2023 USFL Odds Preview: Two Goliaths Stand Above The Rest
Birmingham and New Jersey Favored Considerably by Early Outrights
USFL Title Odds Favor the Stallions and Generals
Who’s ready for spring football? The 2023 USFL season starts this Saturday and the upstart league is putting its best foot forward with the Birmingham Stallions versus the New Jersey Generals. This was the same Week 1 matchup last season, but now it features Birmingham as the reigning USFL champions. The 2023 USFL odds peg the Stallions as the favorites to repeat at +250 though New Jersey is not far behind at +350. And they play each other this Saturday.
Birmingham vs New Jersey: We Won’t Have to Wait Long
The evening game this Saturday features the much-anticipated rematch between Birmingham and New Jersey. The pair played each other in Week 1 last year, which Birmingham won thanks to a late touchdown. New Jersey dominated the game, gaining more yards and controlling possession for most of the game. But in the end, Birmingham won.
They were expected to meet in the USFL Championship game. But Philadelphia upset New Jersey and could have done the same to Birmingham had it not been for Case Cookus’s injury. Now, the 2023 USFL odds favor Birmingham, which is playing in its actual home, to beat New Jersey with a spread of five points.
The Stallions, who just received their championship rings earlier this week, could be even better in 2023. The team lost a few key contributors like edge rusher DeMarquis Gates (now with the NFL’s Chicago Bears). But the team is the outright favorite on the USFL title lines for a reason.
“It’s very full of excitement. Sometimes it brings tears to your eyes that you won a championship because [we were] all together as one,” running back Bo Scarborough said about the joyous occasion. “We never played with each other before and for us to come together as a team and win. This ring means a lot, it shows care for our team and the mentality that we care.”
But while Birmingham celebrates, New Jersey enters the season with a chip on its shoulder. The Generals almost beat Birmingham in Week 1 and then fell short of a title game rematch. Quarterback De’Andre Johnson will now get full control of the starting job with Luis Perez out of the team. He is a favorite to win the USFL MVP award on the football odds board.
He’ll have to do it without MVP KaVontae Turpin (signed by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys). But the Generals, who led the league in most major offensive categories last season, should still be peerless next to Birmingham.
Stars Shine Bright: Philly and Other Contenders Could Make Noise
Philadelphia showed last season that the USFL is a league of opportunities. The team finished just 6-4, a distant third from the 9-1 records of Birmingham and New Jersey. But when it mattered, the team upset New Jersey and were this close to beating Birmingham to win the USFL title. Quarterback Case Cookus returns after a brief stint in the NFL. As such, the 2023 USFL odds have Philadelphia at +525 to finish the job this year.
The Stars started 2-3 but rallied around Cookus in the second half of the season. The team averaged 31.2 points in its final five games and only lost to the Generals. It also led the USFL in turnover differential (+8) and put away New Jersey in the playoffs with a game-clinching interception.
Not too far behind are the New Orleans Breakers at odds of +600 to win it all. The team was the USFL’s best defense having allowed just 16.4 points on average. It lost to the Stallions in the playoffs, who they will continue to share “home” games with this season.
New Orleans has two big changes as John DeFilippo and Ryan Jones replace Larry Fedora as head coach and general manager, respectively. And at quarterback, two-time CFL Grey Cup champion McLeod Bethel-Thompson is reunited with DeFilippo who spent some time with in 2016 as members of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The back half of the league consists of Michigan and Memphis at +700 to win the title, Houston at +800, and Pittsburgh at +1000. All four failed to make the postseason last year and all but Memphis will feature new coaches. The most notable will be Mike Nolan who replaces Jeff Fisher in Michigan. Like Fisher, he has NFL head coaching experience.
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