We’ve reached the final week of the USFL regular season, and there is no shortage of incentives in the air. Only one team, the defending champion Stallions, has clinched a playoff spot. Both division titles remain up for grabs.
Additionally, no team has been officially eliminated, meaning all four Week 10 games will have significance.
Each week through the USFL Championship Game in July, I’ll offer a betting prediction for each game on the schedule.
USFL Week 10 Predictions & Best Bets
Generals moneyline (-165) • DraftKings Sportsbook
Pittsburgh Maulers vs New Jersey Generals Betting • WAGER: 1 unit
The Maulers impressively ratcheted up their defense in Week 9 to record a 19-7 win over the Panthers, in which they picked off Michigan quarterback Josh Love on four occasions.
However, the Generals arguably put together just as impressive an offensive performance against the Stars while snapping their losing streak, with QB De’Andre Johnson returning from injury and completing 75.0 percent of his passes.
New Jersey’s Darius Victor also had a passing TD and two more scores on the ground, and although Pittsburgh’s defense has been stingy all season (league-low 258.8 total yards per game allowed), I see the Generals having just enough to pull out the victory in our USFL bet of the day.
Stallions -3.5 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
Birmingham Stallions vs Memphis Showboats Betting • WAGER: 1 unit
The Stallions increasingly look the part of a potential repeat champion, now having won four straight to push their record to a USFL-best 7-2 and remain atop the USFL Championship Odds leaderboard.
Alex McGough once again accounted for multiple touchdowns in Week 9 and notably lit up the Showboats for 301 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 32 more during a Week 2 win.
Memphis’ offensive shortcomings – and those of quarterback Cole Kelley in particular – were exposed in the Week 9 shellacking at the hands of the Breakers. Birmingham has a similarly aggressive defense that’s allowed only 19.6 points per game and recorded 17 sacks.
I see the Stallions as simply having too much talent – not to mention the incentive to clinch the South Division – not to pull out a fairly sizable win here.
Breakers -3.5 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
New Orleans Breakers vs Houston Gamblers Betting • WAGER: 1 unit
With two straight wins, the Breakers are rediscovering their swagger at just the right time.
New Orleans will know whether it still has a chance at a South Division title by the time this game kicks off, but even if a Stallions victory on Saturday has put that out of reach, John DiFillipo’s squad will still need a victory to ensure a playoff spot.
New Orleans notched a 38-31 win over Houston back in Week 2, and although the Gamblers’ defense has improved since then, they’ve still allowed a league-high 16 touchdowns and 205.1 passing yards per game.
Meanwhile, Breakers QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, despite a very quiet Week 9 game that featured a significantly extensive weather interruption, has shown no shortage of upside while teaming with top targets Jonathan Adams, Johnnie Dixon and Sage Surratt.
With the Breakers in a win-and-in scenario for the postseason at a minimum and a stouter overall defense, I like them to prevail and cover.
Stars moneyline (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
Philadelphia Stars vs Michigan Panthers Betting • WAGER: 1 unit
The Stars nearly pulled off a miracle comeback against the Generals in Week 9, but in falling short, they remain without any guarantee of the postseason despite sitting atop the North Division with a 4-5 mark.
Case Cookus and Corey Coleman are playing at all-star levels, and RB Dexter Williams has been a solid fill-in for the sidelined Matt Colburn (undisclosed) thus far. Meanwhile, the Panthers’ defense has shown some weakness through the ground and air.
On the other side, Josh Love threw four picks in a forgettable Week 9 performance and could still be reeling. While the Reggie Corbin-Stevie Scott backfield duo could certainly find success against a Philly defense that’s allowed a league-high 5.1 yards per carry and 13 rushing TDs, this is a game I see the superior offensive team, the Stars, prevailing in.
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