The Birmingham Stallions (8-2) and New Orleans Breakers (7-3) just can’t seem to get out of each other’s way.
Sunday night the teams will square off in the United States Football League South Division championship game at Protective Stadium, marking the second consecutive season the teams have clashed in the playoffs.
It’s also their sixth meeting overall (Birmingham holds a 4-1 lead in the series), making this the most frequent rivalry in the modern USFL’s two-year history. Birmingham is riding a five-game winning streak, while New Orleans has won three straight.
The Stallions lost to the Breakers, 45-31, in Week Three but came away with a 24-20 victory in Week Seven.
The rubber game of the 2023 season is all that matters now.
“This will be our third time this year and six times in two years that we’ve played,” said Birmingham coach Skip Holtz, who was named USFL Coach of the Year on Thursday. “I’m very familiar with what they do with Jon Tenuta, who I think does an unbelievable job as a defense coordinator. They were the number one defense in this league, and they’ve got aggressive linebackers. They’re very aggressive in the secondary and like to set the tempo. Offensively, they’ve got the top back in the league (Wes Hills), they’ve got a great run game and a very experienced quarterback (McLeod Bethel-Thompson) whose been in these pressure type situations before and is very efficient throwing the football to high-powered receivers on the outside. What’s the weakness? You know what I mean? It’s not like you’re gonna go in and dominate a team like that.”
All-USFL QB Alex McGough has been remarkable for the Stallions all season long, and continues to lead the league in passing touchdowns (20) and points (150). He’s thrown for 2,104 yards while rushing for 403 yards and five more scores.
He’s not just in the conversation as league MVP, but the first name to come up when the conversation starts.
“I think the biggest challenge preparing for them is that we’re playing the same team three times,” McGough said. “It’s just figuring out what are they going to do to try to change up or if they continue with what they thought worked and what they thought didn’t work … you know, it’s just a chess game at this point. But we’re just trying to go out and execute.”
Although it’s an all-or-nothing affair, McGough says he’s approaching the playoff game the same way he approaches all of them.
“I’ve been saying this since the beginning, I treat every game like it’s a championship game,” he said. “So that way, when we get into the situation, it’s just another week. I’m just trying to go out and execute the game plan. I’m just trying to lock in on what I need to do each and every day, and focus on the specifics of that day so I can go out and execute on game day.”
Jace Sternberger, also an All-USFL selection, leads the USFL in receiving touchdowns and is second on the team in pass-catching yards with 517. Davion Davis, a nominee for USFL Sportsman of the Year, leads the corps with 575 yards and four TDs.
C.J. Marable has scored three touchdowns on the ground while racking up 524 yards, and has 28 receptions for 235 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey remains perfect on PATs (35-for-35) and has hit 14 of 15 field goal attempts, while Colby Wadman averages 48.7 yards per punt. Wadman and long snapper Ryan Langan joined McGough and Sternberger in being named to the All-USFL Team on Wednesday.
Safety Christian McFarland leads the Birmingham defense with 33 solo tackles and 55 in all. Both cornerback Nate Brooks and safety Tyree Robinson have 29 individual takedowns and safety Nate Holley, 28.
“They’re well-coached, they have an explosive quarterback, they’re good on defense … it’s going to be a formidable opponent for us,” Breakers coach John DeFilippo said. “We know each other personally because we share a hotel with them. It’s going to be a great game, great atmosphere and great game for our league. It’s a game between the two best teams in our league.”
As Holtz suggests, however, DeFilippo’s team is loaded, too.
Bethel-Thompson is the USFL leader in passing yardage with 2,433 yards, and has thrown 14 TD passes against eight interceptions.
Sage Surratt and Jonathan Williams have combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards, but Johnnie Dixon has been Bethel-Thompson’s most productive target, coming up big with 463 yards and five touchdowns.
Hills spearheads the ground attack with 10 touchdowns on 680 yards.
The Breakers defense can be smothering, led by linebacker Vontae Diggs (38 solo tackles), linebacker Jerod Fernandez (37) and safety Jarey Elder (34).
New Orleans has allowed just 170 points all season, best among the eight teams. That will be tested against Birmingham’s league-leading 332.6 yards per game.
“I think we’re gonna play extremely hard and I know we’re playing one of the better teams in this league,” Holtz said. “We’ve had some dog fights with them and know it’s gonna come down to the end. Nothing but respect for the New Orleans Breakers.”
Coverage begins at 6 p.m. Sunday on FOX.
PLAYER STATUS (via Stallions Twitter)
Free Agent Signing: WR Peyton Ramzy.
Transferred Player to Active Roster: WR Josh Johnson, WR Adrian Hardy, CB Lorenzo Burns, LB Scooby Wright, DT Keyshon Camp, LB Elijah Sullivan.
Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: WR Peyton Ramzy, WR Michael Dereus, CB Bryan Mills, LB Brody Buck, DE Joe Ozougwu.
Transferred Player to Injured Reserve List: WR Myron Mitchell.
Game status: OL Jahmir Ross-Johnson: Out (R Shoulder), WR Myron Mitchell: Out (L Hand), DE Jonathan Newsome: Out (R Knee), S Christian McFarland: Probable (L Thumb), S JoJo Tillery: Probable (L Knee), RB Ricky Person Jr.: Probable (L Hip), LB Elijah Sullivan: Probable (Low Back), LB Scooby Wright: Probable (L Calf), QB Alex McGough: Probable (R Hand), S TJ Carter: Probable (R Groin, R Heel), OL Matt Kaskey: Probable (R Groin).
PLAYER STATUS (via Breakers Twitter)
Transferred Player to Active Roster: LB Shaheed Salmon, LB Justus Reed.
Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: LB Zakoby McClain, DT Christian Connor.
Game status: LB Shaheed Salmon: Probable (R Shoulder), OL Kirk Kelley: Probable (R Knee), WR Eli Stove: Full Go (Head), S Jarey Elder: Probable (L Shoulder), DE Justus Reed: Probable (L Knee), S James Wiggins: Questionable (R Shoulder).
