The UFL playoffs are here. It’s another battle between the Birmingham Stallions and Michigan Panthers, who will face off for the third time this season – and the sixth time over the past two years in the UFL.
Heading into this affair, the Birmingham Stallions are red hot. They’ve won two straight, earning the USFL Conference Title in the regular season, with a record of 7-3. The Stallions went into the playoffs in dominant fashion, with a 46-9 victory over the Showboats.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Panthers need to find a way to get back on track. They’ve lost two in a row heading into the postseason, with a 6-4 record in 2025. Granted, they’ve missed Bryce Perkins – but the dropoff in quality of play has left them with less momentum heading into the playoffs.
These two teams know each other very well, and it’s bound to be another thriller in Birmingham this Sunday. Let’s break it all down.
Quarterback Play
The quarterback matchup is going to be interesting to watch this weekend. Bryce Perkins is expected to play for the Michigan Panthers, returning after three weeks off due to injury. His ankle has been an isuse the last few weeks, but Perkins returns to action in an effort to take down the mighty Stallions.
Perkins earned All-UFL honors this season, dazzling with his athleticism all year long. A healthy Bryce Perkins is the best quarterback in the UFL, at least, through seven weeks. He threw for over 1,300 yards and 9 touchdowns in that span while splitting reps with Danny Etling for a few games as well. His legs are what set him apart, though, rushing for five scores and keeping a multitude of drives alive with his mobility.
On the other side, J’Mar Smith has come out of nowhere and looked like a top three quarterback in the UFL. It’s unreal what he’s been able to do with the Stallions, despite being “retired” earlier in the year. He’s completed 65% of his pass attempts since taking over as the starter in week eight, throwing for 6 TD’s to just one interception.
Smith’s a tough quarterback to take down. He’s got tremendous zip on the ball, but is not afraid to escape the pocket and run defenders over. Michigan’s defense will have to be better prepared this time around for Smith’s legs – as he ran all over them a couple weeks back. Smith’s resurgence has been a pleasure to watch, and he’s put Birmingham in a position to make a Championship run with his vintage, yet refined style of play.
Standout Playmakers
Both of these teams are loaded with quality playmakers offensively. In the backfield, the Michigan Panthers feature Toa Taua, Nate McCrary, and Matt Colburn – each of which have been excellent for the Panthers this season. Colburn missed several weeks with an injury (which led to Toa Taua re-signing and dominating with six rushing touchdowns) – but Matt returned this week and showcased what he can do, on the ground, and also receiving the football.
At wide receiver, Siaosi Mariner is the guy to watch. He led all UFL receivers with 527 yards this season, and has consistently had some big games against the Stallions throughout his UFL career. In week nine, Mariner went for 115 yards and a score – torching that secondary on multiple occasions.
Look for a healthy dose of Malik Turner and Jaylon Moore as well. The two have emerged as go-to targets for both Perkins and Etling. On top of that, Cole Hikutini at TE will want the ball, as he was targeted nine times against the Stallions in their last affair.
For Birmingham, they’ve seen Ricky Person Jr. return to elite form as of late. He’s running the ball hard, efficiently, and most importantly – finding the end zone. Between Person, Rountree, and Marable, the Stallions feature one of the stronger backfields in the UFL – as each RB plays their role well. Even a vet like Marable has shown he can still be effective coming out of the backfield, and also chipping blocks.
J’Mar Smith will have no shortage of targets to throw to. Deon Cain earned All-UFL honors this season, once again showcasing why he’s one of the top receivers in the league. His combination of speed, size, and route running abilities has turned him into a reliable deep threat all season long.
Davion Davis, Amari Rodgers, Jace Sternberger, Cade Johnson, and Jordan Thomas are all quality pieces in their own regards, and will make an impact. Sternberger and Thomas, in particular, have had a lot of success against these Michigan defenses the last couple of seasons. It was Thomas’ 49 yard touchdown in last year’s playoffs that helped spark the comeback for Birmingham.
Depth Chart
Key notes for Michigan:
- RB Nate McCrary is out, Toa Taua returns and is starting. Matt Colburn is RB2
- CB Keni-H Lovely is out, alongside DE Kenny Willekes; S Dee Delaney makes his debut
- OT Cam Carter seeing action once again with Keith Russell and Brian Dooley inactive
Key notes for Birmingham:
- J’Mar Smith is officially QB1, but Matt Corral moves back into the QB2 spot now that he’s active and healthy
- DE Steve Linton impressed last week, and beats out Delontae Scott & Max Roberts for the backup role at EDGE
- CB Shyheim Carter is back, Kenny Robinson gets the start with A.J. Thomas out on IR
Both teams are a bit banged up, with Michigan notably missing Kenny Willekes at EDGE. He’s been fantastic this season, and the Panthers were hoping to have both Willekes and Speaks healthy at the same time.
Meanwhile, the Stallions have opted to start Willie Yarbary, the veteran, at DT. He beats out former All-UFL DT Carlos Davis. At RB, C.J. Marable is starting, replacing Larry Roundtree III who was productive a week ago.
Birmingham’s Offense vs. Michigan’s Defense
Looking at the numbers, Birmingham is going to want to throw the football as much as they can against Michigan’s secondary. The Panthers are the best run defense in the league, allowing just 81 yards per game – but they’ve given up the most passing yards of any team in the UFL. It’s a bizarre contrast, but one that has become blatantly apparent for Collin Bauer’s defense this season.
Meanwhile, the Stallions have thrown for 2,068 yards (3rd) and 16 touchdowns (2nd) this year – despite the quarterback carousel. Skip Holtz and Lester Erb have consistently found ways to be successful, averaging 12.6 yards per reception (2nd) this season.
When it comes to running the football, the Stallions are in the middle of the pack. They’re averaging 105.9 yards per game (4th), with 10 rushing scores on the season (4th). Considering Michigan’s outstanding defensive front, the Stallions will probably lean a bit more into Smith’s arm this weekend. Not to mention, the Panthers are banged up in the secondary as well, missing Keni-H Lovely. Adonis Alexander is also not 100%.
“We’re all really excited to get a chance to play Birmingham again. Knowing what’s on the line, and knowing that we haven’t been able to get over this hump so far, we know that our achilles heel has been on third downs, at least in this past game. In other games, it might have been turnovers, or whatever the case may be. This last game it was third down, and we’re excited to get on the field. As a guy who plays on the backend, we want to shut down the passing game, especially with how stout our run defense has been.” – Panthers DB Kedrick Whitehead
Looking At This Year
So far this season, the Stallions and Panthers have faced off twice. In both affairs, the Stallions came out victorious.
In week two, it was a bit of a strange start. Matt Corral entered the game on the second snap, with Alex McGough getting hurt right away. He ended up leading Birmingham to the win, with a deep touchdown pass to Deon Cain to put the Stallions up 18-0 early in the 4th.
The Michigan Panthers shot themselves in the foot in this one – something they do far too often against Birmingham. Bryce Perkins took a while to find a rhythm, missing targets early. A drive that got down to the 2 yard line resulted in a turnover on downs, keeping points off the board for the Panthers. Michigan’s lack of aggressiveness in the 4th quarter also hurt, when they had an opportunity to get back into the game. Ultimately, it was the Stallions’ defensive determination that got them a 21-12 win – despite Corral’s two interceptions to D.J. Miller Jr.
Fast forward to week nine, and things looked a bit different. Danny Etling and J’Mar Smith were the starting quarterbacks, and while it was a game that went back and forth and came down to the wire – Birmingham stood strong yet again.
It was Birmingham’s ability to go a whopping 11-13 on third downs – a UFL record – that pushed them to victory. Michigan’s defense couldn’t buy a stop, despite their tremendous efforts on first and second downs. Birmingham had an average of 10.1 yards to go on those third down attempts, yet still managed to convert again, and again, and again.
Without Bryce Perkins in the picture, Birmingham was able to get the defensive stop that they needed in the end. Four straight stops in the red zone forced a turnover on downs, and time expired with Birmingham coming out victorious, 26-22.
“We’ve had a lot of good football against them, but not enough to win.” – Panthers HC Mike Nolan
One thing is for certain: both of these teams know each other extremely well. There won’t be many new wrinkles to debut in this matchup – as they’ve faced off six times in the last two seasons combined.
Coaching Matchup
Birmingham Stallions | Skip Holtz: Holtz, the King of Spring when it comes to coaches, has been unbelievable this season despite all of the chaos. He’s brought Birmingham back to the postseason, and back to the #1 seed in the conference – despite five different quarterbacks taking snaps. It hasn’t been perfect by any means, but Skip’s determination and veteran leadership cannot be understated.
Michigan Panthers | Mike Nolan: At some point, something’s gotta give. Nolan has been outstanding the past couple of seasons with the Panthers, with the exception of his struggles against Holtz and this Birmingham franchise. Nolan is 0-6 in his UFL career against Skip, with plenty of close losses in the final moments. For Michigan, now is their chance to rewrite history and get to a Championship, something Nolan’s squad hasn’t been able to do the last two postseasons.
Panthers HC Mike Nolan made a comment about how well these two teams know each other, and how that will play a factor heading into this game:
“I think that’s one of the things that makes this game even more exciting. The players do know, they’ve felt the weight of one another, so it comes down to each playing as best as they can. There isn’t much feeling out of your opponent going on, that you do when you’re unfamiliar with someone. Whether it’s coaching or playing, there’s a lot of familiarity between both. I think that makes for a better game, and that will be one of the biggest challenges for both teams. Who will be able to play better under those circumstances.”
Final Thoughts
No matter what the outcome will be in Birmingham this weekend – it’s bound to be a thrilling affair. Birmingham and Michigan always feature close games, even though the Stallions have consistently been the victor.
Weather could end up playing a bit of a factor in this one, as there is a chance that it will rain on Sunday. That’s an extra dynamic that these teams will have to face, whenever it arrives.
The action all kicks off on Sunday, at 3pm ET on ABC.
Full Roster Breakdowns: Birmingham, Michigan
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