By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
Detroit – The Michigan Panthers (1-0) hosted the inaugural league Champion Birmingham Stallions at Ford Field
First Quarter
The Stallions put together the best drive in the opening quarter, scoring on a 36-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis. Birmingham controlled the line of scrimmage over the Panthers and had the edge in first downs (3 to 0), Running Back Ricky Person Jr. had a run for 27 yards to start the Stallions. The Panthers hold from there.
Second Quarter
Birmingham moves to the Michigan 31, when QB Matt Corral is picked off by DJ Miller Jr. and Michigan starts their drive from the 21-yard line. Michigan goes three and out on the drive. Bradley Nye, the Stallions lineman, sacks Bryce Perkins. The Stallion eat up all but the final 32-seconds of the quarter, and after an early completion, Michigan holds the Stallions to a 16-yard field goal. The Stallions’ drive is 10 plays for 44 yards. Mevis with the 16-yard boot.
Key play of the second quarter: M.Corral pass short right complete. The catch made by J. Camp for 12 yards. Tackled by Tarpley at MICH 12.
Key Halftime Stat- The Panthers have NO first downs in the game
Third Quarter
The Panthers take the second-half kickoff and on third down, Perkins is intercepted by x. On the next play, Corral finds Jake Sternberger along the right sideline for a nice gain to the Panthers two. Person scores two plays later on a one-yard rush by Person and Birmingham goes up 12-0. The 2-pt conversion fails. The key play is the TD run. The Panthers earn their first, first down of the game, and a play later, their second. One play later, the Panthers have three first downs in three plays. A face-masking penalty on Birmingham gives Michigan the ball at the Stallions two. Michigan runs four plays including a fourth down run that is stuffed by the visitors. Birmingham still leads by 12.
Birmingham QB Corral completes a 14-yard pass on second down to give his team some breathing room. Corral completes another first down play to Sternberger. The quarter ends with Birmingham with the football third and ten from their own 47.
Fourth Quarter
Corral connects on a pass deep right to Dean. Cain for 52 yards. The 2-Pt. conversion is no good. Birmingham 18- Panthers 0. Michigan was not done. Perkins over the middle to Mariner from midfield to the Stallions 21. The Panthers were expected to run Perkins frequently in the game. He had no carries until the 4th quarter, and on the scoring drive, he had two rushes for 21-yards. Perkins did scramble and set his feet using his balance to complete a short TD pass to Simms. With a roughing call on the visitors, the Panthers had a two-point try from the two-yard line instead of the five. Perkins converts the three-point conversion. Birmingham 18- Michigan 9.
Corral goes to the air early in the Stallions drive and is picked off by Miller Jr. Corral’s second interception sets up Michigan at their own 42. Three plays later, Michigan punts trailing by two scores and 5:49 left in the game. The Panthers defense stymies Birmingham and they use up only 45 seconds and punt it to Michigan and they muff the punt and the Stallions recover but once again, they do not put the game away. The Stallions go on a clock eating 2:53 eating drive and kick a field goal to increase their lead to 21 to 9.
The Panthers score a final field goal to cut the deficit to 21 to 12. That is how the game ends.
Attendance: 10,049
