Above Image Credit: M Live
When: Sunday, June 8th, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Protective Stadium (Birmingham, AL)
Channel: ABC (check your local listings)
It’s a rematch for the USFL championship and a spot in the UFL championship as the Michigan Panthers meet the Birmingham Stallions for the second consecutive year.
Pouncing Panthers
Just like last season, Michigan has come a long way. Now, their road to the UFL championship goes right through the Stallions once again.
They might have a chance this time with All-UFL QB Bryce Perkins at the helm. He’s set to return to the field after missing the last three weeks with an ankle injury. Perkins has improved vastly since last season. In seven games, he’s recorded 109 completions out of 158 for 1,342 yards, nine TDs, and two interceptions. He also rushed for five TDs in 47 attempts.
RB Toa Taua and WR Siaosi Mariner have been the all-stars in the Panthers offense. Taua leads the UFL with six rushing TDs, and Mariner leads with 528 rushing yards. Mariner also averages 52.8 yards per game, and Taua averages 51 yards per game.
Defensively, Michigan has some of the toughest tacklers they can find. All-UFL S Kedrick Whitehead, Jr., leads the team with 66 tackles, and 2nd All-UFL S Arnold Tarpley III is third on the team with 60 tackles. However, LB Frank Ginda is still Michigan’s best tackler with 62 tackles (2nd in Michigan).
Galloping towards a Four-Peat?
The Birmingham Stallions could be on the verge of achieving a rare feat in sports: Four consecutive championship victories. However, they will have to get past their biggest rivals in the Michigan Panthers.
Their road to the postseason had its challenges, but none were any bigger than their quarterback situation. Once the season started, QBs like Alex McGough and Matt Corral dropped like flies due to injuries. Then, they resigned J’Mar Smith during the midseason and never looked back. In four games, he got 52 completions out of 80 for 758 yards, six touchdowns, and an interception.
WR Deon Cain was selected as an All-UFL player, and it’s no surprise why. He’s third in the UFL for receiving yards (514) and second for receiving touchdowns (6). RB Ricky Pearson, Jr., has also been a factor as the team’s leading rusher. In eight games and 76 attempts, he ran 310 yards for five touchdowns (3rd in the UFL).
Birmingham’s defense allows 16.7 points per game, making them the second-best scoring team. Some of their best defensive players include LB Kyahva Tezino. He leads the Stallions defense with 61 tackles and five fumbles for loss. Another one is DE Bradlee Anae, who leads the team with four sacks. He’s set to return after being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
UFL Postseason: Final Prediction
Since the UFL’s inception, both teams have met five times, and Birmingham won all those meetings. Their four overall regular season matchups all had close wins by Michigan. However, last year’s USFL conference championship matchup had Birmingham dominating Michigan 31-18.
Since Perkins is returning as the Panthers starting QB, the Stallions defense will have to work hard to keep him in check. As for the Panthers defense, they learned two weeks ago that they shouldn’t overlook Smith. They have great tacklers, but it’s going to take more than that to keep one of the three top offenses down.
The matchups that have occurred between the two have been nothing short of classic. Both teams are practically equal in offense and defense, so just like their previous meetings, it can go either way for both. The way I see it, either one of them is worthy to compete in the UFL championship, so when it comes to a clear winner, the jury’s out on this one.
