Week 1 of opening United States Football League Season has her first W in the books.
The Birmingham Stallions came from behind to defeat the New Jersey Generals 28-24 in an instant classic Saturday on FOX.
The opening weekend action continues on Sunday with three games starting at 12 p.m. ET.
Here are Saturday’s top games:
Birmingham Stallions 28, New Jersey Generals 24
And we’re gone!
Just like that, football was popular in April.
Starting with a bang
Generals QB Luis Perez launched a 49-yard rocket at Randy Satterfield for an explosive first game of the day.
Generals strike first
The duo followed with a quick 3-yard touchdown to take the lead early in the first quarter.
Luis Perez finds Randy Satterfield for the first touchdown of the USFL season
The Generals took a 7-0 lead after that Perez-Satterfield connection.
Stallions retaliate
Birmingham QB Alex McGough tied things up with a big 35-yard pass to Osirus Mitchell.
Alex McGough finds Osirus Mitchell on a 35-yard touchdown pass to put Stallions in a 7-7 tie with Generals
The Stallions tied the score after a huge touchdown pass from McGough.
Not so fast
Generals safety Shalom Luani knocked down everyone in his path and set the tone early with this tackle:
Man down!
Football fans got their first glimpse of the new helmet cam when Stallions linebacker DeMarquis Gates emerged with the first sack of the season, hitting Perez seven yards back.
Selected!
McGough’s deep pass down the middle was intercepted by Luani and the first snack of the season was on the books.
Generals take the lead
Perez hit Braedon Bowman with a 13-yard score to regain the lead in the second quarter.
Luis Perez throws a BEAUTIFUL 13-yard scrambling TD pass against Stallions
Perez threw a picturesque touchdown pass to Braedon Bowman to help the Generals go 14-7 against the Stallions.
Creepy Scooby
The Birmingham defense had a big game before half-time when Stallions linebacker Scooby Wright Perez knocked the ball out of hands as the Generals QB tried to get the first relegation.
Chaos in the back room
After Stallion safety Nate Holley fumbled, he followed up with a big hit on Generals QB De’Andre Johnson, who checked in for Perez.
The Generals went into halftime with a 14-7 lead.
Drone coming in
Johnson climbed up the middle to Birmingham’s 25-yard line, but the Generals failed to capitalize on the big win and it remained a seven-point game midway through the third quarter.
Picture book
Smith found Vic Bolden for a 17-yard pickup to get the Stallions across the field.
Knotted
Then Stallions, running back CJ Marable, found the endzone with a quick 3-yard rush to level things at 14 and head into the final frame.
CJ Marable drives in for TD to tie Stallions vs. Generals
Marable ties the game for the Stallions with a quick touchdown in the third quarter against the Generals in the first game of the USFL season.
Turn on the nozzles
The Generals were the first to strike in the fourth quarter when Johnson took it upon himself and completed an 11-play drive for 65 yards in a score that made it a 21-14 game early in the frame.
DeAndre Johnson shows athletics for diving TD to help Generals regain lead over Stallions
Johnson put the Generals ahead against the Stallions thanks to an impressive quick touchdown in the fourth quarter.
neck and neck
The studs had something to say about it, as Smith linked up with Cary Angeline Fox Six at the end to tie things up again.
J’Mar Smith finds Cary Angeline for a Stallions TD to tie the game against the Generals in the fourth quarter
Stallions QB Smith hits TE Cary Angeline over the center for the touchdown pass to tie the game late at 9 p.m. in the fourth quarter of the USFL’s first game.
Down to the line
The Generals took a 24-21 lead with less than two minutes to go after scoring a 47-yard field goal.
Dizziness up!
But the generals’ leadership was short-lived.
With 29 seconds left, Smith found the end zone and completed a 10-play drive with a score that gave the Stallions a 28-24 advantage they held on to secure the win.
Tickets for all USFL regular season games can be purchased directly at theUSFL.com. Adult tickets are $10, and each adult with a ticket can get up to three free tickets for children under 15.
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