Michigan
Michigan Panthers dominated in 19-9 loss to San Antonio Brahmas in United Football League
The Michigan Panthers lost their starting quarterback, but they couldn’t get anything going on offense, no matter who was under center.
As a result, the Panthers lost to the San Antonio Brahmas, 19-9, on Saturday night in the Alamodome to fall to 2-2 in the inaugural UFL season.
E.J. Perry left the game in the third quarter with an apparent hamstring injury after successfully cobbling together a field goal drive. Danny Etling replaced him, completing 11 of 15 passes for 105 yards, but the comeback ended after he fumbled late trying to escape pressure after a late touchdown to Marcus Simms.
San Antonio closed the game out after building a comfortable 16-3 lead in the first half. The Brahmas’ defensive line set the tone by living in the Panthers’ backfield while quarterback Quinten Dormady started hot, finishing 23 of 37 for 269 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers’ offensive line couldn’t slow down the pass rush, giving up six sacks and committing three holding penalties. The pass protection issues coupled with the early deficit hamstrung a Michigan offense that came into the game firing on all cylinders.
The Panthers fell to 2-2 in the United Football League, while San Antonio moved to 3-1.
Pressure bounces Perry, handcuffs Panthers offense
Perry suffered the leg injury in a play that happened often in the loss.
He pulled up lame after stepping out of a sack on a tackle, grabbing at his hamstring. Perry was sacked five times and had to escape a handful of other attempts as the Brahmas’ defensive line dominated the Panthers.
San Antonio jumped out to an early 10-0 lead with an opening drive touchdown and a field goal after a quick stop on the Panthers’ first drive.
The best chance at a touchdown came in the second quarter, after head coach Mike Nolan successfully called a fake punt that resulted in a 24-yard gain into San Antonio territory, but a sack ended the drive. Michigan reached the red zone with two first-down runs, but Perry was crushed by Tim Ward on a sack and fumbled to the Brahmas. Kai Nacua intercepted a pass on the next possession, but Michigan’s offense couldn’t get that close again.
The next drive ended on a third-down sack, setting up a second San Antonio touchdown drive to go up 16-0 a minute before halftime. Jake Bates got Michigan on the board with a 49-yard kick after Perry put together a quick drive right before intermission.
But, the second half was the same for the offense.
Michigan went three-and-out on their first two possessions with Perry in the game which were hurt by a sack, a holding, and the final pressure that knocked the quarterback from the game. He completed seven of 13 passes for 77 yards and had a team-high 49 rushing yards, all on scrambles to avoid sacks.
Etling had the offense moving better, but couldn’t get points until the game was out of reach. His first drive ended with a incomplete pass after he was flushed from the pocket, then he fumbled with 7:49 left after he tried to pick up a first down escaping a sack.
Etling found Marcus Simms for a 41-yard touchdown on the left sideline on his third drive to make it 19-9 San Antonio with 3:25 left. Michigan went for a two-point conversion but Etling was sacked. Michigan picked up the onside conversion, which is a successful fourth-and-12 conversion in the UFL, to get the ball back, but Etling was sacked again on third down, setting up an insurmountable fourth-and-20 they could not convert.
The Brahmas finished with six sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception on a late heave from Etling in the waning moments. The Panthers ran for 111 yards on 17 attempts, but the deficit made them lean on the pass and the San Antonio pass rush blew up that effort.
San Antonio sets tone in first half
The Brahmas scored 16 of their 19 points in the first half after the Panthers’ defense shut down the offense in the second half.
San Antonio got the ball first and scored on a quick eight-play drive to go up 7-0 on a John Lovett touchdown run. Michigan opened with a punt, and the Brahmas added a field goal after a 43-yard pass from Dormady to Jontre Kirklin.
The Brahmas executed the two-minute drill to perfection at the end of the first half, with Dormady connecting on three passes for first downs then finding Marquez Stevenson in the flat for a 4-yard touchdown to go up 16-0.
The Brahmas only scored the field goal off a short field thanks to the Etling fumble, but the defensive effort made that enough. San Antonio picked up 220 of the team’s 305 yards in the first half, while Dormady went into break with 200 yards.
Michigan
Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal
Announced on Tuesday evening, Michigan true freshman safety Jordan Young has entered the transfer portal.
A former four-star prospect from Monroe, North Carolina, Young flipped his commitment at the last moment from Clemson to Michigan in the 2025 class. He played in nine games this season for the Wolverines and had 15 tackles and three pass breakups, with all three pass breakups coming in the final four games of the season.
We wish Young the very best at his next college football program.
Michigan
Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection
EAST LANSING – Michigan State was rolling to a win against USC when there was a stoppage in play with six minutes remaining in the second half on Monday night.
It had nothing to do with what was happening on the court at the Breslin Center.
Referee Jeffrey Anderson blew his whistle to eject a fan sitting a few rows off the floor. The individual booted happened to be Paul Davis, who starred at center for the Spartans from 2002-06.
“He kind of got after the official and he was 150 percent wrong,” Izzo said of Davis after the No. 12 Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won 80-51 against the Trojans on Monday, “and for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”
Michigan State fans were upset about a foul call on the other end of the floor when Davis stood up and said something Anderson immediately objected to. That led to a hook.
Despite being tossed, Davis attempted to stay in his seat while taking a drink from an alcoholic beverage container. Anderson didn’t let it slide and provided an explanation to Izzo, who was less than thrilled and yelled across the court questioning what his former player was doing.
Davis finally stood up after being told to leave by associate athletic director Seth Kesler but took his time and brushed two hands against his chest. That prompted Izzo to scream, appearing to tell his former center to “get outta here.” Davis was walked up the stairs and watched the rest of the game from a concourse box.
“I love Paul Davis, I really do, he’s one of my favorite guys … but what he said he should never say anywhere in the world and that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. You know what he’ll say, ‘I screwed up, coach, I’m sorry.’”
Izzo claimed he was told what Davis said was nothing racial or sexual in nature but it was obviously enough to get the boot.
“It was just the wrong thing to say,” Izzo said, “and I’ll leave it at that.”
Davis ranks 10th on Michigan State’s career scoring list with 1,718 points, was a second-round NBA pick by the Clippers and spent four years in the league. Izzo praised the work Davis does with current players but the Hall of Fame coach in his 31st season leading the Spartans has never been ejected from a game.
“He made a mistake but he’s been really good with our players too,” Izzo said of Davis. “In the summer he comes up and helps work a guy out or he’s just around. Jud Heathcote used to always tell me sooner or later the game makes fools of us all. Once in a while, the game makes fools of our fans and definitely it’s made a fool of me more than a couple times.”
Michigan
Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach
Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.
The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.
“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”
Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.
Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.
The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).
As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.
“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”
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