The Pittsburgh Maulers (5-6) meet the Birmingham Stallions (9-2) Saturday in the USFL Championship at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET (NBC). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Maulers vs. Stallions odds, and make our expert USFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Maulers snuck into the playoffs with a berth in the final week. Pittsburgh made the most of the opportunity, posting a 31-27 overtime win over the Michigan Panthers at this very same venue last Saturday. The 31 points tied a season best.
Pittsburgh’s offense has come alive at the best time, as it is averaging 28.5 points per game (PPG) in the last 2 outings. The Maulers are also on a season-best 3-game win streak, and 4-game cover streak.
Birmingham posted a 47-22 blitzkrieg against the New Orleans Breakers last weekend at Protective Stadium at home. The 47-point total marked a season high, beating the 42 points B-Ham dropped on the Memphis Showboats in Week 2.
The Stallions have won 6 in a row, while going 5-1 against the spread (ATS) during the span. The Over has cashed in each of the last 4 games, too, with Birmingham going for 24 or more points in 6 straight outings, and 20 or more points in all 11 games to date.
Birmingham topped Pittsburgh 24-20 in Week 4 in Canton, as QB Alex McGough struggled that day. The USFL MVP completed 17-of-29 passes for just 157 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT, while running for a team-high 48 yards and a score.
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Maulers vs. Stallions odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 7:24 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Maulers +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Stallions -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Maulers +7.5 (-110) | Stallions -7 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 45.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Maulers vs. Stallions key injuries
(From official team Twitter pages)
Maulers
- None
Stallions
- OL Darius Harper (illness) questionable
- WR Myron Mitchell (hand) out
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Maulers vs. Stallions picks and predictions
Prediction
Stallions 25, Maulers 19
Moneyline
Birmingham (-350) will cost you 3 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s just too expensive, especially in a championship game. While Pittsburgh (+260) doesn’t have a great record overall, the Maulers have a sturdy defense, and it gave McGough fits in the regular-season matchup back in May.
AVOID.
Against the spread
PITTSBURGH +7.5 (-110) is a solid play, as the defense of the Maulers will keep them in the game. The D picked McGough off twice in the Week 4 matchup, and Pittsburgh’s No. 1 ranked defense gave Birmingham’s No. 1 ranked offense all it could handle. As long as this remains above 7, it is super attractive, while less so if it slips to +6.5.
Birmingham does enter on a 5-1 ATS run, but it failed to cover on this very same field in the first matchup in Week 4, as Pittsburgh covered an 8.5-point number. The Maulers, arguably, are much better on offense than they were in that early-season battle.
Over/Under
UNDER 45.5 (-110) is always a risky proposition when the Stallions are involved, but it has generally been the rule when the Maulers play.
On a total of 43.5 in the Week 4 matchup, we saw 44 combined points, with some bettors cashing the Under depending on when they got their bets in during the week. We should see another lower-scoring game, as the Maulers defense is air-tight. The Stallions have allowed an average of just 19.0 PPG in the past 6 outings, so Birmingham knows how to play a little D, too.
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