In a stunning upset, the Stars handed the Generals their first lo s since Week 1 of the USFL season Saturday, 19-14 in the first of two playoff semifinal games.
The game featured two punt return touchdowns one by the Generals' KaVontae Turpin to give New Jersey its first lead of the game, and one by the Stars' Maurice Alexander,an 87-yarder with 1:41 remaining that put Philadelphia ahead for good.
Philadelphia was riddled with injuries. They lost Matt Colburn, their star during the second half of the regular season, and USFL interception leader Channing Stribling. Quarterback Case Cookus was hurt when he took a hit to his back in the first half but was able to return, although not at full strength.
Darius Victor (16 rushes, 64 yards) scored the Generals' lone offensive touchdown with a 1-yard run in the third quarter, but New Jersey mostly struggled in the red zone. Luis Perez threw an interception deep in Stars territory, and the Generals failed to convert on a fourth-and-inches dive up the
Scott Kingery Jersey middle from the Stars' 7. That ultimately proved to be the difference.
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This was the Stars' first win against a team over .500 this season. They lost to the Generals twice in the regular season, in Week 3 and Week 10.
Their improbable playoff run will continue in the USFL championship game July 3 against the South Division champion Stallions.
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The Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from the playoff matchup between the top two teams in the USFL's North Division.
Stars vs. Generals scoreQ1Q2Q3Q4FinalStars370919Generals0031114Stars vs. Generalslive score, updates from USFL playoffs
All times Eastern.
6:09 p.
J. T. Realmuto Jersey m.:Perez gets POPPED and throws a jackpot ball in the air that gets picked off by Amani Dennis! The Stars force their second turnover of the day and they'll kill the clock to end the Generals' nine-game winning streak, get their first win against a team over .500 this season, and advance to the USFL Championship. A gutty effort.
6:05 p.m.:Alonzo Moore makes a really nice catch along the sidelines, but he stepped out of bounds before getting back into the field of play. Pa s interference and illegal touching erase the 30-yard reception, as penalties continue to mount up during the two-minute drill. As this is going on, however, the clock continues to tick. It's now 41 seconds from the same place the Generals started.
6:04 p.m.:The personal foul gets overturned, and the Generals get the ball at their own 39.
6:02 p.m.:Ahmad Dixon and Darius Victor are both injured on the field after a helmet-to-helmet collision. Dixon walks off the field after being penalized for 15 yards. The Generals have 1:36 to score with two timeouts on the other side of the break.
5:57 p.m.:Never
Chase Utley Jersey mind! The pre sure flips RIGHT back to Perez and the Generals, as Maurice Alexander takes the punt back 88 yards for a touchdown. The Stars retake the lead without the offense taking the field, and the Generals will have to answer. Philadelphia goes for two and doesn't convert, making it 19-14 Stars.
TOUCHDOWN OFF THE PUNT RETURN PUTS US BACK ON TOP :
Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars)
5:54 p.m.:The Stars defense comes up big once again! On the other side of the two-minute warning, the Generals will punt. It will be Cookus with no timeouts down one. This one is coming down to the wire.
5:49 p.m.:The Generals are looking hyper-conservative with five minutes left in the fourth. They pick up a key first down from Darius Victor to continue to bleed the clock. Stars with just one timeout remaining.
5:45 p.m.:The opportunity for the Stars fizzles, as they're forced to settle for a field goal again. Aguilar converts, making it14-13 Generals.That mi s earlier in the game is now looming much larger for Philadelphia.
5:41 p.m.:Turpin singlehandedly kicked this game into high gear. Lots of urgency from the Stars on this drive, and they're inside the Generals 20 again. It's on the red zone offense once again here, as they try to steal back the lead.
5:38 p.m.:Maurice Alexander answers with a nice return of his own to the Didi Gregorius Jersey Stars' 45-yard line. Big chance here for Cookus to try to make something happen.
5:31 p.m.: After a Stars three-and-out, KaVontae Turpin takes matters into his own hands with a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown! Turpin initially declared the ball poison, but he scooped it up and found a gap to give the Generals their first lead of the game. 14-10 Generals with 10 and a half minutes left to play..
That's why he's the league MVP Another look at that ma sive punt return TD by :
USFL (@USFL)
5:26 p.m.:The New Jersey offense has been utterly stagnant this half. Despite Tommy Joseph Jersey not getting a ton of help from their offense since the earliest parts of the game, the defense is really holding its own.
5:24 p.m.:The physicality of this game has finally boiled over a bit, as the Generals get penalized with a personal foul for extracurriculars on the sideline. Gabe Sewell also laid a big hit on Turpin within the confines of the play.
5:19 p.m.:Brutal mi s there for Aguilar, and the Generals get the ball back inside their own 20 down three. Both defenses continue to stand firm deep in their own territory.
5:15 p.m.:The Stars fail to convert on a third-and-goal as the third quarter ends. They'll open the fourth fourth-and-goal with a decision to make on how aggre sive they want to be in a one-po se sion game.
5:13 p.m.:It's Cookus! The Odubel Herrera Jersey Generals blow a coverage in the secondary and Diondre Overton ends up wide open. Cookus puts a perfect ball on him to get the Stars deep in New Jersey territory.
for 50 yards! :
Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars)
5:08 p.m.:Good recovery from the Stars defense, as they force a fourth down and a New Jersey punt in short order. The Stars will get the ball back just in their own territory, unknown on whether it will be Cookus or Costello.
5:05 p.m.:Yet another turnover in this one, as Paris Ford lays out Darnell Holland to force a fumble in the red zone. A good, promising drive for the Stars comes to a screeching halt, and the Generals get the ball back down three with five minutes in the half.
PARIS
TOUCHDOWN OFF THE PUNT RETURN PUTS US BACK ON TOP :
Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars)
5:54 p.m.:The Stars defense comes up big once again! On the other side of the two-minute warning, the Generals will punt. It will be Cookus with no timeouts down one. This one is coming down to the wire.
5:49 p.m.:The Generals are looking hyper-conservative with five minutes left in the fourth. They pick up a key first down from Darius Victor to continue to bleed the clock. Stars with just one timeout remaining.
5:45 p.m.:The opportunity for the Stars fizzles, as they're forced to settle for a field goal again. Aguilar converts, making it14-13 Generals.That mi s earlier in the game is now looming much larger for Philadelphia.
5:41 p.m.:Turpin singlehandedly kicked this game into high gear. Lots of urgency from the Stars on this drive, and they're inside the Generals 20 again. It's on the red zone offense once again here, as they try to steal back the lead.
5:38 p.m.:Maurice Alexander answers with a nice return of his own to the [url=https://www.wowphilliesjersey.com/philadelphia-phillies-jersey/didi-gregorius-jersey]Didi Gregorius Jersey[/url] Stars' 45-yard line. Big chance here for Cookus to try to make something happen.
5:31 p.m.: After a Stars three-and-out, KaVontae Turpin takes matters into his own hands with a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown! Turpin initially declared the ball poison, but he scooped it up and found a gap to give the Generals their first lead of the game. 14-10 Generals with 10 and a half minutes left to play..
That's why he's the league MVP Another look at that ma sive punt return TD by :
USFL (@USFL)
5:26 p.m.:The New Jersey offense has been utterly stagnant this half. Despite [url=https://www.wowphilliesjersey.com/philadelphia-phillies-jersey/tommy-joseph-jersey]Tommy Joseph Jersey[/url] not getting a ton of help from their offense since the earliest parts of the game, the defense is really holding its own.
5:24 p.m.:The physicality of this game has finally boiled over a bit, as the Generals get penalized with a personal foul for extracurriculars on the sideline. Gabe Sewell also laid a big hit on Turpin within the confines of the play.
5:19 p.m.:Brutal mi s there for Aguilar, and the Generals get the ball back inside their own 20 down three. Both defenses continue to stand firm deep in their own territory.
5:15 p.m.:The Stars fail to convert on a third-and-goal as the third quarter ends. They'll open the fourth fourth-and-goal with a decision to make on how aggre sive they want to be in a one-po se sion game.
5:13 p.m.:It's Cookus! The [url=https://www.wowphilliesjersey.com/philadelphia-phillies-jersey/odubel-herrera-jersey]Odubel Herrera Jersey[/url] Generals blow a coverage in the secondary and Diondre Overton ends up wide open. Cookus puts a perfect ball on him to get the Stars deep in New Jersey territory.
for 50 yards! :
Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars)
5:08 p.m.:Good recovery from the Stars defense, as they force a fourth down and a New Jersey punt in short order. The Stars will get the ball back just in their own territory, unknown on whether it will be Cookus or Costello.
5:05 p.m.:Yet another turnover in this one, as Paris Ford lays out Darnell Holland to force a fumble in the red zone. A good, promising drive for the Stars comes to a screeching halt, and the Generals get the ball back down three with five minutes in the half.
PARIS
In a stunning upset, the Stars handed the Generals their first lo s since Week 1 of the USFL season Saturday, 19-14 in the first of two playoff semifinal games.
