:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70756545/1321713744.0.jpg)
Summer football is back as the USFL season gets underway this weekend. The first game of the newly reinvigorated league happens Saturday night, and there’s a lot of promotional muscle behind it. Saturday’s game between the New Jersey Generals and the Birmingham Stallions will be broadcast on two of the biggest broadcast television networks, FOX and NBC.
The Generals are coached by Mike Riley, who has more than four decades of coaching experience under his belt, but he’s best known for stints at Nebraska and Oregon State. Under center is quarterback Ben Holmes. The player most likely to be a start for the Generals is running back Mike Weber. He had flashes of production at Ohio State, but failed to catch on the NFL, despite some work with the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
Skip Holtz is the Stallions’ head coach, after a long career at the college level. With a decent looking group of offensive skill players and 16 players with NFL experience, the Stallions could be another team that’s apt to beat expectations this year.
How to watch Generals vs. Stallions
Game date: Saturday, April 16
Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV channel: FOX, NBC
Live stream: Peacock
Odds on DraftKings Sportsbook
Moneyline: Stallions -3
Point total: 42.5
Moneyline odds: Generals +145, Stallions -165
Best bet: Stallions -3
They’re technically the only home team as long as the league is playing games in Birmingham. And while we won’t get a good sense of how each team shapes up, the Stallions do have 16 players who saw time on an NFL roster last season. That’s the most of any team in the league.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.