The conference final was the epitome of strong competition (Photo courtesy of Pro Football Newsroom).
On June 8th the modern UFL was forever altered. The Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots of the UFL fell. The Birmingham Stallions will not be winning the UFL Championship. Instead, the Michigan Patriots will be representing the USFL this time around. They will be competing against XFL winner DC Defenders on June 14th at 8 PM ET. And like we have all season, every game, every week, The Forkball will be covering the championship. Make sure to catch all of our UFL content for 2025 here.
David vs. Goliath
The USFL conference final was giving David vs. Goliath energy, sans any morality associated with either individual in the original event. Instead, we are referring to the overwhelming underdogs holding up their slingshot against the ruling champs. The Michigan Panthers winning was equivalent to pigs flying in the sky. But it’s not over till it’s over, and both teams showed up to win.
In an animal kingdom mix-up, the Birmingham Stallions are undefeated against the Michigan Panthers leading up to this conference final. Remember last year when the Panthers fell to the Stallions in the last USFL championship? Underdog is an understatement. Will the Panthers crumble under the pressure or rise above their circumstances? Let’s discuss the game below!
Let the Games Begin
Hold onto your horses, folks. This is an action-packed game. If it sprinkled in my UFL article last week, it’s a tsunami today. If you’re like me and are confused by the similar-colored uniforms, just remember that the Panthers have a touch of blue on their pants, jerseys, and helmets. And another thing you’ll need to remember is the name Toa Taua. The running back will be a household name by the end of this game, if he isn’t already.
Toa Taua puts the first points on the board when he runs the ball in for a TD with roughly five minutes left in the first quarter. It was a true group effort, as the remarkable punt return from Xavier Malone gave the team excellent field position for Taua to capitalize on. A successful one-point conversion post-TD rushed in by Cole Hitukini put the cherry on the sundae. The Panthers are leading 7-0 with the first quarter two-thirds over.
We knew Birmingham was riding the struggle bus when their kicker, Harrison Mevis, missed a field goal at the end of the first quarter. Every UFL team relies on their kicker to be on point every time and win the majority of games for them. A Mevis mistake set up Birmingham for failure before the first quarter was over. We head into the second quarter with just the one Michigan Panthers TD on the board.
Pony Up
The second quarter is a real nail-biter. Roughly halfway through the quarter, Bryce Perkins single-handedly moved the score to 14-0 with a TD and a one-point conversion. Our only critique is that we were hoping for a more elaborate touchdown dance. The Birmingham Stallions answered with their own touchdown roughly two minutes later. Tight end Jordan Thomas makes a fantastic catch for the team’s first points. No more zeros—the score is 14-6.
Momentum didn’t last long for Birmingham. Any appearance of a Nacua brother in a game is always a positive one. J’Mar Smith loses his thunder after his prior brilliant pass to Jordan Thomas. With about two minutes on the clock, safety Kai Nacua intercepted Smith’s pass and returned it. Smith was replaced by Matt Corral after the extra seven points on the scoreboard. We’re at 21-6, folks. This is not how most UFL fans thought this game was going.
In the final minute of the game, Birmingham makes yet another statement play. Corral moves the ball efficiently down the field and sneaks a TD in with an extra one-point conversion. Seconds before the bells ring, the Stallions make another score attempt. A Panthers pass was broken up, with Birmingham DB Daniel Isom recovers the ball and runs it in for a TD. Or so the Stallions thought. Mike Pereira ruled the play an incomplete pass. Periera is never wrong, so it is what it is. We head into halftime with a score of 21-14, with the underdogs leading the pack.
Three For Free
The Stallions rally emotionally for the third quarter. Mevis doesn’t screw up this time in Birmingham’s first possession when he scores a field goal. 21-17 is the score we find ourselves at. The Panthers aren’t allowing any momentum, though. 10 minutes into the quarter, household name Toa Tuau puts more points on the board with a touchdown. Wide receiver Jaylon Moore secures a one-point conversion to put extra fudge on that sundae. Now we’re sitting at 28-17.
Do you need a mop? Because the Michigan Panthers are cleaning the floor with the Birmingham Stallions. Bryce Perkins is actually on fire in the final three minutes of the third game. Wide receiver Malik Turner brought in a 76-yard touchdown. The Panthers are lapping the Stallions, with a score of 34-17.
Rocks In Sling Shots
Birmingham was tired of the fans throwing rotten tomatoes at them, so they snuck a TD into the end zone in the first minute of the fourth quarter. The score is sitting at 34-23. Can Birmingham make up the score? The Stallions forgot what it is like to lose a conference final. Ponying up is the name of the game for Birmingham. The touchdown is evidence of a spark.
Michigan struggled with said spark and fumbled their feelings and the ball. The forced fumble basically handed the Stallions a TD. Jordan Thomas and Matt Corral connect once again. The two-point conversion was not a successful connection. However, these back-to-back TDs are moving the Stallions quickly up the scoreboard. The new 34-29 score has both fan bases sweating for very different reasons.
Remember household name Toa Taua of the Michigan Panthers? He achieved a hat trick. Sadly, football fans don’t respond to three TDs a game like hockey fans do—read some of the craziest things fans have thrown on the ice here. For the first time ever in UFL history, the kickers have been in the background. This many TDs in one game is like Christmas in June. The Panthers intercepted the ball from the Stallions and scored their first field goal of the game. One more fumble from Birmingham later, and the game comes to a close with the Panthers firmly in the lead—44-29.
Final Thoughts
The USFL conference final was the outcome many UFL fans were waiting for, but didn’t believe it could happen. We finally someone other than the Birmingham Stallions head to the UFL Championship game. The Michigan Panthers have shown their chops this year, and are well deserving of the opportunity to represent the USFL. Can they defeat the DC Defenders? You’ll have to wait and find out on Saturday, June 14th, at 8 PM ET in St. Louis, Missouri. The Forkball will be covering the UFL Championship as well!
