BIRMINGHAM, Ala – New Jersey is one step closer to being USFL North Division champions after its 29-18 victory overPittsburgh on Friday night at Legion Field.
Darius Victor, the USFL’s leader in touchdowns, added three more to his name for the Generals (7-1), who have won seven straight games. Victor scored on runs of two, seven and one yard and tied Philadelphia’s Matt Colburn II for the single-game touchdown record.
Quarterback Luis Perez finished 18-for-24 for 220 yards and one touchdown. KaVontae Turpin pulled in five catches for a game-high 83 yards.
On defense, New Jersey was led by D’Juan Hines with 15 tackles, six solo.
Pittsburgh quarterback Roland Rivers threw for 218 yards and one touchdown. Isiah Hennie caught six passes for 60 yards and DelVon Hardaway had three catches for 64 yards for the Maulers (1-7).
The Generals wasted no time getting on the board as Cam Echols-Luper took the opening kick to the New Jersey 39-yard line. After an unnecessary roughness penalty on Pittsburgh’s Prince Charles Iworah, the ball was placed at the Maulers’ 46-yard line. Victorpunched in his seventh touchdown of the season on a 2-yard rush. Austin Jones’ point after was good to put New Jersey ahead 7-0 at the 12:38 mark of the 1st quarter.
Pittsburgh tied the game on the ensuing drive. Rivers’ 5-yard touchdown rush followed by Ramiz Ahmed’s extra tied netted the game at 7-7 at 7:26. The drive was highlighted by Rivers recovering his own fumble and finding Jalen McCleskeyfor a 21-yard gain on their first play from scrimmage.
New Jersey regained the lead at 12:56 of the 2nd quarter on Victor’s second touchdown of the game, this time from 7-yards out. Jones’ kick was good to put the Generals up 14-7. They increased their lead to 20-7 after an eight-play, 90-yard drive culminated with Perez finding Turpinfor a 24-yard touchdown. Jones’ point after attempt was no good.
The 2nd quarter ended with a 50-yard Jones field goal to make the score 23-7 going into halftime.
History was made at 4:06 of the 3rd quarter when Ahmed nailed a USFL record 61-yard field goal, putting Pittsburgh within two scores at 23-10.
New Jersey responded on its next possession, marching 67 yards capped by Victor’s third score of the evening, a 1-yard run. The Generals attempted the 2-point conversion, but Perez’s attempt was incomplete as the score stood at 29-10.
Pittsburgh got within 11 points when Rivers found Hennie for a 25-yard touchdown strike. Hunter Thedford was on the receiving end of Rivers’ pass for the 2-point conversion to make the score 29-18 at the 6:03 mark of the 4th quarter.
The Maulers opted for the onside kick alternative, which is a 4th-and-12 play from its own 33-yard line. McCleskey made an 18-yard catch and Pittsburgh retained possession at the New Jersey 49. This was the first successful onside kick alternative in league history.
However, the drive ended when Ahmed’s 49-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright, keeping the score at 29-18 with 3:08 remaining in the game.
Victor converted a crucial 3rd and 5 from the New Jersey 44-yard line with 2:13 remaining leading into the two minute warning. The Generals took three knees to run out the clock.
“The team prepared really well for this game,” said New Jersey head coach Mike Riley. “It’s really hard to beat a team twice in a season and we were able to do so tonight.”
New Jersey defeated Pittsburgh 21-13 in Week 4.
“We want to keep getting better to heading into the playoffs,” added Riley.
New Jersey plays again on Sunday, June 11, at noon against Michigan (1-6), while Pittsburgh takes on Philadelphia (4-3) in the nightcap Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Protective Stadium.
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