DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 13: Bryce Perkins #3 of Michigan Panthers looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Brahmas at Ford Field on April 13, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/UFL/Getty Images)
FOX 2 - The Michigan Panthers play for the UFL Championship Saturday night in a bid to bring home the first professional sports title to Detroit since the 2004 Pistons.
How to watch::
The Panthers play the DC Defenders at 8 p.m. on ABC at the Dome at America's Center in St. Louis.
Last week Michigan (7-4) defeated the defending champion Birmingham Stallions 44-29 to win the USFL Conference Championship.
The DC Defenders (7-4) beat the St. Louis Battlehawks 36-18 to win the XFL Conference Championship.
It provides a battle of the league's two best quarterbacks in Michigan's Bryce Perkins and DC's Jordan Ta'amu who lead the top two offenses.
A battle of star QBs:
Perkins, named the league's MVP, led the league's highest scoring offense in the UFL this season and the second-ranked team in offensive yards.
He was fourth in the league in passing yards (1,342), tied for second in passing touchdowns (9), second in completion percentage (.690) and second in efficiency rating (69.0). In addition, he was tied for first in the league in rushing touchdowns (5) among quarterbacks.
Perkins and the Panthers have a punishing ground game led by running back Toa Taua who led the league in rushing touchdowns with six.
DC's Jordan Ta'amu leads the Defenders and was second in passing yards, 2,153 and first in touchdown passes with 17.
The Defenders led the league in offensive yards, using big plays both with passing on offense and on defense with a gambling, blitz-heavy strategy.
What they're saying:
Darryl Johnson, the executive VP of football operations. spoke about the match-up of the different playing styles.
"DC's defense is a big-play defense when you look at total yards and some of the other areas where you measure defensive performance, maybe they're not at the top of the league," he said. "But when you look at those splash plays - forced fumbles, fumble recovery, interceptions, sacks, it is a team that thrives on explosive plays from the defensive side."
Johnston then contrasted DC with the Panthers, more deliberate punishing ball-control style.
"A team like Michigan that really bases it's success offensively of controlling the ball and keeping that opponent on the sideline, can you turn those opportunities in the red zone to seven instead of three," he said. "Because you have Jordan Ta'mu who can throw the ball 70 yards down the field. And you just went 17 plays in eight minutes and got three points and they just went 68 yards in three plays and got 7.
"That is one thing we will see tomorrow, one team that likes to control the flow of the game (against) a team that likes to make big splash plays."
Earlier this year:
The last time the Panthers and Defenders played, Michigan rolled DC 38-14 in Week 6.
Perkins passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards and another score.
Ta'amu played well in defeat, passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns.
Ex-Michigan college stars :
There are plenty of Michigan college standouts who play for the Panthers and have had starring roles this season.
- Defensive end Kenny Willekes, Michigan State: 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks.
- Cornerback Keni-H Lovely, Western Michigan: 26 tackles, 1 interception.
- Tight end Gunnar Oakes, Eastern Michigan: 262 receiving yards, two touchdowns.
- Offensive tackle Brian Dooley, Eastern Michigan.
- Running back Nate McCrary, Saginaw Valley State: 401 rushing yards, two touchdowns
- And for the Defenders, nose tackle Dennis Johnson hails from Grand Valley State.
At left, photo art with Jordan Ta'amu #10 of DC Defenders (Photo by Nic Antaya/UFL/Getty Images). At right, Bryce Perkins #3 of the Michigan Panthers (Photo by Stew Milne/UFL/Getty Images).