Michigan Panthers miss game-winning FG in 20-19 loss to Birmingham

Etling finished with 195 passing yards and two touchdowns (one rushing, one passing) while completing 16 of 31 pass attempts. Perkins rushed for 37 yards before leaving the game.

Birmingham jumped out to a 6-0 lead after Martinez hit Sternberger on a 32-yard completion to the Michigan 1, setting up a CJ Marable rushing touchdown. Michigan answered with a Jake Bates field goal to cut the early deficit to 6-3, then turned up the pressure on the defense. Two consecutive sacks on Martinez and another rush gave the ball back to Michigan, who drove 86 yards and finished with an Etling scramble for a 23-yard touchdown to take a 10-6 lead.

Michigan forced another punt after a Javin White sack put Birmingham behind the sticks, then Etling hit Siaosi Mariner with a jump ball in the corner of the end zone for a 46-yard touchdown to go up by 16-6 before halftime. The Panthers defense held the Stallions to 102 yards and recorded four sacks in the first half.

Birmingham cut the lead to 16-13 on a Marable 20-yard touchdown run on a shotgun power play on the opening possession of the third quarter. Perkins couldn’t get anything going on the first possession, but he drove Michigan to the 25-yard line on the second drive before leaving with a leg injury. Etling returned and the Panthers settled for a field goal to go up 19-13 with a minute left in the fourth quarter after a series of penalties pushed them from first-and-goal to the 30.