2023 USFL title game prediction, expert pick by Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica

United States Football League

Updated Jun. 29, 2023 4:00 p.m. ET

“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.

The USFL Championship Game on Saturday between the Birmingham Stallions and Pittsburgh Maulers will be a fitting way to cap a remarkable and entertaining second year.

It’s also been a fun season for me from a betting perspective. While I had a down week with my picks last weekend, my record this season is still green, going 25-19-1 overall.

Let’s end it on the right note.

Here is my best bet for the title game.

Pittsburgh Maulers (5-6) vs. Birmingham Stallions (9-2) at Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC/Peacock

When the Stallions and Maulers met in Week 4, Alex McGough had what was likely his worst game of the year, with only 157 passing yards, 48 rushing yards and two interceptions. Yet, when the Stallions needed him the most, he orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback leading Birmingham to walk away a 24-20 winner.

Last week, I read a lot into the two regular-season matchups between New Orleans and Birmingham and thought the way those two games went gave the Breakers a big chance. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Meanwhile, Michigan did everything but win the game in the North Division Championship. The Panthers outgained the Maulers 410-291, threw for 370 yards and averaged nearly eight yards per play (7.7). However, those three pesky turnovers erased any statistical domination. And for those keeping count, three of Pittsburgh’s five wins came against this 4-7 Michigan squad.

It’s true — only two of the Maulers’ six losses came by more than seven points, but now they are facing a team that’s posted wins by 17, 40, 14, 23 and 25 this season.

I’m carrying the lesson I learned last week over to this week. Don’t read too much into the regular-season matchup, which was a game Pittsburgh easily could have won (as New Orleans did in the regular season with Birmingham).

The Stallions have been the class of the league for two years now, and I expect a solid win to cap off a successful defense of their 2022 championship.

I’ll lay the points. Birmingham repeats.

PICK: Stallions (-7 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 7 points

Chris “The Bear” Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an “occasional” wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, “The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!” Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica.

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