MICHIGAN, USA — The Michigan Panthers kicked a 64-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds left to defeat the St. Louis Battlehawks 18-16.
The Battlehawks faced the Panthers for the United Football League's season opener on Saturday in a back-and-forth game.
St. Louis' Andre Szmyt kicked a field goal at the end of the first half to give the team a 3-0 lead going into halftime.
The lead would quickly vanish as Michigan would score its first touchdown with an 8-play, 93-yard drive on its first position of the second half. Running back Matthew Colburn II then completed a 2-yard rush for the one-point conversion attempt to put the Panthers ahead 7-3.
In the final quarter down 7-3, quarterback A.J. McCarron found Jake Sutherland for a 5-yard touchdown. St. Louis was unable to convert on the two-point conversion, holding a 9-7 advantage.
Michigan quarterback E.J. Perry rushed for a touchdown, and later threw a touchdown to Devin Ross for a two-point conversion to give the team a 15-9 lead.
McCarron connected with Marcell Ateman on a fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line for a touchdown with 54 seconds to play. The Battlehawks then converted on a one-point conversion to lead 16-15.
The Panthers were able to get the ball back late in the fourth quarter where kicker Jake Bates made a 64-yard field goal with eight seconds left to win the game.
The Battlehawks will host its home opener at the Dome at America's Center against the Arlington Renegades at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6.
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