defense was able to keep games close, the offense was unstable at quarterback and prone to turning the ball over.

There were 46,128 fans in attendance for the Monday night game at Tampa Stadium. Less than four minutes into the first quarter, Tampa Bay NT Fred Nordgren intercepted a screen pass by QB Craig Penrose and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. LB Mike Goedecker ran for a two-point conversion to stake the Bandits to an early 8-0 lead.

Following a three-and-out series by the Gold, the home team moved methodically to a score on offense. John Reaves, making his first appearance since his injury, completed passes to Eric Truvillion down the middle for 23 yards and to TE Lewis Gilbert along the sideline for 22. Following a defensive pass interference penalty, the possession concluded with Gary Anderson running two yards for a TD and Zenon Andrusyshyn kicking the extra point that made it 15-0.

Early in the second quarter, the Gold finally got on the board as the result of a 13-play, 65-yard series kept alive when LB Putt Choate took off for 31 yards on a fake punt. After five consecutive running plays, Penrose, facing fourth down, tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to TE Bob Niziolek. Brian Speelman added the point after.

On Denver’s next possession, the visitors again put together a long drive as they advanced 69 yards in 13 plays. While they lost Penrose to a hip pointer, backup QB Fred Mortensen’s first pass was good for a 24-yard gain that set up a touchdown on RB Harry Sydney’s one-yard plunge for a TD. The try for a two-point conversion failed but the Gold was only two points down at 15-13 with 7:18 remaining in the first half.

That was it until, after CB David Martin of the Gold intercepted a pass at the Tampa Bay 45 with just under a minute remaining, Speelman kicked a 41-yard field goal with 17 seconds left on the clock and Denver took a 16-15 lead into halftime.

Jimmy Jordan replaced Reaves at quarterback for the Bandits in the third quarter, but his first pass was picked off and the Gold took advantage, moving 44 yards to another scoring carry by Sydney, this time covering two yards. With Speelman’s conversion, the visitors were up by 23-15.

At just under two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Bandits put points on the board, this time on a 47-yard Andrusyshyn field goal that made it a 23-18 contest. Tampa Bay had the ball again when a storm erupted with heavy rain and lightning, forcing a 50-minute delay in the action with 8:31 left in regulation. On the second play after the game resumed, Jordan threw to Truvillion for a 44-yard touchdown. Up by a point, the home team got two more when RB Greg Boone ran for the conversion.

There was still plenty of time, but Denver turned the ball over on its next series when RB Larry Canada fumbled and CB Jeff George recovered for the Bandits. It was also George who finally put the game away with an interception of a Mortensen pass , to the joy of the remaining Tampa Bay faithful in the stands. The Bandits came away with a 26-23 win.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (283 to 263) while the Gold led in time of possession (35:37 to 24:23) and first downs were even at 16 apiece. Denver was hurt by five turnovers, with the two late ones preventing a fourth quarter comeback, and was penalized 9 times at a cost of 79 yards. The Bandits turned the ball over three times and drew five flags for 55 yards.

In his return to action, John Reaves completed 7 of 13 passes for 72 yards and gave up two interceptions. Jimmy Jordan was 9 of 12 for 131 yards in relief, with a touchdown as well as an interception. Gary Anderson led the Bandits in rushing with 48 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and also caught 5 passes for 36 yards. Eric Truvillion gained 94 yards on his three pass receptions that included the game-winning touchdown.

For the Gold, Craig Penrose was successful on 7 of 11 throws for just 28 yards and a TD while being picked off once and Fred Mortensen made good on 8 of 14 passes for 81 yards and gave up two interceptions. RB Vincent White led the club with 72 yards on 13 rushing attempts while Larry Canada, who ran 8 times for 24 yards, topped the receivers with 6 receptions for 56 yards. On defense, David Martin intercepted three passes but was also beaten for the game-winning touchdown.

“I knew we would win when it started to rain,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier. “That was Banditball weather.”

The Bandits needed help to reach the playoffs but it was not forthcoming as they lost their season finale and Michigan and Chicago won to claim the division title and wild card spots, respectively. Tampa Bay finished third at 11-7. The Gold also lost in the last week to place third in the Pacific Division with a 7-11 tally.

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.

1985: Reaves Leads Bandits to Win Against Gunslingers

The Tampa Bay Bandits and San Antonio Gunslingers both had 1-1 records as they met in a United States Football League game on March 10, 1985.

The Bandits, coached for the third year by Steve Spurrier, blew out Orlando in the first week but gave up 50 points in a loss to Houston in Week 2. They featured a potent offense directed by QB John Reaves, who had just turned 35, and the all-around skills of RB Gary Anderson, who was adept both as a runner from scrimmage and receiver out of the backfield. But the defense that recorded eight sacks against the Renegades fared poorly against the explosive Gamblers, not helped by the special teams giving up two kick return TDs.

San Antonio, a low-budget operation coached by Jim Bates, was defeated by the Memphis Showboats in their opening contest but narrowly prevailed over Arizona in the next contest in which QB Rick Neuheisel played well, as did the tough defense in successfully coming from behind.

There were 21,822 fans in attendance at Alamo Stadium. On John Reaves’ second pass of the game, CB Charles Armstead intercepted for San Antonio and returned it 28 yards to the Tampa Bay 34. The Gunslingers weren’t able to move on offense, with a pass deflected on first down, the next broken up, and the third falling incomplete. They settled for a 40-yard Nick Mike-Mayer field goal for the early 3-0 lead.

The Bandits came back to go ahead on a Reaves pass to WR Eric Truvillion that covered 32 yards and Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Still in the opening period, San Antonio responded with another Mike-Mayer field goal, this time from 30 yards that narrowed the margin to 7-6.

In the second quarter, Reaves, who was consistently hitting his receivers, went long to WR Steve Carter for a 54-yard TD. Andrusyshyn again converted to make the score 14-6. The Gunslingers put together a drive that concluded with RB Scott Stamper diving into the end zone from a yard out. They tried to pass for a two-point conversion but failed and the Bandits remained in front by 14-12.

Late in the perioed, Tampa Bay put together a long drive of 63 yards in 13 plays. With ten seconds remaining on the clock, Andrusyshyn booted a 22-yard field goal and the Bandits took a 17-12 lead over the tenacious Gunslingers into halftime.

San Antonio had managed to keep the game close in the first half, but the Bandits finally took control midway through the third quarter when CB Warren Hanna intercepted a Neuheisel sideline pass and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown. Andrusyshyn’s point after made the score 24-12.

Fred Mortensen relieved Neuheisel at quarterback, but with not much more success on offense. The visitors added to their lead early in the fourth quarter when Reaves again connected on a scoring pass to Truvillion, this time from three yards out, and Andrusyshyn’s extra point gave the Bandits a comfortable 31-12 advantage.

San Antonio finally got on the board again with 6:48 left in the contest as Mortensen ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Once again the home team tried for a two-point conversion, and again they failed, but it was of no consequence as the Bandits won by a final score of 31-18.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (409 to 277) and first downs (21 to 14). The Bandits also had two sacks, to San Antonio’s one, but also turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by the Gunslingers.

John Reaves, who completed 12 straight passes at one point, was 25 of 31 for 298 yards and three touchdowns while giving up the one early interception. Eric Truvillion had 8 catches for 130 yards and two of the TDs. RB Gary Anderson rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries and also accumulated 5 pass receptions for 31 more yards.

For the Gunslingers, Rick Neuheisel was successful on just 8 of 22 throws for 101 yards and gave up two interceptions. Fred Mortensen had about the same level of success, completing 8 of 14 passes for 85 yards with one picked off. RB Don Roberts was the leading receiver by far with 7 receptions for 124 yards. Scott Stamper topped the rushers with a modest 24 yards on 9 attempts.  

The Bandits won four of their next five games on the way to a 10-8 record that placed fifth in the Eastern Conference and earned a spot in the playoffs. They lost a close contest to Oakland in the Quarterfinal round. San Antonio lost its next two contests and, mired in organizational problems, finished at 5-13 to rank sixth in the Western Conference.

John Reaves had a highly productive season, completing 56 percent of his passes for 4193 yards, which ranked second in the USFL, and 25 touchdowns, but he also gave up a league-leading 29 interceptions. Gary Anderson ended up leading the club both in rushing with 1207 yards but in pass receiving with 72 catches, for 678 yards, and scored a total of 20 touchdowns.

1983: Backup Woodward Leads Breakers to Win Against Bandits

On June 19, 1983 two teams with playoff aspirations in the inaugural United States Football League season met in Boston. Both were also playing without their regular quarterbacks.

The Boston Breakers were 9-6 and in second place in the Atlantic Division. With the Philadelphia Stars having already clinched the division title, the Breakers were in the hunt for the lone Wild Card playoff spot. Coached by Dick Coury, they had proven adept at rallying for wins with their exciting offense, but veteran QB John Walton was out with a strained knee and the untested Doug Woodward would be making his first start at quarterback.

The Tampa Bay Bandits also had injury problems at quarterback, and were starting Mike Kelley in place of Jimmy Jordan, originally himself a backup who had in turn taken over for John Reaves when the 33-year-old veteran went down with a broken wrist. Under pass-oriented Head Coach Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had gotten off to a 4-0 start but were now at 10-5 and trying to keep pace with the Chicago Blitz atop the Central Division. They had beaten the Breakers in the season’s first week.

There were 15,530 fans in attendance at Nickerson Field of Boston University on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Among those in attendance was actor Burt Reynolds, a minority owner of the Bandits. With the inexperienced Woodward at quarterback, who had thrown just three passes thus far, the Breakers came into the contest utilizing a simplified offense and relying on a good defensive effort.

On the first play from scrimmage, Tampa Bay RB Gary Anderson fumbled and SS Joe Restic recovered for the Breakers. Four plays later, Doug Woodward, rolling to his left, tossed a scoring pass to FB Dennis Johnson from 11 yards out. Tim Mazzetti added the extra point and, less than two minutes into the game, the home team was up by 7-0. To make matters worse for Tampa Bay, Anderson, the star rookie whose arrival at midseason had bolstered the running attack, aggravated a shoulder injury.

The Bandits responded by driving to a 35-yard field goal by Zenon Andrusyshyn, but the Breakers then put together a 46-yard series that was capped by Johnson diving for a two-yard TD. Mazzetti again successfully converted and Boston was staked to a 14-3 first quarter lead.

Early in the second quarter, the Bandits scored on a 20-yard touchdown carry by RB Sam Platt and Mike Kelley threw to WR Eric Truvillion for a two-point conversion. Mazzetti kicked a 22-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining in the first half that increased Boston’s advantage to 17-11. As time expired before halftime, Andrusyshyn kicked a field goal from 51 yards that hit the crossbar but went over. The score was 17-14 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the Bandits put together a drive that started from their 25 and advanced deep into Boston territory. But facing third-and-three at the seven, Anderson ran for two yards and then, attempting to convert fourth down, the rookie was stopped by LB Marcus Marek for no gain (although the spot by the officials was highly disputed) to end the threat and turn the ball back over to the Breakers.

Later in the period, a 72-yard punt by Boston’s Dario Casarino pinned the Bandits back at their two yard line. Tampa Bay reached the 12 before having to punt in turn early in the fourth quarter, and it took the Breakers just two plays to score from their own 49. Woodward connected with TE Beau Coash for 44 yards and then WR Nolan Franz for a seven-yard TD. Mazzetti kicked the point after.

With 7:50 to play, Andrusyshyn narrowed the margin to seven points with a 35-yard field goal, but that proved to be the last gasp for the Bandits, who failed to cross midfield for the remainder of the contest. On the game’s next-to-last play, LB Ray Phillips sealed the 24-17 win for the Breakers by intercepting a Kelley pass at the Boston 40.

Tampa Bay dominated in total yards (355 to 222) and first downs (22 to 10), and ran 27 more offensive plays than the Breakers. However, the Bandits failed too often to convert long possessions into touchdowns and turned the ball over three times, to none by Boston. The Breakers also recorded four sacks, while Tampa Bay had none.

Staked to an early lead, Doug Woodward completed 12 of 17 passes for just 80 yards, but two were good for touchdowns and he gave up no interceptions. RB Richard Crump rushed for 79 yards on nine carries. Thanks to his one long catch, Beau Coash led the Breakers with 47 yards on two pass receptions.

For the Bandits, Mike Kelley was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 238 yards and no TDs and was picked off once. Gary Anderson, who was knocked out of the contest for a time in addition to reinjuring his shoulder, rushed for 49 yards on nine attempts and Greg Boone contributed 36 yards on 10 carries. WR Willie Gillespie caught four passes for 87 yards.

“It was a fairly simple game plan, but the young kid did an excellent job,” said Boston’s Coach Coury. “He’s a heady kid, throws the ball real well, and came up with a couple of big plays.”

It was the fifth win in six games for the Breakers. Meanwhile, the loss put the Bandits a game behind the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division with two contests remaining. Both clubs ultimately failed to make the postseason. They each split their remaining games and ended up with 11-7 records (Chicago was the Wild Card at 12-6).

1983: Bandits Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Invaders

Two teams involved in tough division races in the United States Football League’s inaugural season met in Week 10 on May 8, 1983. The visiting Tampa Bay Bandits were 6-3 and even with the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division while the hosts, the Oakland Invaders, had the same 4-5 record as the other three clubs in the Pacific Division.

Tampa Bay had gotten off to a 4-0 start under the guidance of offensive-minded Head Coach Steve Spurrier. The passing game was the key to success, and while 33-year-old veteran QB John Reaves went down with a broken wrist three weeks earlier, Jimmy Jordan (pictured above), a former Florida State standout, had taken over the starting quarterback duties and performed capably.

The Invaders also had a capable quarterback in Fred Besana, a former minor leaguer, and experienced stars on offense in TE Raymond Chester and RB Arthur Whittington, who were ex-NFL Raiders. Coached by John Ralston, Oakland had problems with consistency and had won for the first time in three weeks in the previous game, but in the league’s weakest division, it was enough to keep pace.

About 10,000 of the 26,989 ticketholders were no-shows at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum for the nationally telecast Mother’s Day game. Many of those present spent much of the contest loudly booing the home team.

On their first series, the Bandits reached the Oakland 46, but they came up empty when a completion to WR Martin Cox was fumbled by the receiver and CB Kenny Daniel recovered at the Oakland 19. On Tampa Bay’s next possession, Jimmy Jordan completed a 19-yard pass to WR Danny Buggs that moved the ball to the Oakland 11 and, while a penalty nullified a potential touchdown play, Zenon Andrusyshyn kicked a field goal from 22 yards to give the visitors a 3-0 lead with 2:09 remaining in the opening period. 

The Invaders responded with a promising series that included runs of 15 and 22 yards by Arthur Whittington, but WR Gordon Banks coughed up the ball at the Tampa Bay 10 when hit by FS Glen Edwards after catching a pass and SS Doug Beaudoin recovered to extinguish the threat.

Jordan was sacked during the ensuing series in which the Bandits were forced to punt, but Tampa Bay got the ball back when LB Kelly Kirchbaum recovered a fumble at the Oakland 46. Once again Jordan was sacked, for a loss of 11 yards, and the visitors punted once more, but a Whittington fumble on the ensuing series gave the Bandits the ball at their own 44. This time they capitalized as RB Greg Boone ran effectively and Jordan completed three passes as Tampa Bay used nine plays to go 56 yards. With 3:35 remaining in the first half, Jordan threw to Buggs for a nine-yard touchdown. Andrusyshyn added the extra point.

It seemed as though the Invaders would get on the board before the intermission as Besana threw to WR Wyatt Henderson for a 21-yard gain to the Tampa Bay seven, but a third down pass hit Henderson in the shoulder and was intercepted by CB Jeff George. While Oakland did get one last shot with 27 seconds still on the clock, Kevin Shea’s 55-yard field goal attempt fell short. The Bandits took a 10-0 lead into halftime.

Jordan was efficient in the first half, completing 12 of 14 passes for 145 yards. Oakland moved the ball well on offense, compiling 227 yards, but gave up three fumbles and an interception.

The Bandits drove 68 yards to open the third quarter, with Jordan throwing to WR Eric Truvillion for an 18-yard TD. Andrusyshyn again converted to put Tampa Bay up by 17 points. However, Jordan was lost with a shoulder separation midway through the period as he threw long for Truvillion and was struck by NT Dupre Marshall on a borderline late hit.

Nathaniel “Billy” Koonce came in for Jordan and Tampa Bay was unable to generate any offense for the remainder of the game. Koonce threw only two passes and one was intercepted, setting up Oakland’s only TD. His first toss hit Truvillion but bounced away and was picked off by SS Marcus Quinn of the Invaders at the Tampa Bay 20. Shortly thereafter, and just four seconds into the fourth quarter, Besana ran three yards for a touchdown. Shea’s extra point made it a ten-point contest.

The Invaders again drove into Tampa Bay territory, but with just over four minutes to go, an apparent scoring pass from Besana to WR Gordon Banks in the end zone from four yards out was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty. Oakland was forced to settle for a 30-yard Shea field goal. The Invaders still had comeback hopes, but they were finally dashed in the final seconds when Besana’s desperation pass was intercepted by George, his second of the contest, to seal the 17-10 win for Tampa Bay.

The Invaders outgained Tampa Bay (402 yards to 251) and had more first downs (24 to 17). They also recorded four sacks, to three by the Bandits. However, Oakland was undone by six turnovers, losing four of six fumbles in addition to two interceptions.  The Invaders were penalized seven times, at a cost of 60 yards, to four flags thrown on Tampa Bay.

Before being knocked out of the game, Jimmy Jordan completed 15 of 22 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Greg Boone led the team with 46 rushing yards on 14 carries. RB Sam Platt contributed 28 yards on 12 attempts and had five catches, for 54 yards, while Danny Buggs accumulated 64 yards on his four pass receptions.

For the Invaders, Fred Besana (pictured at right) completed a then-USFL record 15 straight passes during the fourth quarter comeback on the way to compiling 25 completions in 38 attempts for 254 yards, but with two picked off (he would exceed his consecutive completion streak the following year). Arthur Whittington rushed for 128 yards on 26 attempts but also fumbled the ball away twice. HB Louis Jackson had 7 catches for 70 yards to top the club.

“We were fortunate to win this game,” said Coach Spurrier of the Bandits. “It was due mostly to Oakland turnovers.”

The win improved Tampa Bay’s record to 7-3, and the Bandits maintained their share of the Central Division lead along with Chicago. Billy Koonce was quickly supplanted by Mike Kelley at quarterback in place of the injured Reaves and Jordan, who both eventually returned, and talented rookie RB Gary Anderson joined the club. Nevertheless, the team faded down the stretch and finished in third place and out of the running at 11-7. The Invaders ended up with a 9-9 record, but that was enough to top the Pacific Division, although they lost badly to Michigan in the first playoff round.

1985: Last-Second FG Propels Invaders to Playoff Win Over Bandits

The United States Football League Quarterfinal playoff game in Oakland on June 30, 1985 featured the Oakland Invaders, who had topped the Western Conference with a league-best 13-4-1 record, against the Tampa Bay Bandits, fifth place finishers in the Eastern Conference at 10-8.

The Invaders, coached by Charlie Sumner, benefited greatly from the merger with the Michigan Panthers that brought several key players to the roster, most notably QB Bobby Hebert (pictured above) and wide receivers Anthony Carter and Derek Holloway. In combination with holdover WR Gordon Banks, Oakland had the league’s most dynamic trio of receivers and the running game, paced by ex-Panthers John Williams and Albert Bentley, was also productive. Oakland was a ten-point favorite entering the contest against the Bandits.

Tampa Bay was coached by the offensive-minded Steve Spurrier and had overcome many injuries to reach the playoffs. 35-year-old QB John Reaves passed for 4193 yards and 25 touchdowns while RB Gary Anderson was outstanding both as a runner (1207 yards) and pass receiver out of the backfield (72 catches, 678 yards) as he compiled 20 TDs.

There were 19,344 fans in attendance on a sunny afternoon at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. In their first series of the game, the Bandits were penalized for illegal motion, nullifying what would have been a successful fourth down conversion, and then Zenon Andrusyshyn suffered only the second blocked punt of his career to give Oakland the ball at the Tampa Bay 25. However, on the next play, LB James Harrell intercepted a Hebert pass to give the Bandits the ball again at their two yard line. After reaching the 12, Gary Anderson fumbled and CB Vito McKeever recovered for Oakland. Although an unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of the play backed the Invaders up, the result of the turnover was a 37-yard Novo Bojovic field goal for the first points of the game.

Tampa Bay drove to the Oakland 21 on the next series, but Reaves was then intercepted by safety Oliver Davis and the first quarter ended with the score still 3-0.

The Invaders, who were experiencing difficulty moving the ball, punted early in the second quarter and the Bandits, helped by the running of Anderson, drove down the field to a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Reaves to WR Spencer Jackson.  Tampa Bay struck quickly for another TD, this time on a fake reverse in which Reaves threw to a streaking Anderson on a play that covered 73 yards. Andrusyshyn successfully converted following both touchdowns.

Down by 14-3, the Invaders went 80 yards in eight plays and scored on a 25-yard pass completion from Hebert to Derek Holloway. In response, the Bandits again moved into scoring territory. Anderson caught a pass and tightroped to the end zone, but was called out of bounds at the Oakland 14. Coach Spurrier’s request for a review was for naught due to the television network having pulled away to cover a news event, making a replay unavailable. The Bandits came up empty when Andrusyshyn missed a 28-yard field goal attempt and the score remained 14-10 at the half, although Tampa Bay had dominated statistically.

Less than three minutes into the third quarter, and following a 40-yard third-and-13 completion to Gordon Banks, Oakland scored again, this time on a throw from Hebert to Anthony Carter that covered 40 yards. Bojovic added the extra point and, in stunning fashion, the Invaders were in front by 17-14.

It seemed as though Oakland might take control of the game on the next series when Vito McKeever intercepted a Reaves pass in Tampa Bay territory, but the Invaders came up empty when Hebert threw into the end zone and was in turn picked off by CB Mike Thurman. However, the reprieve was short-lived when another interception again gave the Invaders the ball in Tampa Bay territory, and this time they came away with a 52-yard field goal by Bojovic.

Trailing by six points, the visitors put together a seven-play, 58-yard series that was capped when Reaves ran for a six-yard touchdown (his first rushing TD in ten years). Andrusyshyn added the PAT and the Bandits were back in front by 21-20.

Early in the fourth quarter, Oakland was on the move and, after Hebert connected with Holloway for a 41-yard gain to the Tampa Bay one, FB Tom Newton bulled in for a TD. A pass for two points was nullified by a penalty, but Bojovic then kicked the extra point that made the tally 27-21.

Tampa Bay came back to tie the score when Reaves threw to WR Willie Gillespie for a 15-yard touchdown and appeared ready to move back in front once more in what had now turned into a back-and-forth contest. However, following two penalties on successive extra point attempts, Andrusyshyn failed to convert from 35 yards and the game remained knotted at 27-27.

The Invaders responded by driving into Tampa Bay territory, but failed to regain the lead when Bojovic missed a 31-yard field goal with 5:14 left on the clock. However, Oakland’s defense rose up and twice sacked Reaves on Tampa Bay’s next three-and-out possession and, with Andrusyshyn punting out of his end zone, the Invaders had good field position at the Bandits’ 40.

Oakland made the most of the opportunity, methodically moving down the field. On the last play of the game, Bojovic kicked a 23-yard field goal and the Invaders won by a final score of 30-27.

The Bandits led in total yards (418 to 344) and first downs (19 to 17). However, Tampa Bay also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Invaders. Oakland, in turn, was penalized 11 times at a cost of 105 yards, to six flags for 45 yards on the visitors. Each team recorded two sacks apiece.

Bobby Hebert completed 15 of 27 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Albert Bentley led the team in rushing with 38 yards on seven carries and also in pass receiving with four catches, for 37 yards. Derek Holloway gained 75 yards on his three receptions that included a TD and Gordon Banks was right behind with 73 yards on two catches.

For the Bandits, John Reaves was successful on 18 of 30 throws for 315 yards and three TDs, but also tossed three interceptions. Gary Anderson ran for 90 yards on 13 attempts and also topped the club with 111 yards on his five pass receptions that included the long touchdown, although most of his production came in the first half. Spencer Jackson contributed five catches as well, gaining 87 yards.

"The defense played great and so did the offense, which gave me the chance to make the kick,” said Novo Bojovic, who had missed three field goals in a losing playoff game while with Michigan the previous year. “It was a great game for everybody and I didn’t want to let them down.”

“We played our hearts out,” said a disappointed John Reaves in defeat. “But we just came up a little short.”

The Invaders went on to defeat the Memphis Southmen in the Semifinal round the following week to advance to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Baltimore Stars. It would prove to be the league’s last game, but several of the Invaders, including Bobby Hebert, Anthony Carter, and Albert Bentley, went on to play in the NFL, as did Tampa Bay’s Gary Anderson. 

1983: Bandits Lose Game to Express & Reaves to Injury

The Los Angeles Express had a 3-3 record, as did all three other teams in the Pacific Division of the United States Football League, as they met the Tampa Bay Bandits on April 18, 1983. Coached by Hugh Campbell, winner of five straight Grey Cups with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos, the Express had difficulty scoring points with the quarterback tandem of veteran NFL backup Mike Rae, who started games, and rookie Tom Ramsey, who typically finished them. The defense was tough, however, especially the line that was anchored by rookie NT Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver.

Tampa Bay, coached by the offensive-minded Steve Spurrier, featured an exciting aerial attack directed by veteran QB John Reaves, a former college star at Florida who had floundered in the NFL. The Bandits had won their first four games before being thrashed by the Chicago Blitz, but were 5-1 and playing at home as they faced the Express.

It was a rainy Monday night with 32,223 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. The quality of play was sloppy, and the first half was filled with penalties. Tampa Bay took the early lead midway through the first quarter when Zenon Andrusyshyn booted a 40-yard field goal. The Express responded on the ensuing series by going 56 yards in 12 plays that culminated in Vince Abbott kicking a 35-yard field goal with 2:25 left in the opening period. Four plays later and now into the second quarter, it was Andrusyshyn’s turn again to put the Bandits back in front with a 29-yard field goal. The series was helped along by a roughing-the-passer call on DE Dennis Edwards.

LA was helped on its next drive by two penalties on the Bandits to move into field goal position, with Abbott connecting from 36 yards. Late in the second quarter, and with the score tied at 6-6, Eddie Weaver of the Express put pressure on Reaves that caused a poorly thrown pass which was intercepted by SS Mike Fox. But with the ball at the Tampa Bay 10, the visitors couldn’t reach the end zone. NT Fred Nordgren made a shoestring tackle on RB John Barnett to save a possible score, and then Tom Ramsey dropped the snap on third down. LA came away with a 24-yard Abbott field goal as the clock ticked down to 42 seconds and took a 9-6 lead into halftime.

Down by three points in the third quarter, the Bandits stopped the Express at their own 15 and forced a punt that gave them good starting field position at their own 48. However, after advancing to the LA 42, a false start backed them up five yards and then Reaves was again picked off by Fox.

Heading into the fourth quarter, and with 12:31 to go, the Express went ahead to stay on a one-yard touchdown carry by RB John Barnett – the first LA touchdown in over ten quarters. It followed a Reaves fumble that was recovered at the Tampa Bay 17 by Dennis Edwards. The turnover was compounded by the loss of Reaves, who left the game with a broken wrist suffered while being tackled, thus forcing the fumble.

Backup QB Jimmy Jordan helped narrow the margin with a 23-yard touchdown pass to WR Danny Buggs midway through the final period, but the Bandits never threatened again for the remainder of the game. They reached the LA 40 on their final possession before giving the ball up on downs, and a roughing-the-kicker penalty kept the Express from having to give up the ball again until there were just 27 seconds left. LA added two points by dropping Jordan for a safety shortly thereafter and won by a final score of 18-13.

The offensive statistics reflected the closeness of the score. The Bandits held the edge in total yards (260 to 258) and first downs (17 to 16). The big difference was in turnovers, with Tampa Bay giving up five (four interceptions, one fumble) to none suffered by LA, even though the visitors fumbled four times. The Express defensive line put heavy pressure on the Tampa Bay quarterbacks throughout the contest and recorded five sacks, while the Bandits had two.

Mike Rae completed 13 of 25 passes for 140 yards with no touchdowns, but also no interceptions. RB Tony Boddie rushed for 59 yards on 11 carries and John Barnett was right behind with 55 yards and a TD on 19 attempts. TE Ricky Ellis led the receivers with 6 catches for 65 yards. On defense, Eddie Weaver had two sacks and Mike Fox accumulated three interceptions.

For the Bandits, John Reaves had a miserable day before leaving due to injury, completing just 7 of his 27 throws for 81 yards while giving up four interceptions. In relief, Jimmy Jordan went 8 of 10 for 97 yards and a TD with none picked off. RB Sam Platt ran for 107 yards on 21 carries and caught four passes for another 16 yards. Danny Buggs led the team with 62 yards on three pass receptions that included a TD.

“I’m very disappointed in the offense,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier in summing up the defeat. “We didn’t play well until Jimmy (Jordan) came in. It hurts when you beat yourself. Even with doing things so poorly, we still had a chance to win.”

The Express went on to an 8-10 tally that placed them second in the mediocre Pacific Division. Eddie Weaver received All-USFL recognition from The Sporting News for his play with the league’s fifth-ranked defense, but even with upgrades to the receiving corps, the offense continued to have difficulty scoring points.

As for the Bandits, the loss that dropped them to 5-2 was all too reminiscent of the one two weeks earlier against the Blitz and a harbinger of harder times to come. Still, with Jordan at quarterback, they managed to remain competitive, even after he, in turn, went down with an injury. Tampa Bay stayed in the playoff hunt until the last week, ending up with an 11-7 record that meant a third place finish in the tough Central Division and just outside the postseason. 

1983: Bandits Pull Out Win Over Breakers in USFL Debut

March 6, 1983 marked the debut of the United States Football League with the first game starting in Tampa between the Tampa Bay Bandits and Boston Breakers, just ahead of four other Sunday afternoon contests.

The Bandits were owned by John Bassett, a Canadian businessman who had once operated the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League. The head coach was Steve Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Florida who played in the NFL with the 49ers and Buccaneers and had most recently been offensive coordinator at Duke. 33-year-old John Reaves (pictured above) was the starting quarterback and, like his coach, had also starred at Florida but had little success as a pro and had been dogged by drug and alcohol problems off the field. Reaves had last played for Houston in 1981 and was selling real estate in that city when the opportunity to play in the new league came along.

Boston also had a veteran quarterback in John Walton, a 35-year-old who had last played as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 before becoming head coach at Elizabeth City State for three years. Walton was also a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues along the way and had demonstrated a strong passing arm. Head Coach Dick Coury was an experienced NFL assistant who had also been head coach with the WFL’s Portland Storm.

There was plenty of hoopla surrounding the opening game at Tampa Stadium with a good crowd of 42,447 fans in attendance on a sunny, 80-degree afternoon. The Bandits came out fast, running their first eight plays without a huddle, but it was Boston’s Tim Mazzetti who put the first points on the board a minute before the end of the first quarter with a 30-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, the Bandits put together a 75-yard drive in six plays that culminated in Reaves throwing to RB Ricky Williams for a five-yard touchdown with six minutes remaining in the first half. Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Boston responded with an eight-play, 80-yard series that also led to a TD on a pass from John Walton to RB Anthony Steels. Mazzetti successfully added the PAT to give the Breakers a three-point lead at 10-7.

In their first possession of the third quarter, the Bandits drove 83 yards to score again. Reaves completed all four of his passes, the last one for a six-yard touchdown to WR Eric Truvillion. Moving the ball effectively later in the period and ahead by 14-10, it seemed as though the Bandits were on the verge of taking control of the game as they faced third-and-goal at the Boston three yard line. However, Reaves fired a pass into the end zone that was tipped twice before being intercepted by CB Terry Love five yards deep in the end zone. Love proceeded to run 102 yards before being brought down at the Tampa Bay three by Truvillion. Three plays later, the Breakers re-took the lead on a one-yard carry by FB Tony Davis and Mazzetti added the point after.

The momentum had shifted and Tampa Bay’s next possession also ended with an interception, but the Breakers were unable to add points. With 10:17 left in the game, Reaves went long to WR Willie Gillespie for a 33-yard touchdown that put the Bandits back in front to stay, Andrusyshyn capping the score with his third extra point of the contest.

That was it for the scoring. Holding a four-point lead and with 1:35 left in the contest, the Bandits were in possession at their own 29 and Coach Spurrier gambled by seeking to convert a fourth-and-one situation. The Breakers stopped the ensuing running play by RB Greg Boone but were flagged for being offsides. Tampa Bay was able to run out the clock and win by a final score of 21-17. 

The Bandits easily outpaced Boston in total yards (470 to 225) and first downs (26 to 14). However, the Breakers led in time of possession (31:02 to 28:58) and Tampa Bay turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the visitors.

John Reaves had a fine performance, completing 28 of 39 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, along with two interceptions. Ricky Williams, who played collegiately at Florida State, got the starting nod at running back due to a foot injury suffered by RB George Ragsdale on the opening kickoff and rushed for 97 yards on 25 carries and also had 6 catches for 49 more yards that included a TD (his only production of the season, as he went down with a knee injury the following week). WR Danny Buggs led the club with 7 pass receptions for 112 yards and Eric Truvillion contributed 6 catches for 88 yards and a score.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 163 yards and a TD along with one interception. Tony Davis rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts while RB Anthony Steels gained 23 yards on 6 carries and added 4 receptions for 35 yards. Veteran WR Charlie Smith, a former teammate of Walton’s in Philadelphia, gained a team-leading 48 yards on his two catches.

“I was very much pleased with what I saw,” said former Steelers RB Rocky Bleier, who was on hand to cover the game for a Pittsburgh television station. “It was wide open, there was a good selection of plays and there wasn’t the kind of sloppy play you might expect for a game like this.”

The opening-week win was the first of four straight for the Bandits, but they stumbled during the second half of the season and the resulting 11-7 record left them third in the Central Division and just short of the playoffs. The loss of John Reaves with a broken wrist was a factor, although backup Jimmy Jordan performed well until also going down with an injury.

Boston recovered to go 11-7 as well, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division although also on the outside looking in for the postseason.

1984: Anderson TDs Lift Bandits Over Gamblers

The Tampa Bay Bandits commenced their second United States Football League season by hosting one of six expansion teams, the Houston Gamblers, on February 26, 1984.

The Bandits, coached by Steve Spurrier, had featured an exciting passing attack in the inaugural ’83 season, with 33-year-old QB John Reaves successfully reviving his career until breaking his wrist seven weeks into the schedule. WR Eric Truvillion was an All-USFL selection and all-purpose RB Gary Anderson joined the club as a high-profile rookie midway through the year, played well, and was now available for a full season. Tampa Bay just missed qualifying for the playoffs and was looking to move up in 1984.

Houston had a high-profile rookie of its own in QB Jim Kelly, formerly of the Univ. of Miami and now starting behind center for the first-year club. While Head Coach Jack Pardee was known for his skill with building defenses, the team would be operating a wide-open “run-and-shoot” offense.

There were 42,915 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. It looked good for the Bandits when they took the opening kickoff and drove to the Houston 14, but Zenon Andrusyshyn missed wide to the right on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

Now it was Houston’s turn, and Jim Kelly completed four consecutive passes on a nine-play, 80-yard possession, the last of which resulted in a nine-yard touchdown to WR Ricky Sanders. Jeff Brockhaus added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

The Bandits again moved the ball effectively on their next series, but on a first down play at the Houston 27, John Reaves fumbled the snap and LB Rickey Young recovered for the Gamblers. Finally, at 3:15 into the second quarter, the Bandits got on the board when Andrusyshyn booted a 25-yard field goal.

Andrusyshyn kicked another field goal for Tampa Bay with just under two minutes remaining in the first half, this time from 32 yards, making it a one-point game. They got the ball back and went ahead before halftime on a two-yard run by Gary Anderson. Reaves threw to WR Willie Gillespie for a two-point conversion and the home team took a 14-7 lead into the intermission.

Houston came back in the third quarter to tie the score when RB Sam Harrell caught a pass from Kelly for a seven-yard TD and, with Brockhaus adding the point after, the tally was 14-14.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Gamblers drove deep into Tampa Bay territory, but on a third-and-goal play at the four yard line, an option run lost four yards and they had to settle for three points. Still, Houston went ahead when Brockhaus successfully kicked a 26-yard field goal.

It seemed as though the field goal might be enough to pull off the upset. Tampa Bay appeared to be in trouble when, facing third-and-20 at the Houston 45, Anderson dropped a short throw from Reaves. But far from the play, Houston CB Donald Dykes was flagged for an illegal hit on Gillespie and the Bandits stayed alive with a first down at the 30. Reaves threw to Eric Truvillion for 17 yards and, with 2:33 remaining, Anderson took a handoff and ran 12 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful, but the home team was ahead by three points.

There was still plenty of time for the Gamblers, and they reached the Tampa Bay 39 with 57 seconds left on the clock. But on fourth-and-six, Kelly kept the ball on an option play and was stopped short of a first down by DE James Ramey. The Bandits ran out the clock to win by a final score of 20-17.

Tampa Bay led in total yards (435 to 316) and time of possession, holding onto the ball some 15 minutes longer than the Gamblers. The Bandits also held a 28 to 18 edge in first downs, but they had difficulty making the most of scoring opportunities despite being inside the Houston 20 on five occasions. Each team turned the ball over twice.

Gary Anderson had a big day , rushing for 114 yards on 26 carries that included two touchdowns and catching 6 passes for another 100 yards. With Houston’s defensive backs playing deep coverage, John Reaves used short throws effectively and completed 25 of 42 passes for 308 yards with one interception. Willie Gillespie, like Anderson, had 6 receptions, gaining 70 yards, and Eric Truvillion contributed 73 yards on his four catches.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly had a strong performance in his pro debut, completing 24 of 41 throws for 229 yards and two TDs, although he also gave up two interceptions. Ricky Sanders caught 7 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. WR Richard Johnson added 6 receptions for 44 yards and Sam Harrell gained 44 yards on 5 catches that included a TD to go along with his team-leading 57 yards on 10 rushing attempts. On defense, LB Andy Hawkins, formerly of the NFL Buccaneers, was credited with 11 tackles in his Tampa homecoming.

“We moved the ball and had a lot of yards, but it seemed like all the bad plays were happening to us,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier. “A lot of penalties, a missed field goal, a missed extra point.”

Tampa Bay went on to win their next two games on the way to a 14-4 finish that was good for second place in the Southern Division. Qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card, the Bandits lost their First Round playoff game to the Birmingham Stallions. The Gamblers recovered from their first week loss to win three straight contests on the way to a 13-5 record and first place in the Central Division. They also lost in the initial round of the postseason, to the Arizona Wranglers.

Gary Anderson gained 1008 yards on 268 carries (3.8 avg.) and led the USFL with 19 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 66 passes for 682 more yards and another two TDs for a total of 21, tying for the league lead with New Jersey’s Herschel Walker.

John Reaves stayed healthy and ranked second in passing yards (4092), attempts (544), and completions (313) while accumulating 28 touchdown passes against 15 interceptions. Ahead of him was Jim Kelly, who ranked at the top in yards (5219), TDs (44), attempts (587), and completions (370) in putting together a remarkable rookie year. He received consensus Player of the Year and All-USFL honors.

1985: Bandits Intercept 5 Passes in Defeating Stallions to Wrap Up Playoff Spot

Both the Tampa Bay Bandits and Birmingham Stallions were attempting to secure spots in the postseason as they met in a United States Football League game on June 15, 1985. Birmingham came into the contest at 12-4, having won five straight and with a turnover differential of +16, the best in the league. Head Coach Rollie Dotsch’s team had a well-balanced offense with QB Cliff Stoudt, WR Jim Smith, and RB Joe Cribbs as the featured performers as well as a fine defense.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, was 9-7 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Coached by Steve Spurrier, the Bandits were typically explosive on offense with veteran QB John Reaves behind center and also had a talented all-purpose running back in Gary Anderson (pictured above). But there had been numerous injuries, which were at the root of the club’s recent problems.

There were approximately 24,000 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. The Stallions drove 92 yards in 11 plays the first time they had the ball to take the early lead. Cliff Stoudt got off to a good start, completing six of his seven passes for 71 yards, including a three-yard scoring toss to Jim Smith. Birmingham’s series was also helped along by a personal foul penalty on LB Tony Office.

But while up by 7-0, the Stallions were unable to build upon their lead in the second quarter, thanks to a missed field goal attempt by Danny Miller and an interception by Tampa Bay safety Dwayne Anderson. Instead, Tampa Bay completed a seven-play, 50-yard drive with 35 seconds left in the half as John Reaves threw to WR Spencer Jackson for a five-yard TD. Zenon Andrusyshyn tied the game with his successful extra point and it was 7-7 at the half.

The third quarter proved to be decisive for the home team. First, Andrusyshyn kicked a 34-yard field goal that put the Bandits in front. Then, with just over a minute left in the period Gary Anderson ran for an 11-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, extended Tampa Bay’s lead to 17-7. Meanwhile, the defense did its part by intercepting three of Stoudt’s passes during the quarter, causing Coach Dotsch to bench him in favor of backup QB Bob Lane.

Tampa Bay’s lead held up through the fourth quarter. In the last minute, Lane tossed a seven-yard scoring pass to Smith, but it was too-little, too-late as the Bandits came away with a 17-14 win.

Birmingham gained more yards (416 to 253) and had the edge in first downs (24 to 17) and time of possession (37:13 to 22:47). However, the Stallions turned the ball over five times, most critically in the crucial third quarter, to four by the Bandits and Danny Miller missed both of his field goal attempts, from 38 and 40 yards. Both clubs were heavily penalized, with Tampa Bay drawing 12 flags at a cost of 48 yards while the Stallions had fewer penalties with 9 but at a loss of 57 yards.

Gary Anderson rushed for 98 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown and gained 16 more yards on three catches. John Reaves had a mediocre performance by his standards, completing just 13 of 30 passes for 112 yards and a TD but with three interceptions. WR Willie Gillespie, like Anderson, caught three passes and gained a team-high 40 yards.

“I think this is the first time in three years we beat a good team and we didn’t play well on offense,” said Steve Spurrier in summing up his team’s win.

For the Stallions, Cliff Stoudt was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 187 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted four times before being removed. Tellingly, he also led the team in rushing with 29 yards on four carries while Joe Cribbs was held to 28 yards on his 12 attempts. Bob Lane, who ran for 20 yards on three carries, completed 10 of his 17 passes for 130 yards and a TD with one picked off. Jim Smith had 11 pass receptions for 139 yards and two TDs while WR Ken Toler contributed 5 catches for 90 yards.

The much-needed victory secured a playoff spot for the Bandits, who finished fifth in the Eastern Conference at 10-8. They lost in the Quarterfinal round to the Oakland Invaders. Birmingham recovered to top the conference at 13-5. The Stallions won their Quarterfinal game over the high-powered Houston Gamblers but lost to the eventual league champs, the Baltimore Stars, in the Semifinal round (they had fallen to the then-Philadelphia Stars at a similar juncture in 1984).

John Reaves was highly productive, as he was throughout his USFL career, passing for 4193 yards and 25 touchdowns, but he also tossed 29 interceptions. Gary Anderson made the Top 10 in both rushing and pass receiving, gaining 1207 yards and scoring 16 TDs on the ground and catching 72 passes for 678 yards and four more scores through the air.

Cliff Stoudt was the league’s second-ranked passer, throwing for 3358 yards and 34 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. Jim Smith ranked third in pass receiving with 87 catches for 1322 yards and 20 touchdowns.

1984: Reaves Tosses 4 TD Passes as Bandits Beat Outlaws

The Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League were on a roll, having won five straight games prior to hosting the Oklahoma Outlaws on May 14, 1984. Head Coach Steve Spurrier’s team featured an exciting offense directed by 34-year-old QB John Reaves and a defense that was solid up front if less proficient at defending against the pass.

The Oklahoma Outlaws, one of six new clubs for the USFL’s second season, appeared to be going in the opposite direction, having lost three straight games by lopsided scores after getting off to a promising 6-2 start. Coached by Woody Widenhofer, the offense featured QB Doug Williams, who had spent five seasons with the NFL Buccaneers and was making his return to Tampa. Defense was the biggest problem for the Outlaws, who had given up an alarming 124 points in the three losses leading up to the game against the Bandits.

There were 45,116 fans in attendance for the Monday night contest at Tampa Stadium, and they lustily booed Williams when he first appeared. The game started off as a shootout as the Bandits scored the first three times they had the ball, driving 77, 78, and 79 yards respectively, and Oklahoma did so on its first two possessions.

On the first series, RB Gary Anderson tossed an option pass to TE Marvin Harvey for a 10-yard touchdown to finish it off. The Outlaws came back with a scoring drive of their own, with WR Alphonso Williams catching a pass from Doug Williams for an 11-yard TD. It was 7-7 after a period of play.

RB Greg Boone scored a touchdown for the Bandits on the first play of the second quarter, running in from a yard out, and Tampa Bay’s lead increased when John Reaves threw to WR Spencer Jackson for a 26-yard TD. Down by 21-7, the Outlaws rallied back with two quick scores. Williams tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Lonnie Turner to cap a five-play, 69-yard series. He then threw to TE Jerry Price from three yards away and, with the successful extra point, the game was tied with 2:42 left in the half.

However, the Bandits responded by going 74 yards in seven plays ending with a 10-yard Reaves scoring pass to Harvey. It was 28-21 at the midpoint. 

After a very competitive first two quarters, Tampa Bay’s defense shut down the Outlaws in the second half. Reaves tossed a pass to WR Eric Truvillion for a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter and to Anderson for a six-yard TD in the final period. The extra point was missed after the fourth scoring pass by Reaves, but it hardly mattered, and in any event Truvillion, who normally caught passes, threw one to Harvey from 13 yards out for a TD that capped the scoring. It was the third touchdown for Harvey, each coming from a different passer. Tampa Bay ended up winning comfortably by a final score of 48-21.

The Bandits rolled up 511 total yards to Oklahoma’s 435 and had the edge in first downs by 28 to 27. However, the Outlaws turned the ball over four times, to none by Tampa Bay. Oklahoma had three possessions end with interceptions, one via a fumble, and one more in which they had to turn the ball over on downs. There was only one punt during the game, by the Bandits in the second quarter.

John Reaves had a big day as he completed 22 of 31 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns with none intercepted. WR Willie Gillespie had 5 catches for 107 yards while Marvin Harvey contributed 5 receptions for 68 yards and the three scores. Eric Truvillion pulled in four passes for 74 yards and a touchdown while also passing for a TD. Gary Anderson rushed for 49 yards on 17 carries and had a touchdown pass as well.

For Oklahoma, Doug Williams was successful on 25 of 48 throws for 317 yards and three TDs, but also had three intercepted. In addition, Williams was flagged once for unsportsmanlike conduct after arguing a call and was also penalized for a late hit on an interception return that sparked a scuffle between the teams along the sideline as well as a shower of debris from some nearby fans. Alphonso Williams caught 6 passes for 119 yards and a TD. RB Ted Sample ran for 70 yards on 8 carries.

The sixth straight win for the Bandits put them a game behind the Birmingham Stallions in the Southern Division. They went on to finish at 14-4 and earn a Wild Card playoff spot, although they lost convincingly to the Stallions in the first round. Oklahoma’s collapse continued and the Outlaws ended up at 6-12 and fourth in the division.

John Reaves, who had been a disappointment in the NFL, ranked fifth among USFL passers as he threw for 4092 yards and 28 touchdowns with a 57.5 completion percentage. Eric Truvillion and Marvin Harvey were favorite targets, each catching 70 passes and scoring 9 touchdowns while accumulating 1044 and 938 yards, respectively. 

1976: Expansion Bucs Obtain Steve Spurrier from 49ers

April 2, 1976 was a busy day of trading among NFL teams. In one of the deals that occurred, the 49ers sent nine-year veteran QB Steve Spurrier to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for WR Willie McGee, LB Bruce Elia, and a second-round draft choice (used to take Eddie Lewis, a defensive back from Kansas).

McGee and Elia had been obtained through the expansion draft, from the Rams and Dolphins, respectively. McGee lasted two seasons in San Francisco and Elia for three, starting nine games at middle linebacker. Lewis was with the Niners until moving on to the Lions during the 1979 season, starting every game at cornerback in ’78 and intercepting three passes. More significantly, the way was thus cleared for Jim Plunkett, obtained from the Patriots shortly thereafter, to become San Francisco’s starting quarterback.

Spurrier, who turned 31 later in the month, had won the 1966 Heisman Trophy at Florida and was San Francisco’s first draft choice in 1967. He became the punter and backup to veteran quarterback John Brodie. In his first five seasons, Spurrier threw a total of just 204 passes, most of those when he started four games after Brodie was injured in 1969, and completed 108 for 1232 yards with six touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Not very mobile and with a slow release, Spurrier had the arm strength to throw deep but was a mediocre short passer. Nevertheless, he had drawn generally good reviews for his performance in place of Brodie in ’69 (the 49ers led the NFL in passing yards with 3158 in an otherwise disappointing season) and was still considered to be a good prospect.

While it was back to the bench in 1970 and ’71, Spurrier again stepped in when Brodie went down with an ankle injury five games into the 1972 season. He filled in admirably in what proved to be his finest NFL season, completing 54.6 percent of his passes for 1983 yards with 18 TDs against 16 interceptions. The club went 6-2-1 during his starts, on the way to the playoffs for the third straight year. However, Brodie came off the bench in the season finale to rally the 49ers into the postseason and started against the Cowboys in the NFC Divisional playoff game.

In 1973, Spurrier finally displaced the 38-year-old Brodie as the team slumped to 5-9. Injured a week prior to the 1974 season, he saw action in only three games and in ’75 split the starting job with another aging veteran, Norm Snead. His nine seasons in San Francisco had ultimately been a disappointment. He passed for 5250 yards with 33 touchdowns and 48 interceptions and had a 13-12-1 record as the starting quarterback.

 “We have said all along that if we traded for an established quarterback, he would have to be one who is a good athlete,” said Ron Wolf, Tampa Bay’s VP for Operations. “In Steve Spurrier, we think we found the right blend for an expansion-team situation.”

In truth, Spurrier was expected to be nothing more than a caretaker for the new club, although there were hopes that offensive coordinator John Rauch would bring out his best. But the Buccaneers were a typically poor first-year squad, especially when it came to running backs and receivers, and went 0-14.

Spurrier started 12 games and completed 156 of 311 passes (50.2 %) for 1628 yards and 7 TDs with 12 picked off. Moreover, he was also sacked 32 times. His finest performance came against the Chiefs when he went 20-of-36 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions – it was his only 200-yard passing game of the year, and one of only two in which he tossed more than one scoring pass.

It proved to be the end for Spurrier’s career as a pro quarterback. He retired as a player but went on to a long and successful college coaching career, beginning with his becoming quarterbacks coach at his alma mater of Florida in 1978. Prior to head coaching stops at Duke (20-13-1 record), Florida (122-27-1), and South Carolina (66-37 through 2012), Spurrier coached the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL for three years (35-21) and, after winning six SEC titles and a national championship at Florida, had a far less successful two-year tenure in the NFL with the Washington Redskins (12-20).      

1983: Bandits Overcome Stars in USFL Battle of Unbeatens

The United States Football League game at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium on March 27, 1983 featured a matchup of two teams that had started out strongly in the new league’s inaugural season. Both the Philadelphia Stars and Tampa Bay Bandits were unbeaten after three weeks of play.

The Bandits, coached by Steve Spurrier, had an outstanding passing game with veteran QB John Reaves, who had started his pro career as the first draft choice of the NFL Eagles in 1972 (Reaves and Spurrier pictured at right). He had good targets in another veteran pro, WR Danny Buggs, and newcomer Eric Truvillion, the other starting wide receiver. The overlooked defense was a good one and featured NT Fred Nordgren and CB Jeff George.

Philadelphia, under Head Coach Jim Mora, was less flashy on offense, featuring star rookie RB Kelvin Bryant and ex-NFL backup QB Chuck Fusina. The defense was especially tough, with the linebacking corps led by unheralded Sam Mills at its heart.

There was a disappointing crowd of 18,718 on hand at the Vet with a steady rain falling. The Bandits scored on four of their first six possessions to take command. The first touchdown came less than three minutes into the opening quarter and followed the recovery of a Fusina fumble by Jeff George.  Reaves threw to Eric Truvillion from 33 yards out.

The Stars came back to tie the score as Kelvin Bryant ran for a 35-yard touchdown. However, later in the first quarter George struck again as he intercepted a pass by Fusina and returned it 22 yards for a TD.

In the second quarter, Tampa Bay’s lead was narrowed to 14-10 thanks to a 35-yard David Trout field goal. Zenon Andrusyshyn responded with a 43-yard field goal for the Bandits to make it 17-10. Just some two minutes later, Tampa Bay drove to a touchdown with the thanks of a gadget play. Reaves passed to Danny Buggs who picked up 11 yards and lateraled to RB Sam Piatt for another 13 yards to the Philadelphia 12. Four plays later, Piatt ran for a TD from a yard out.

Andrusyshyn booted a 38-yard field goal and, before halftime, the Stars finally scored again when Trout kicked a 37-yard field goal. Nevertheless, the Bandits held a commanding 27-13 lead at the halfway point.

The Stars, minus the injured Fusina, chipped away some more at Tampa Bay’s lead early in the third quarter when Trout connected for another field goal, this time from 27 yards. The Bandits played conservatively on offense and were helped by the defense’s ability to stop the normally-efficient Philadelphia offense, particularly the passing game.

Philadelphia still managed to make it interesting less than five minutes into the fourth quarter when backup QB Jim Krohn tossed a screen pass to Bryant, who proceeded to take it all the way for a 38-yard TD. However, the try for a two-point conversion failed and the Stars never again crossed midfield for the remainder of the contest. Tampa Bay came away the winner by a score of 27-22.

Tampa Bay led in total yards (389 to 295) and had the edge in first downs (18 to 17). Although they fumbled seven times, the Bandits lost just two of them and each team ended up with three turnovers. The Tampa Bay defense recorded five sacks while the Stars got to Reaves just once.

John Reaves completed 16 of 32 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Danny Buggs caught 4 passes for 90 yards and, while Eric Truvillion was held to just two receptions, they included the one TD. Sam Piatt ran for 75 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries and RB Greg Boone contributed another 11 attempts for 54 yards.

For the Stars, Kelvin Bryant was the star on offense with 112 rushing yards on 22 carries that included a TD and three catches for 57 yards and another score. Chuck Fusina and Jim Krohn combined to complete just 13 passes in 31 attempts for 177 yards. WR Scott Fitzkee had 6 receptions for 48 yards.

“It was great to win here,” exulted John Reaves. “I was 0-8 as a starter for the Eagles. The adrenaline was really pumping. It was something special. I was really looking forward all week to coming back here.”

“He (Reaves) played extremely well,” said Steve Spurrier of his 33-year-old quarterback. “We didn’t have many plays for him in the second half. We just tried to grind out the clock.”

“Mistakes got us in the hole early and we were never able to get out,” said Jim Mora from the home team’s perspective.

Fortunes changed for the teams as the season progressed. Tampa Bay was crushed by the Chicago Blitz the following week and, two games later, Reaves went down with a broken wrist. While getting good performances from the backup quarterbacks, the Bandits faltered on defense and lost four of their last six games to end up at 11-7, which put them third in the highly-competitive Central Division and out of the playoffs. The Stars, on the other hand, recovered to top the Atlantic Division with a league-best 15-3 record. They made it to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Michigan Panthers.

1983: Bandits Beat Wranglers as Anderson Scores Clinching TD in Debut

The Tampa Bay Bandits had gotten off to a good start in the United States Football League’s inaugural season. Head Coach Steve Spurrier’s team had an outstanding passing offense and was 7-3 in the highly-competitive Central Division. 

However, there was cause for concern in that veteran QB John Reaves had gone down with a broken wrist in the seventh week and his capable backup, Jimmy Jordan, suffered a shoulder separation in Week 10 at Oakland. Thus, the Bandits would have to go with an untested signal caller, Mike Kelley, in their May 15, 1983 game against the Arizona Wranglers. On the upside, rookie RB Gary Anderson (pictured above) would be making his first appearance of the season, having just signed during the previous week.

A star in college at Arkansas, Anderson was drafted in the first round by the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, but they expressed an inclination to shift him to wide receiver. Anderson thus chose to sign with Tampa Bay, where he could continue to play at running back.

As for the visiting Wranglers, they were 4-6 under Head Coach Doug Shively, which was good enough to remain competitive in the weak Pacific Division. Rookie QB Alan Risher was performing ably and WR Jackie Flowers was among the USFL’s top touchdown scorers.

There were 32,327 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium and they saw the home team score first on a 49-yard field goal by Zenon Andrusyshyn. However, in their second possession the Bandits drove to the Arizona six but Anderson was stopped short on a fourth-and-one carry and the score remained 3-0 after one quarter.

The Wranglers took the lead in the second quarter when RB Harold Blue ran 25 yards for a touchdown, followed by a successful extra point. After Arizona’s touchdown, the Bandits drove to the Arizona 29 but were backed up by a delay of game penalty and Andrusyshyn was then wide to the left on a 51-yard field goal attempt. Later, Tampa Bay again moved the ball to the Wranglers’ 29 but Kelley was intercepted by LB Sam Norris.

Finally, CB Jeff George intercepted a Risher pass at the Arizona 49 and returned it to the 38 yard line. While he fumbled at the end, FS Glen Edwards recovered and the resulting Tampa Bay possession culminated in Kelley tossing a four-yard touchdown pass to star WR Eric Truvillion. The Bandits, despite the missed opportunities, took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The margin was extended to 13-7 in the third quarter when Andrusyshyn booted a 46-yard field goal. Then in a pivotal play, CB Warren Hanna intercepted a pass by Risher near midfield (Hanna’s third pickoff of the day). Tampa Bay took advantage on a series that ended with Anderson taking a pitchout and running for a 12-yard TD. The additional score proved to be enough – while Risher connected with WR Neil Balholm for an eight-yard touchdown, Tampa Bay was able to hold on for a 20-14 win.

The Bandits dominated statistically, leading in total yards (340 to 197), first downs (21 to 10), and time of possession (34:56 to 25:04). Still, Tampa Bay was nearly undone by 10 penalties as well as four turnovers and Kelley was sacked seven times. But Arizona turned the ball over six times and struggled against the tough Tampa Bay defense.

Gary Anderson had an impressive debut, rushing for 99 yards on 18 carries with the one TD and catching four passes for 54 more yards. Mike Kelley, also making his first pro start, completed 21 of 39 passes for 239 yards with a touchdown and an interception. WR Danny Buggs had 6 catches for 87 yards.

For the Wranglers, Alan Risher completed 13 of 25 throws for 126 yards and a TD, but with four interceptions. TE Mark Keel topped the team with 45 yards on three receptions, and Neil Balholm also caught three passes, for 26 yards, while Jackie Flowers was limited to just two catches for 38 yards. RB Calvin Murray led the ground game with 57 yards on 16 carries.

Tampa Bay ended up going 11-7 and finishing third in the Central Division and just out of the playoffs. The Wranglers completely collapsed, never winning again the rest of the way to finish at 4-14.

In eight games, Gary Anderson continued to play impressively and gained 516 yards on 97 carries for a solid 5.3-yard average while catching 29 passes for 347 yards and a 12.0 average out of the backfield. Mike Kelley won a second straight start and ended up appearing in a total of six games, passing for 1003 yards with four touchdowns against five interceptions.