Joshua Mousel 
A thrilling Saturday game saw the Pittsburgh Maulers’ team make the championship game. The Sunday slate would decide their opponent. With a trip to the championship on the line, Birmingham took off and never looked back.
This was the rubber match between the New Orleans Breakers and the Birmingham Stallions. In the winner-take-all contest, it was Birmingham’s Alex McGough that was the biggest star. McGough contributed five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) and 394 yards of offense. Ricky Pearson Jr, Alex McGough, and CJ Marable all rushed for over 70 yards, in an offensive showcase that saw the Stallions post 553 yards! Davion Davis turned five receptions into 75 yards and two touchdowns.
On the flip side of the field, McLeod Bethel-Thompson couldn’t keep pace, throwing for 272 two TDs, and two INTs. The rushing game didn’t help any, posting 79 total rushing yards on only 13 attempts. Sage Surratt and Jonathon Adams caught touchdowns for the Breakers, while Dee Anderson and Jonnie Dixon led the team in yardage. The crux of the Breakers has been whether MTB could take care of the ball. In a game that needed to be played as close to perfect as could be, Alex McGough prevailed. It was a disappointing end to the NOLA Breakers team that started off so hot.
The USFL Championship game will be held on July 1st, in Canton, Ohio, with the Pittsburgh Maulers trying to complete their Cinderella story with a win over the Birmingham Stallions. The Maulers completed their win-out scenario with a 27-31 overtime thriller over the Michigan Panthers.
