USFL Teams: Oakland Invaders

By Wikipedia

Oakland Invaders were a professional football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-Awesome80s.

At a glance... Franchise Facts Established 1982 Located Oakland, CA Owners Ted Taube Records   W L T % 1983  9 9 0 .500 1984  7 11 0 .389 1985  13 4 1 .750 Postseason/Titles 1983 Lost to Michigan 37-21 1985 Beat Tampa Bay 48-27 Beat Memphis 28-19 Lost to Philadelphia 28-24 Nicknames Oakland Invaders (1983-1985) Stadium Oakland Alameda County Stadium

Oakland, California was without a football team after Al Davis moved his Raiders to Los Angeles, California before the 1982 NFL's season. In step the Invaders (the similar nickname was not an accident). The team had good fan support during the spring seasons of the USFL (1983-1985).

See also: 1983 Invaders, 1984 Invaders, 1985 Invaders

The Michigan Panthers merged with the Invaders before 1985 and it helped the team to reach the 1985 USFL Championship game. That game however would be the last game ever played in the USFL's history.

Some former National Football League players and some who would play for the NFL later on were on this team. Among them were Ray Pinney of the 1970's Pittsburgh Steelers, Anthony Carter, Arthur Whittington, Bobby Hebert, Raymond Chester and Albert Bentley.

Single Season Leaders

Rushing Yards: 1045 (1983), Arthur Whittington
Receiving Yards: 1323 (1985), Anthony Carter
Passing Yards: 3980 (1983), Fred Besana

USFL Bibliography
Books:
The $1 League: The Rise and Fall of the USFL by Jim Byrne
The Sporting News Official USFL Guide and Register, 1984
The Sporting News Official USFL Guide and Register, 1985
USFL Media Guides (each team published one each year)

Magazines:
Kickoff Magazine (published by league; 9 issues per year + playoffs; sold at games)
The Sporting News (regular coverage + special "preview" inserts)

These and many other USFL items can be found at eBay - check our links on the far right of this page!