Round two of the 2023 Birmingham-Houston series is set for Sunday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis. And if you like high-stakes regular season clashes, this one most certainly fits the bill.
The Stallions enter the contest atop the South Division with 6-2 record, while the Gamblers stand at 5-3.
But Houston defeated Birmingham 27-20 in Week 5, so a sweep by Curtis Johnson’s team means the Gamblers will overtake Skip Holtz’s club.
“Right now, we’re thinking about going 1-0, and I’m focused on getting revenge against Houston,” Birmingham tight end Jace Sternberger said.
If that happens and the Stallions improve to 7-2, they secure a playoff spot and move a step closer to a division crown. A positive result for Birmingham would leave Houston on the outside looking in for a postseason berth, pending the fortunes of the Memphis Showboats (5-3) and New Orleans Breakers (5-3), who meet today in Memphis.
Currently, all four teams have 2-2 divisional records.
Translation?
The South Division is a cluster.
“We’re sitting here at 6-2, and we have a chance to clinch a playoff berth, which is ultimately what this is all about,” Stallions coach Skip Holtz said. “We started eight weeks ago and knew there were four teams in the South who’d be fighting for two spots.
“There’s an awful lot riding on this. This is the team that beat us the first time around, and we feel like from a tiebreaker standpoint and everything else this is a really big game for us.”
Once again running the offensive show for Birmingham is quarterback Alex McGough, who continues to lead the USFL in passing touchdowns (16) and points (120). He’s completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,614 yards, and has rushed for 337 yards and four TDs.
“I just think of it as another game,” McGough said of tomorrow’s showdown. “Coach went over the standings and what we need to do, but every week we just have the 1-0 mentality, and I think if we try to get away from that, it’s a distraction.
“I just think we’ve got to stick to the plan and stick to what got us here in the first place.”
Sternberger leads the receiving corps in point production with five touchdowns, while Davion Davis has amassed 437 yards catching the ball.
C.J. Marable, who has turned into a dual-threat coming out of the backfield, has 437 ground yards (4.6 yards per carry) and 194 receiving yards. His 891 all-purpose yards ranks second on the USFL charts.
Nate Holley and Christian McFarland each have 27 solo tackles to set the standard for Birmingham’s defense.
And although the team has had more than its share of injuries, good fortune has managed to arise from misfortune.
“With injury comes an opportunity,” Holtz said. “I hate injuries, and we do everything we can to try to prevent them, but at the beginning of the season with the number of people that went out, a lot of guys have stepped up and new faces have emerged.
“You look at (receivers) Davion Davis and Deon Cain, and the offensive line with Cohl Cabral and with (Matt) Kaskey and Derwin (Gray) and (Jahmir) Johnson and what some of these guys are doing … I just think there are a lot of positives that have come out of this. A lot of people have played key roles to make us successful to this point.”
Houston is coming off a 20-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Maulers in Canton, another tight game in what has been a highly competitive season across the board.
“This is a good football league,” Johnson said. “They’re outstanding coaches. Just look who all our coaches are. (Almost) all these coaches have NFL experience, that’s why this game is played like the NFL.”
Mark Thompson has the most rushing touchdowns in the USFL with 13, scoring two on Saturday in a victory that saw him net 98 yards on 14 carries. His 514 yards are second only to Wes Hills of New Orleans, who has 613.
QB Kenji Bahar was 11-20-0 passing for 146 yards and a touchdown, and has thrown for 1,326 yards through eight games. His top target is Joe Walker, with 464 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Gamblers allowed 326 yards of total offense and 22 first downs, but held the Maulers to just three of nine third down conversions and allowed only one red zone score out of three opportunities.
Defensive end Isaiah Chambers has 11 tackles for loss – tops in the league.
“I think the players are really excited about the opportunity to play,” Holtz said. “We’re excited to go on the road and travel, but if we can get that magic number seven and get into the playoffs, that’s ultimately what we’re trying to do.”
PLAYER STATUS (via Stallions Twitter)
Free Agent Signing: RB Benny LeMay, DT Keyshon Camp.
Transferred Player to Active Roster: CB Matt Hankins, OT Derwin Gray, DE Jordan Thompson.
Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: RB Benny LeMay, DT Keyshon Camp, CB Bryan Mills, OG Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms.
Suspended list: DE Joe Jackson.
Game status: OL Derwin Gray: Probable (Illness), DE Joe Jackson: Out (Infection). S Christian McFarland: Probable (R Hamstring, R Shoulder, L Thumb), DB JoJo Tillery: Probable (L Knee), RB Ricky Person Jr.: Probable (L Hip), WR Deon Cain: Probable (L Hamstring), RB CJ Marable: Probable (R Torso), LB Quentin Poling: Probable (R Achilles), S Tyree Robinson: Probable (R Thumb/R Wrist), WR Davion Davis: Probable (L Ankle), OL Matt Kaskey: Full Go (R Thumb), DL Jordan Thompson: Full Go (L Hamstring).
PLAYER STATUS (via Gamblers Twitter)
Transferred Player to Active Roster: OC Braylon Jones, DE Reggie Walker, OLB Chris Garrett, DT Josh Avery.
Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: CB Malcolm Washington, DE Guy Thomas, OG Jair Joseph.
Released: DE Eli Howard.Game status: LB Reggie Walker: Questionable (L Ribs), TE Rodell Rahmaan: Probable (R Hamstring), DT Jeffery Johnson: Out (L Hand), OL Jordan Steckler: Questionable (L Hamstring), DB Andrew Soroh: Probable (Head), OL Braylon Jones: Full Go (L Ankle), TE Brandon Barnes: Full Go (L Hand), OL Brandon Hitner: Full Go (L Shoulder), OL Na’Ty Rodgers: Full Go (R Shoulder), LB Ronheen Bingham: Full Go (R Hamstring).