# 2024 Michigan Panthers season

The 2024 Michigan Panthers season was the third season for the Michigan Panthers as a professional American football franchise and their first as part of the United Football League. The Panthers played their home games at the Ford Field and were led by head coach Mike Nolan.
With a 22–9 victory over the DC Defenders in Week 7, the Panthers surpassed their win total from last season with five wins.

## Previous season

The Panthers finished the previous season with a 4–6 record. They would make the USFL playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Pittsburgh Maulers in the North Division finals.

## Schedule

All times Eastern
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Results | Location | Attendance |
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Score | Record | Location | Attendance |
| 1 | Saturday | March 30 | 4:00 p.m. | Fox | St. Louis Battlehawks | 18–16 | 1–0 | Ford Field | 9,444 |
| 2 | Sunday | April 7 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | Birmingham Stallions | 13–20 | 1–1 | Ford Field | 7,475 |
| 3 | Sunday | April 14 | 12:00 p.m. | ABC | Houston Roughnecks | 34–20 | 2–1 | Ford Field | 6,952 |
| 4 | Saturday | April 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Fox | at San Antonio Brahmas | 9–19 | 2–2 | Alamodome | 11,251 |
| 5 | Sunday | April 28 | 3:00 p.m. | Fox | at Memphis Showboats | 35–18 | 3–2 | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | 7,640 |
| 6 | Sunday | May 5 | 1:00 p.m. | Fox | Arlington Renegades | 28–27 | 4–2 | Ford Field | 7,428 |
| 7 | Sunday | May 12 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN | at DC Defenders | 22–9 | 5–2 | Audi Field | 12,222 |
| 8 | Saturday | May 18 | 4:00 p.m. | Fox | Memphis Showboats | 24–18 | 6–2 | Ford Field | 9,370 |
| 9 | Sunday | May 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Fox | at Houston Roughnecks | 26–22 | 7–2 | Rice Stadium | 6,527 |
| 10 | Saturday | June 1 | 2:00 p.m. | ESPN | at Birmingham Stallions | 19–20 | 7–3 | Protective Stadium | 7,133 |

## Game summaries
### Week 1: vs. St. Louis Battlehawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Battlehawks | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 16 |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 18 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: March 30
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (Indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 9,444
* Referee: Adam Savoie
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Devin Gardner and Jake Butt
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
STL – Andre Szmyt 36-yard field goal, 0:00. Battlehawks 3–0. Drive: 16 plays, 87 yards, 7:51.
Third quarter
MICH – E. J. Perry 4-yard run (Matt Colburn one-point run), 5:26. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 93 yards, 5:03.
Fourth quarter
STL – Jake Sutherland 5-yard pass from A. J. McCarron (two-point pass failed), 7:55. Battlehawks 9–7. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 2:47.
MICH – E. J. Perry 8-yard run (E. J. Perry-Devin Ross two-point pass), 5:01. Panthers 15–9. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:54.
STL – Marcell Ateman 5-yard pass from A. J. McCarron (A. J. McCarron-Jake Sutherland one-point pass), 7:55. Battlehawks 16–15. Drive: 11 plays, 44 yards, 4:12.
MICH – Jake Bates 64-yard field goal, 0:03. Panthers 18–16. Drive: 8 plays, 19 yards, 0:46.
Top passers
STL – A. J. McCarron – 24/37, 216 yards, 2 TD
MICH – E. J. Perry – 12/24, 176 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
STL – Wayne Gallman – 13 rushes, 40 yards
MICH – Wes Hills – 11 rushes, 85 yards
Top receivers
STL – Marcell Ateman – 6 receptions, 60 yards, TD
MICH – Devin Ross – 2 receptions, 46 yards :

## Standings

2024 UFL standingsvte :
| USFL Conference |||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK |
| (y) Birmingham Stallions | 9 | 1 | .900 | - | 11 | 31 | 20 | 6–0 | 265 | 180 | 85 | W1 |
| (x) Michigan Panthers | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 22 | 4–2 | 228 | 189 | 39 | L1 |
| (e) Memphis Showboats | 2 | 8 | .200 | 7 | -19 | 20 | 39 | 2–4 | 188 | 290 | -102 | W1 |
| (e) Houston Roughnecks | 1 | 9 | .100 | 8 | -12 | 17 | 29 | 0–6 | 158 | 233 | -75 | L6 |
| XFL Conference |||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | TD+/- | TD+ | TD- | DIV | PF | PA | DIFF | STK |
| (y) St. Louis Battlehawks | 7 | 3 | .700 | - | 7 | 31 | 24 | 5–1 | 260 | 202 | 58 | W1 |
| (x) San Antonio Brahmas | 7 | 3 | .700 | - | 12 | 24 | 12 | 3–3 | 192 | 153 | 39 | L1 |
| (e) DC Defenders | 4 | 6 | .400 | 3 | -2 | 24 | 26 | 2–4 | 209 | 251 | -42 | L1 |
| (e) Arlington Renegades | 3 | 7 | .300 | 4 | -2 | 26 | 28 | 2–4 | 247 | 249 | -2 | W2 |
| (x)–clinched playoff berth; (y)–clinched division; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention |||||||||||||

## Postseason
### Schedule

| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Results | Location | Attendance |
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Score | Record | Location | Attendance |
| USFL Conference Championship | Saturday | June 8 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC | at Birmingham Stallions | 18–31 | 0–1 | Protective Stadium | 10,287 |

## Staff

The 2024 coaching staff was announced on February 21, 2024.
Front office
* General manager – Steve Kazor
Head coach Head coach – Mike Nolan
Offensive coaches
* Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Marcel Bellefeuille
* Special Teams/Wide Receivers – Jaron Fairman
* Offensive Line – Tim Holt
* Running Backs – Jordan Pavlisin
* Tight ends – Gary Watkins
Defensive coaches
* Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – Collin Bauer
* Defensive Backs – Brock Marion
* Linebackers – Christian Runza