Friday Night Lights and your Philadelphia Stars. Week 4 of the USFL got underway featuring the Stars and Michigan Panthers for some Friday Night Lights in Birmingham, Ala. The Stars move back to 500.
And this one would not disappoint. The game came down to a last-second of regulation and the kickers. One team’s kicker was successful the other not so much. After kickoff was delayed 20 minutes, the Stars took the ball down the field to open the scoring with a Matt Mengel Field Goal. 3-0 Stars. The Star’s defense came to play early in this one. Michigan’s first possession Stars Linebacker Channing Stribling picked off Panthers Quarterback Shea Patterson in the end zone to preserve the Star’s early lead.
USFL Action
The First Quarter would end with the Stars up 3-0. In the second quarter Stars, QB Case Cookus dropped a perfect pass into the hands of Devin Gray to extend the Star’s lead to 10-0. The Panthers would break through to the scoreboard when Michigan’s Kicker Michael Carrizosa split the uprights for his first Field Goal of the Season to cut the Stars’ lead to 10-3. Later in the frame, the Panthers were on the move again. Patterson scrambled on third-and-6 for his first rushing touchdown of the year and brought the Panthers within one. 10-9.
Just as the Stars were building momentum and moving the ball for what seemed another score. Miscommunication struck between Cookus and his receiver leading to Panthers Sean Williams’s first career INT. The Panthers took full advantage of the turnover and converted an 88-yard TD run by Reggie Corbin. The run put Corbin above 100 yards rushing for the half and the game. A two-point conversion later and Michigan had its first lead of the game 17-10.
Stars Shine
The Stars were not down yet themselves. Jordan Moore’s Interception with 37 seconds left in the half gave the Stars and their offense hope to add a late score. A 41-yard TD pass from Cookus to Diondre Overton later and we were heading to half-tied 17-17.
An early 3rd Quarter field goal by Mengel put the Stars back into the lead 20-17. Field goals would be the order of the rest of the 3rd as Mengel would add a 30-yarder later in the quarter making the score 23-17. Both offenses would stalemate through most of the 4th until Patterson found Joe Walker in the end zone and after adding the 2-point conversion the Panthers took a 25-23 lead.
On the next possession, the Stars would answer with the go-ahead field goal. The game would be decided by the foot of the Panthers Kicker Carrizosa who would have his 21-yard field goal attempt bounce off the upright giving the Stars the 26-25 victory. With the win, the Stars move back to 500 at 2-2.
Matt Bednarczyk is your host of Talking Philly Sports With Matty B. He is a proud retired US Army Sergeant First Class, he is also a combat veteran with over 80 months served in Afganistan, and Iraq . Huge Hockey Fan. Matt is a lifelong 4 for 4 Philly sports fan. Born and raised on the Mayfair and Tacony neighborhood lines of Northeast Philly. He brings over 40 years of Philadelphia Sports passion and provides a realistic look at our Major Sports Teams and the most passionate sports fans on the planet. Look for his show live on Edge of Philly Sports.
