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| Magic Johnson, RB, New Jersey |
New Jersey will square off against the Denver Gold in World Bowl X on Friday after holding off a furious late rally by Jacksonville to defeat the Bulls, 23-21, in the National Conference finals.
This is the third consecutive appearance in the title game, and fourth overall, for New Jersey, That is the most of any USFL/WFL franchise.
Denver, which will be in the World Bowl for the first time, scored with just over 3 minutes to play to knock off the defending champion Houston Gamblers, 17-13, and win the American Conference.
New Jersey has won two of the three-regular season meetings between the teams. Denver won, 20-14, in 1974, while New Jersey claimed 12-10 and 30-25 victories in 1978 and 1982.
The Generals will be without starting C Kent Hull and WLB Indiana Jones, RG Steve Niehaus, and WR Kenneth William are all questionable. Denver will be without DT Gregory Hubbard and MLB Michael Flores is questionable.
MFN has made Denver a 1-point favorite for this game.
New Jersey 23, Jacksonville 21
The Generals had the ball and a 23-0 lead midway through the third quarter when things started going haywire for them.Jacksonville CB Gary Scroggins picked off a Stephan Labelle pass and returned it 41 yards for a TD to get the Bulls on the scoreboard. Still, it was 23-7. The Bulls drove 81 yards for a TD before the third quarter ended to make it 23-14. The Bulls then moved from their 14 to the New Jersey 11 before a John Joyce interception ended that drive. Jacksonville scored again with 29 seconds to play, but New Jersey's Chad Ochocinco recovered an onside kick and the game was over.
New Jersey scored on five of its first six drives to lead, 23-0. RB Magic Johnson rushed for 118 yards and caught five passes for 41 more. RDE Roy Sullivan had a pair of sacks. Jacksonville DT Ralph Alvarez also was credited with two sacks.
Denver 17, Houston 13
Dustin Nichols' 77-yard TD pass to Jose Buford late in the third quarter gave Denver its only lead of the game. There were some anxious moments for Gold fans down the stretch, however.The Gamblers got the ball back on their own 20 with 2:10 remaining in the game. QB William Trombly found WR Bruce Edwards for a 55-yard completion on third-and-10, putting the ball on the Denver 11. The next four passes were knocked down—the last two because Houston was penalized for repeatedly calling the same offensive play. The Gambler did get the ball back one last time, but FS Don Wilkerson's interception with 5 seconds to play ended that threat.
Trombly was 33-for-58 passing, but was intercepted twice and did not throw a TD. Denver's Buford caught five passes for 98 yards. Wilkerson had two interceptions, SS Etienne Boulay nine tackles and RDE Timothy Despres a pair of sacks. Gamblers MLB Luis Torres recorded 12 tackles.
