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Published May. 16, 2024 4:32 p.m. ET
Michigan Panthers become second UFL team to Clinch Playoffs
Week 7 of the UFL was full of memorable moments, and another playoff spot was clinched.
The Birmingham Stallions remained undefeated with their win over the St. Louis Battlehawks (5-2), while the Arlington Renegades secured their first win of the season with a statement win against the Memphis Showboats (1-6).
The Michigan Panthers (5-2) took down the DC Defenders (3-4) by double digits on the road, and the San Antonio Brahmas (5-2) outlasted the Houston Roughnecks (1-6) in a down-to-the-wire thriller.
Here are the numbers to know after Week 7.
4: Michigan became the second team to clinch a playoff spot after Sunday’s win. The Panthers will face the Stallions, who clinched last week, in the upcoming USFL Conference title game. Michigan punched its ticket to the playoffs while playing a league-high four different quarterbacks through the first seven games due to mounting injuries in its QB room. Former Virginia QB Bryce Perkins and Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke each made their season debuts Sunday, splitting duties in the 22-9 win over the Defenders.
5: There have been five made field goals of at least 60 yards through Week 7, which matches the total of the 2023 NFL season. Former Lou Groza Award winner Andre Szmyt hit a 61-yarder for St. Louis on Saturday, and JJ Molson hit a 62-yarder for Houston on Sunday. Michigan’s Jake Bates continues to pace the league with three field goals of at least 60 yards on the year.
6: St. Louis-Birmingham was billed as the game of the season heading into Week 7, and the meeting between the two powerhouse squads lived up to the hype. There were six lead changes in the game, including three in the fourth quarter, as the Stallions spoiled former Alabama QB AJ McCarron’s return to his home state with a 30-26 win.
9: The number of points San Antonio trailed by with less than three minutes left in its ultimate 15-12 win vs. Houston on Sunday. That didn’t stop Wade Phillips’ group, as they tied the game on a touchdown and 3-point conversion before getting the ball back after Houston fumbled the ensuing kickoff. A 51-yard field goal, courtesy of Ryan Santoso, as time expired gave the Brahmas their second comeback win of the season. They previously stormed back from 11 points down in the final minute vs. Memphis in Week 2.
14: With its win over St Louis, Birmingham is 7-0 on the season and has a winning streak of 14 games dating back to last spring in the USFL. The Stallions have now gone over a full calendar year without a loss.
47: Arlington put up a UFL-high 47 points to get its first win of the season, beating Memphis by double digits, 47-23. Renegades QB Luis Perez threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns, while running back De’Veon Smith cashed in for 101 yards on the ground. Unfortunately for the Renegades, their playoff hopes were dashed when San Antonio came back to beat Houston, which eliminated them from postseason contention.
137: The number of yards Michigan RB Matt Colburn picked up in the Panthers’ win in Week 7. He got off to a great start with 107 yards in the first half, thanks in large part to a 55-yard run on the first drive of the game.
341: The number of yards of total offense that Birmingham QB Adrian Martinez has averaged in his four starts this season. The former Nebraska and Kansas State QB had 290 total yards in Saturday’s win over St. Louis — including 60 yards on the ground — as he looks to lock up MVP honors in the last few weeks of the season.