Houston Gamblers' 2022 USFL schedule: Three things to know
The Houston Gamblers' full schedule for the 2022 USFL season was released Monday.
The Gamblers, coached by Kevin Sumlin, open their season against the Michigan Panthers on Sunday, April 17, as the first game in a tripleheader at Protective Stadium.
Tickets for all USFL regular-season games drop at 7 p.m. ET Monday and can be purchased directly at theUSFL.com. Adult general admission tickets are $10, and each ticketed adult can receive up to three free tickets for children under the age of 15.
Here's a look at Houston's 10 regular-season games, which will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, for the inaugural season:
Week 1: at Michigan Panthers, April 17, noon ET, NBC/Peacock
Week 2: vs. Birmingham Stallions, April 23, 7 p.m. ET, FS1
Week 3 (April 30-May 1): vs. Tampa Bay Bandits
Week 4 (May 6-8): at New Orleans Breakers
Week 5 (May 13-15): vs. Pittsburgh Maulers
Week 6 (May 21-22): at New Jersey Generals
Week 7 (May 28-29): vs. Philadelphia Stars
Week 8 (June 3-5): at Tampa Bay Bandits
Week 9 (June 11-12): at Birmingham Stallions
Week 10 (June 18-19): vs. New Orleans Breakers
Here are three things to know about Houston's 2022 schedule:
1. When the Gamblers face the Breakers in Week 4 and again in their season finale in Week 10, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin will try to devise a plan to stop New Orleans receiver Shawn Poindexter, who was the leading receiver for Sumlin’s 2018 Arizona team.
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The USFL's Daryl Johnston sits down with RJ Young to discuss Gamblers head coach Kevin Sumlin and why he is a great fit for the league.
2. Sumlin will meet another standout from his college coaching days when he squares off with the Generals and running back Trey Williams in Week 6. Williams led Sumlin’s 2014 Texas A&M team with seven rushing touchdowns.
3. Expect Sumlin and former Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson to attack aggressively through the air, which makes Houston's two meetings with Tampa Bay (Week 3 and Week 8) highly intriguing. The Bandits feature the top cornerback selected in the draft, Delrick Abrams Jr. of Colorado.
RJ Young's games to watch: Gamblers vs. Breakers, Week 4 and Week 10
Sumlin and Breakers coach Larry Fedora will face each other as head coaches for the first time since the 2011 Conference USA title game.
In 2011, Sumlin’s No. 6-ranked Houston team was undefeated (12-0) and looking to secure a spot in a BCS game when Fedora’s No. 24 Southern Miss squad (10-2) upset the Cougars 49-28 at Robertson Stadium in Houston.
Surely, Sumlin hasn’t forgotten that loss.