USFL Championship: Stage set for Stallions, Stars in Canton

A champion will be crowned tonight in Canton, Ohio.

The United States Football League‘s inaugural championship game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app, with the Birmingham Stallions taking on the Philadelphia Stars at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Four teams made it to Canton, but just two remain. The Stars, the No. 2 seed out of the North Division, are aiming for back-to-back upsets as they take on the Stallions, who are the top seed from the South.

Here are the top moments from Sunday’s action.

Birmingham Stallions vs. Philadelphia Stars

Setting the stage

A new era of professional football was born when the USFL kicked off in April, and after 10 weeks of regular-season action and one round of playoffs, things come to a close with the title game.

Paving the way

Birmingham reached the championship game by virtue of being one of the best and most consistent squads in the league. The Stallions previously beat the Stars in Week 5. Birmingham improved to 5-0 with that win, while Philadelphia fell to 2-3. Since then, both are 5-1.

The Stallions are led by quarterback J’Mar Smith, who has passed for 1,763 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

On the other side, Philadelphia’s route wasn’t as easy. The Stars are a team that held its own from one week to the next, and they reached the championship game after stunning the North’s top-seeded New Jersey Generals in the playoffs. 

Philly is led by Case Cookus, who has thrown for 1,467 yards and 12 scores in his 11 starts this season.

Stay tuned for more live updates.