Michigan Panthers advance to UFL championship

By Shawn Stewart

The Panthers defeated the Stallions 44-29 in the USFL Conference Championship in Birmingham Sunday. The win advances Michigan to the UFL Championship in St. Louis next Saturday at 8 p.m.

Michigan led at one point, 34-17 and three times the Stallions cut it to a single-digit lead and three times the Panthers responded.

Tailback Toa Taua rushed for 85 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Bryce Perkins passed for 238 yards and one touchdown pass and rushed for 34 yards and another touchdown.

The Panthers (8-3) will play the winner of the St. Louis Battlehawks and DC Defenders in the UFL championship game. The Defenders play the Battlehawks tonight in the XFL Conference Championship.

Michigan had never beaten Birmingham in the modern spring football era, going 0-6.

The Panthers had big plays like a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown by safety Kai Nacua, and a 76-yard touchdown pass from Perkins to Malik Turner.

Michigan led 7-0 after the first quarter and 21-14 at halftime.

It was all Panthers in the third quarter as they built a 34-17 lead.

The Stallions won the 2022 and 2023 USFL championships and after the spring football merger that combined the XFL and USFL, won the UFL championship last year.