Week 1 - 1985: Orlando Renegades vs Tampa Bay Bandits

Week 1 - Saturday, February 23, 1985 Attendance: 45,045, TV: ESPN [Note: If you want to skip all the pregame analysis, forward the video to the 5:00 minute mark where the kickoff begins] Gary Anderson, a star in any league, rushed for four touchdowns Saturday night to help the Tampa Bay Bandits open the United States Football League's third season with a 35-7 rout of the Orlando Renegades. The Renegades, who posted a 3-15 record last season as the Washington Federals, were undermined by four turnovers and Jerry Golsteyn was sacked eight times to spoil Lee Corso's debut as a professional coach. Orlando Renegades Years of existence: 1985 Owner: Donald Dizney Stadium: Citrus Bowl (50,050) Yearly Standings and Average Home Attendances 1985: 5-13 (24,136) Overall Regular Season Record: 5-13 Overall Playoff Record: 0-0 Although the Orlando Renegades went just 5-13 in their only season in the league, this otherwise unremarkable record must count as a success when compared to the lowly 7-29 mark of its predecessor, the Washington Federals. Orlando, in fact, was one of the few league cities that owed something to the announced move to the fall. But for it, the Feds would have been bought by Sherwood Weiser and moved to Miami where they were slated to be coached by Howard Schnellenberger. Instead, Lee Corso took control of the Renegades and molded them into a competitive squad that went 5-7 over the final 12 weeks. Offensively, QB Reggie Collier ran for 606 yards and 12 touchdowns and passed for 13 more. Runningback Curtis Bledsoe ran for 781 yards, and wideout Joey Walters made 58 catches for 784 yards and five scores. Their defense, however, was the worst in the USFL, giving up a total of 481 points. Unfortunately, the Renegades only played one season. Prior to the 1986 campaign, Orlando signed Tampa Bay QB John Reaves. Although they lost Bledsoe to the Baltimore Stars, it would have been interesting to see if they could have continued their upward climb. Tampa Bay Bandits Years of existence: 1983-1985 Owner: John Bassett Stadium: Tampa Stadium (76,891) Yearly Standings and Average Home Attendances 1983: 11-7 (39,896) 1984: 14-4 (46,158) 1985: 10-8 (45,220) Overall Regular Season Record: 35-19 (.648) Overall Playoff Record: 0-2 The Bandits fielded perhaps their best team in 1984. The offense finished third in the league, and the defense improved to average. Gary Anderson highlighted a retooled running game with 1,008 yards and 19 touchdowns and added 66 catches for 682 yards. Reaves threw for 4,092 yards and 28 scores, and Truvillion had 70 receptions for 1,044 yards while tight end Marvin Harvey caught 70 balls for 938 yards. None of that was enough, though, to overcome five turnovers in their first-round 36-17 playoff loss to the Birmingham Stallions. Injuries pounded Tampa Bay's roster in 1985, but Spurrier's team continued to fight, this time for a championship for ailing owner Bassett. Anderson ran for 1,207 yard and 16 TDs and topped the squad with 72 catches, and Reaves threw for 4,193 yards and 25 scores. Larry Brodsky caught 69 passes for 1,071 yards. Once again, however, the Bandits came up short in the playoffs, this time by a 30-27 margin to the Oakland Invaders. Source: http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl