The Jacksonville Bulls surged to a commanding victory over the Pittsburgh Maulers, 45-35, in an explosive matchup at the Gator Bowl. Jacksonville’s offense fired on all cylinders early, with quarterback Ed Luther leading the charge. Luther connected with Larry Mason for a 21-yard touchdown on the Bulls’ opening drive, setting the tone for a dominant first half. The Bulls extended their lead to 28-0 by halftime, capitalizing on Pittsburgh’s mistakes, including a 10-yard fumble recovery touchdown by Richard Wood and a 29-yard pick-six by Derek Batiste.
Pittsburgh attempted a comeback in the second half, led by veteran quarterback Brian Sipe. Despite trailing by four touchdowns, Sipe kept the Maulers in the game with five touchdown passes, including two late strikes to Jackie Flowers. However, Jacksonville’s balanced attack and a crucial fourth-quarter field goal by Brian Franco helped the Bulls maintain control. Running back Shawn Jones contributed significantly with 100 rushing yards, keeping the Bulls ahead as Pittsburgh’s defense struggled to contain Jacksonville’s offensive weapons.
Ultimately, Jacksonville’s early dominance and opportunistic defense proved too much for Pittsburgh to overcome. Ed Luther was named the game’s MVP, finishing with 297 passing yards and three touchdowns, as the Bulls improved to 4-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Maulers fell to 3-3, their playoff hopes slipping as they struggled to find consistency on both sides of the ball.
