1985 USFL season

Updated on Dec 18, 2024

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Start date June 29, 1985 Western Conference champions Oakland Invaders USFL seasons → 1986 (cancelled) Site Giants Stadium		Eastern Conference champions Birmingham Stallions Champions Baltimore Stars Date 14 July 1985
Duration February 23 – June 24, 1985 Champion Philadelphia/Balti Stars Similar 1983 NFL season, 1984 NFL season, 1986 NFL season, 1982 NFL season, 1981 NFL season

The 1985 USFL season was the third and final season of the United States Football League (USFL).

Rule changes

Adopted instant replay for the 1985 season. Under the instant-replay rule, a team may have one appeal per half in three situations:[1]

A fumble or no-fumble situation.

Whether a pass is complete, incomplete or intercepted.

Whether the ball has penetrated the goal line.

The team asking for the replay would lose a time out if they were wrong. The replay was available only in games televised by ABC. [2]

Pittsburgh Maulers fold.

Chicago Blitz suspend operations.

Michigan Panthers merge with the Oakland Invaders.

Arizona Wranglers and the Oklahoma Outlaws merge and create the Arizona Outlaws.

New Orleans Breakers relocate to Portland, Oregon as the Portland Breakers.

Philadelphia Stars move games to College Park, Maryland with plans to move to Baltimore in 1986, team is renamed the Baltimore Stars.

Washington Federals are sold and relocate to Orlando, Florida as the Orlando Renegades.

Harry Usher became the new commissioner of the USFL in January 1985.

The USFL and the United States Football League Players Association (USFLPA) agreed on a four-year agreement. [3]

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

y = Division Champion, x = Wild Card

New Jersey finished ahead of Memphis based on a head-to-head tiebreaker advantage (2-0-0).

Home team in CAPITALS

Quarterfinals June 29–30 and July 1

BIRMINGHAM 22, Houston 20

MEMPHIS 48, Denver 7

OAKLAND 30, Tampa Bay 27

Baltimore 20, NEW JERSEY 17

Semifinals July 6–7

Baltimore 28, BIRMINGHAM 14

Oakland 28, MEMPHIS 19

USFL Championship game July 14 (at East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Baltimore 28, OAKLAND 24

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