Defense made the difference in Week 6 of the USFL season. In the four weekend games, the losing teams totaled 33 points, and the outcomes left the league standings in a knot.

In the Week 6 games:

· Memphis wide receiver Derrick Dillon returned a missed attempt at a 59-yard field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as time ran out in the first half to propel the Showboats to a 22-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Maulers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis on Saturday. Three interceptions sank the Maulers, who had a 60-yard edge in yards gained. The Showboats won their third in a row after an 0-3 start.

· Running back C.J. Marable had 100 rushing yards and quarterback Alex McGough had 82 as the Birmingham Stallions averaged 5.9 yards per carry in a 27-13 victory over the Michigan Panthers on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit. Michigan trailed by three when McGough connected with Marable on a 4-yard touchdown pass with 13:05 to play. A fumble gave a Panthers a prime opportunity, but Birmingham held Michigan to a field goal from a first down at the Stallions 11, and a 10-yard touchdown run by McGough put the game away with 3:27 to play.

· Cornerback Amari Dennis returned in interception 72 yards for a touchdown to spark the Philadelphia Stars to a 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Breakers on Sunday at Ford Field. After closing within three points with 4:49 left in the third quarter, New Orleans intercepted quarterback Case Cookus on the next two Philadelphia possessions. But the Breakers came up empty with a missed field-goal attempt and an interception as New Orleans lost its second in a row after opening 4-0.

· New Jersey scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Houston Gamblers got an incompletion on the Generals’ onside-kick alternative and ran out the final 3:04 for a 16-10 victory on Sunday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

After six weeks, the South Division does not have a team with a losing record, and the North Division does not have a team with a winning record.

Philadelphia’s victory over New Orleans was the third for the North in 12 interdivision games this season. With two of those wins, the Stars lead the North with a 3-3 record. The Generals, Maulers and Panthers are 2-4.

In the South, the Breakers, Gamblers and Stallions have 4-2 records, with the Showboats at 3-3.

Players from Alabama high schools and colleges in the USFL’s Week 6 games included:

Memphis Showboats 22, Pittsburgh Maulers 0

· Showboats defensive end Big Kat Bryant (Auburn) made two tackles.

· Maulers offensive lineman Xavier Dampeer (Auburn) did not record any stats.

· Maulers linebacker Reuben Foster (Auburn High, Alabama) made four tackles, shared a sack and broke up a pass. Foster had missed the previous two games because of a knee injury.

· Showboats wide receiver John Franklin III (Auburn) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Showboats running back Ezra Gray (Alabama State) had a 4-yard carry and two receptions that netted minus-2 yards.

· Maulers defensive back Sedevyn Gray (West Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Showboats safety T.J. Green (Sylacauga) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Showboats tight end Jay Jay Wilson (Auburn) had an 8-yard reception.

Birmingham Stallions 27, Michigan Panthers 13

· Brodarious Hamm (Auburn) started at right offensive tackle for the Panthers.

· Panthers defensive tackle Garrett Marino (UAB) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Stallions wide receiver Myron Mitchell (Jasper, UAB) had a 7-yard reception.

· Stallions running back Bo Scarbrough (Northridge, Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Stallions wide receiver Austin Watkins (UAB) had three receptions for 2 yards.

· Stallions wide receiver Marlon Williams (McGill-Toolen) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Philadelphia Stars 16, New Orleans Breakers 10

· Breakers wide receiver Dee Anderson (Alabama A&M) had two receptions for 27 yards.

· Breakers defensive tackle Connor Christian (Jacksonville State) made two tackles.

· Antonio Garcia (Troy) started at left offensive tackle for the Stars.

· Breakers quarterback Aqeel Glass (Alabama A&M) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Kirk Kelley (Troy) started at left guard for the Breakers.

· Breakers linebacker Zakoby McClain (Auburn) did not record any stats.

· Stars defensive tackle LaBryan Ray (James Clemens, Alabama) made one tackle.

· Breakers offensive tackle Steven Rowzee (Troy) did not record any stats.

· Breakers linebacker Shaheed Salmon (Samford) made three tackles.

· Breakers tight end Jared Scott (Jacksonville State) made one tackle on special teams.

· Breakers wide receiver Eli Stove (Auburn) had two receptions for 31 yards and five kickoff returns for 129 yards.

Houston Gamblers 16, New Jersey Generals 10

· Calvin Ashley (Auburn) started at right guard for the Generals.

· Gamblers tight end Brandon Barnes (Russell County, Alabama State) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Gamblers defensive end Tim Bonner (Demopolis) made one tackle

· Generals tight end Braedon Bowman (South Alabama) had two receptions for 14 yards and made a tackle after an interception.

· Generals linebacker Jalen Choice (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Jacksonville State) made five tackles.

· Generals cornerback Blake Countess (Auburn) is on the injured list and not eligible to play.

· Generals running back Kingston Davis (Prattville, UAB/Miles) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Generals wide receiver Cam Echols-Luper (Auburn High) had one punt return that netted zero yards. Echols-Luper lost a touchdown reception on an ineligible-receiver-downfield penalty.

· Generals cornerback Trae Elston (Oxford) made seven tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Generals tight end Wes Saxton (Hueytown, South Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Generals defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell (Auburn) made one tackle.

· Generals cornerback Christian Tutt (Auburn) made two tackles.

· Gamblers kicker Nick Vogel (UAB) made his four attempts – three field goals and one extra point. Vogel’s field goals of 38, 37 and 34 yards came on consecutive possessions as New Jersey built a 16-0 lead. The 37-yarder came on the final snap of the first half.

In the USFL’s Week 7 games:

· The Stallions and Breakers square off at 3 p.m. CDT Saturday at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, with New Orleans as the home team. FOX will televise the game.

· The Stars and Maulers meet at 8 p.m. Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. FS1 will televise the game.

· The Gamblers and Showboats face off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, with Memphis as the home team. USA will televise the game.

· The Panthers and Generals play at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. FS1 will televise the game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.