D.J. Miller made UFL history Friday night in the Michigan Panthers’ 2025 home opener at Ford Field.
The Panthers fell to the defending champion Birmingham Stallions, 21-12, but Miller, the former standout cornerback at Kent State, picked off a pair of passes from former NFL QB Matt Corral, becoming the first player in the one-plus season history of the spring league with a two-pick game.
Unfortunately for the Panthers (1-1), Birmingham’s defense was more dominant, with a pass rush that harassed Michigan QB Bryce Perkins for most of the night in a rematch of last season's USFL Conference championship game. Perkins and the Panthers finally found a modicum of success in the fourth quarter, driving 76 yards in 10 plays to cut Birmingham’s lead in half, from 18 to nine points.
How Michigan Panthers scored
The scoring drive was capped by a second-and-9, 9-yard sidearm throw from Perkins to Marcus Simms in which Perkins scrambled to his left, and fired the ball to the end zone, then absorbed a late hit. A roughing-the-passer call moved a potential 3-point conversion to the 1-yard line, and Perkins wriggled out of a potential sack and rolled to his right into the end zone.
After the score, Miller hauled in his second interception to give the Panthers another shot, but Michigan couldn’t move the ball. After a punt and another defensive stop, the Panthers appeared to be getting another shot, but punt returner Devin Ross muffed the catch, giving the Stallions possession again with just over four minutes remaining.
After Birmingham (1-1) kicked a field goal to make it a two-possession game, the Panthers drove down and kicked a 39-yard field goal of their own with 26 seconds left. The Panthers then attempted the UFL's version of an onside kick, a fourth-and-12 play from their own 28. But Perkins' pass fell incomplete to finally end Michigan's fourth-quarter rally.
Next up for Michigan Panthers
The Panthers continue their three-game homestand next weekend with a visit from the San Antonio Brahmas at noon April 13 (ABC). The Brahmas, who lost their opener last week, close Week 2 of UFL action with a visit to St. Louis on Sunday night.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Panthers DB makes UFL history in loss to Birmingham
