Michigan Panthers 2024 UFL Team Review
A season full of promise and adversity for the Michigan Panthers ended on Saturday at Protective Stadium, as the team fell 31-18 to the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL Conference Championship. It was Michigan’s third loss to Birmingham this season. Michigan scored the game’s first points and led 12-0 after the first quarter, but the Stallions finished the game strong with 28 unanswered points. Michigan showed great improvement under head coach Mike Nolan this year, but the playoff loss will leave a sour taste in the mouths of all concerned.
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Michigan Panthers 2024 Team Review
The Michigan Panthers have a record of 7-3. The Panthers are in 2nd place in the UFL USFL Division standings. On offense, Michigan ranks 3rd for total yards, 2nd for rushing, 6th for passing, and 4th for scoring. On defense, Michigan ranks 4th for total yards, 2nd for rushing, 5th for passing, and 3rd for scoring. Last week, the Michigan Panthers lost 31-18 against the Birmingham Stallions.
The Panthers' offense was 5-for-5 on their drives to open the game, scoring one touchdown and four Jake Bates field goals in the first half. However, Birmingham climbed back. After a wild third quarter, which featured six combined turnovers (four interceptions and two fumbles), the game entered the fourth quarter tied 18-18.
Birmingham took their first lead of the game at 13:42 in the fourth quarter and did not look back. Matt Corral, who entered during the third quarter for Birmingham in place of Adrian Martinez, threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Amari Rodgers. That was all the Stallions needed to steal the victory away and advance to their third straight spring league championship game.
Linebackers Noah Dawkins and Javin White had notable showings in the loss. Dawkins led the team in tackles with eight while tallying one sack and one forced fumble. White recorded seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles-for-loss, one interception, and one pass breakup.
Michigan opened on offense and hit paydirt just five plays into the game with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Danny Etling to Siaosi Mariner. The Panthers led 6-0 after failing to convert their one-point attempt.
The Panthers' defense made a big play of their own not long after, stopping the Stallions from converting a 4th-and-1 on Birmingham’s 42-yard line. Noah Dawkins, who missed the regular season finale last week, stopped running back Ricky Person Jr. for no gain.
Michigan took advantage of plus territory, extending their lead with a 53-yard Jake Bates field goal with 9:19 left in the first quarter.
Etling and Mariner hooked up again for 16 yards on 3rd-and-13 late in the first quarter. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Birmingham, a defenseless hit on Mariner, tacked on extra yards to push Michigan deeper into Stallions territory.
Bates finished the drive with another field goal, this time from 42 yards out, to give the Panthers a 12-0 lead heading into the second quarter, their biggest lead against Birmingham this season. It was also the first time this season Michigan held Birmingham scoreless through the first 15 minutes.
Birmingham’s offense started to find success in the second quarter, as Adrian Martinez connected with tight end Jace Sternberger for a gain of 38. Later in the drive on third-and-goal, corner Keith Gipson Jr. broke up a jump ball to Jordan Thomas to keep the Stallions out of the endzone. Despite 75 passing yards from Martinez on the drive, Michigan held Birmingham to a 23-yard Chris Blewitt field goal.
2024 Michigan Panthers UFL Schedule
| WEEK |
DATE |
MATCHUP |
TIME/TV |
RESULT |
RECORD |
| Week 1 |
March 30 |
vs. St. Louis Battlehawks |
4 PM / FOX |
W 18-16 |
1-0 |
| Week 2 |
April 7 |
vs. Birmingham Stallions |
12 PM / ESPN |
L 13-20 |
1-1 |
| Week 3 |
April 14 |
vs. Houston Roughnecks |
12 PM / ABC |
W 34-20 |
2-1 |
| Week 4 |
April 20 |
at San Antonio Brahmas |
7 PM / FOX |
L 9-19 |
2-2 |
| Week 5 |
April 28 |
at Memphis Showboats |
3 PM / FOX |
W 35-18 |
3-2 |
| Week 6 |
May 5 |
vs. Arlington Renegades |
1 PM / FOX |
W 28-27 |
4-2 |
| Week 7 |
May 12 |
at D.C. Defenders |
12 PM / ESPN |
W 22-9 |
5-2 |
| Week 8 |
May 18 |
vs. Memphis Showboats |
4 PM / FOX |
W 24-18 |
6-2 |
| Week 9 |
May 26 |
at Houston Roughnecks |
2:30 PM / FOX |
W 26-22 |
7-2 |
| Week 10 |
June 1 |
at Birmingham Stallions |
12 PM / ESPN |
L 19-20 |
7-3 |
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