Michigan at Birmingham: Matt Corral, Stallions Rally to Defeat Panthers in USFL Conference Championship Game
The Stallions' dream of the three-peat is still alive. Two-time reigning USFL champion Birmingham rallied from an 18-3 deficit against the Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium, earning a spot in the inaugural UFL Championship Game with the 31-18 victory.
Presumed MVP Adrian Martinez was benched after giving up the ball twice to start the second half, and, following a pick of his own, backup quarterback Matt Corral settled in to lead the comeback.
Now, three keys to the Stallions’ win.
1. Complacency from Michigan
UFL Coach of the Year Mike Nolan’s strategy of taking the points worked early when Jake Bates was nailing his first four field goals. After his fifth kick missed and his sixth was blocked? Not so much. Michigan's offense just didn’t have enough juice to keep up with Birmingham once the Stallions found a groove.
BLOCKED ✋😤
— United Football League (@TheUFL) June 8, 2024
The @USFLStallions with ANOTHER massive play in the second half pic.twitter.com/c493zrXs5T
2. Second-Half Defense
Okay, technically the shift started just before the break. Martinez connected with Jordan Thomas for a 50-yard touchdown, and DeMarquis Gates brought down Panthers quarterback Danny Etling on the next drive to set up Bates’ missed 51-yard attempt.
That sack opened the floodgates for the Birmingham defense, which added four more in the second half — two from Dondrea Tillman and one apiece from Jonathan Garvin and Daniel Isom. Etling turned the ball over four times in the final two frames, first fumbling on a sack (recovered by Damon Lloyd) before throwing a pair of interceptions to Ike Brown and a pick-six to Isom that knotted the game.
ANOTHER INTERCEPTION AND A PICK SIX 😱
— United Football League (@TheUFL) June 8, 2024
What. Is. Happening. 🤯
The @USFLStallions tie it up! pic.twitter.com/v9hdUENg7Y
3. Corral was Ready
Corral may have officially lost the quarterback battle to Martinez midway through the season, but Stallions coach Skip Holtz has continued to insist he has two starting quarterbacks.
It’s tough to argue with that after Corral went 9-of-11 in a quarter and a half for 120 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Amari Rodgers and Ricky Person, Jr.
Martinez has looked shaky the past couple of weeks, setting up a potentially difficult decision for Holtz ahead of the title game.
Up next: The Stallions will travel to St. Louis for the 2024 UFL Championship Game, which will air Sunday, June 16 at 4 p.m. CT on FOX. They will face the winner of Sunday's XFL Conference Championship matchup between the St. Louis Battlehawks and San Antonio Brahmas.
You can find Kacy Sager on X (Twitter) at @THESagerbomb.
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