In a thrilling overtime battle at Veterans Stadium, the Jacksonville Bulls edged out the Philadelphia Stars 17-14 in Week 7 of the 1985 USFL season. Despite being heavily favored, Jacksonville had to fight tooth and nail to secure the victory, with quarterback Ed Luther leading the charge. Luther threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, including a pivotal 18-yard score to Larry Mason in the third quarter that gave the Bulls a 14-7 lead. The Stars, playing with a sense of desperation, tied the game in the final seconds of regulation with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Chuck Fusina to Dwayne Dixon, sending the game to overtime.
Philadelphia dominated the time of possession, running the ball effectively behind Kelvin Bryant’s 118 rushing yards. The Stars’ offense kept Jacksonville’s defense on the field for long stretches, but the Stars were undone by five missed field goals from David Trout, who struggled mightily throughout the game. Fusina, who threw for 230 yards and added a rushing touchdown, led a methodical drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, but the Stars were unable to capitalize on their chances in overtime.
In the extra period, Jacksonville quickly responded to a blocked Philadelphia field goal attempt. Luther drove the Bulls 52 yards in less than a minute, setting up Brian Franco’s game-winning 33-yard field goal to hand Jacksonville their fifth win of the season. Despite the Stars’ valiant effort, they dropped to 1-6, while the Bulls improved to 5-2, staying in the thick of the playoff race.
