USFL Roundup : Hebert Passes for 4 TDs, and Invaders Win

Bobby Hebert passed for four touchdowns and the Oakland Invaders intercepted new Jacksonville quarterback Ed Luther twice in the final quarter Sunday to save a 42-36 victory over the Bulls before 16,678 fans at Oakland.

Hebert had completed 16-of-28 passes for 328 yards and took the Invaders (2-1-1) on a clinching 98-yard touchdown drive, capped by Tom Newton’s one-yard run, midway through the final quarter.

Luther, a former San Diego Charger playing his first game since signing two weeks ago, passed for 282 yards and 3 scores.

Larry Mason’s eight-yard touchdown run for the Bulls (1-3) closed the gap to 39-36, but Oakland’s Gary Plummer intercepted Luther’s pass and set up a 41-yard field goal by the Invaders’ Novo Bojovic.

Hebert’s fourth touchdown pass, a three-yarder to tight end Doug Cozen, and a pass to wide receiver Gordon Banks for a two-point conversion tied the score, 29-29, late in the third quarter. Bojovic’s 37-yard field goal early in the final quarter put Oakland ahead to stay.

Baltimore 29, New Jersey 9--Kelvin Bryant ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns and the Stars’ defense stifled Doug Flutie and the Generals in home opener at College Park, Md.

Baltimore (1-2-1), playing before a crowd of 31,026, sacked Flutie three times and intercepted two of his passes.

Garcia Lane intercepted Flutie’s second pass attempt of the game and returned it eight yards to the New Jersey 45, setting up the Stars’ first scoring drive.

Bryant, limited to 168 yards in the first three games this season, also caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Chuck Fusina as the Stars went ahead 7-0 in the first quarter. Then Bryant broke two tackles on a 21-yard touchdown run, his longest from scrimmage this season, to make it 13-0.

The Stars blew the game open at 23-3 lead early in the third quarter as Fusina hit Victor Harrison on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Herschel Walker was the only bright spot for the Generals (2-2), gaining 152 yards on 16 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run on the Generals’ first play of the third quarter.

Birmingham 34, Memphis 19--Cliff Stoudt threw two touchdown passes and Danny Miller added two fourth-quarter field goals as the Stallions turned back the Showboats before 34,500 at Birmingham.

The Stallions (3-1) jumped to a 21-3 halftime lead on Stoudt’s touchdown passes of 20 yards to Jim Smith and one yard to Darryl Mason, and an eight-yard scoring run by Joe Cribbs.

Birmingham needed Miller’s field goals and a 20-yard scoring run by Joel Coles in the final minute to shake off the Showboats (3-1).