The Pittsburgh Maulers needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Michigan Panthers at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Pittsburgh’s defense came through, forcing four turnovers en route to a 19-7 win.
The Maulers got off to a hot start, with WR Josh Simmons returning the opening kickoff to the Michigan 29-yard line. Two plays later, QB Troy Williams hit Simmons for a 17-yard touchdown and the team took a 7-0 lead following Chris Blewitt’s made extra point with 13:46 left in the first quarter.
Michigan followed with a three-and-out, and the Maulers couldn’t capitalize on their momentum with a three-and-out of their own.
But much as they have done for the majority of the season, the defense was able to come through with a big play, as CB Mark Gilbert picked off Michigan QB Josh Love at the Pittsburgh 43. But a disastrous possession ensued, with Williams getting sacked on back-to-back downs by Michigan DT Garrett Marino and DL Breeland Speaks. A false start followed, and the Maulers lost a whopping 19 yards on the possession before punting.
Toward the end of the first quarter, the Maulers’ defense forced another turnover as LB Khyava Tezino picked off Love at the Pittsburgh 40. But once again, the Maulers’ offense, which looked dreadful at this point after the opening drive, was forced to punt.
With the offense going nowhere despite the best efforts of the defense, the Maulers’ special teams unit decided it was time to step up. RB Madre London blocked and recovered a punt by P Kyle Kramer at the Michigan 28. The Maulers’ offense only gained three yards though and settled for a field goal, a 43-yard try from Blewitt that put them up 10-0 with 8:46 left in the half.
The rest of the first half was a whole lot of nothing until after the two-minute warning. The Maulers were sacked five times in the first half and couldn’t generate any offense, while the Panthers’ offense was equally poor, in large part due to the play of Pittsburgh’s defense. Keith Gipson Jr. picked off Love for his third interception in the half coming out of the two-minute warning, giving the Maulers possession at the Michigan 38. On 4th and 1 from the Michigan 29 with 1:38 left in the half, Marino went offsides and the Maulers got a new set of downs. On the final play of the first half, Blewitt nailed a 46-yard field goal and Pittsburgh went up 13-0 at the half.
All the momentum the Maulers’ defense built up in the first half was zapped on the first possession of the second half. Love hit TE Cole Hikutini for a 32-yard gain into Pittsburgh territory on the first play of the half, then RB Stevie Scott Jr. ran for 13 yards on the next two carries, which was followed by another 16-yard completion. Love went back to Hikutini in the red zone, finding his TE on a wheel route for a 12-yard touchdown. K Cole Murphy hit the extra point, and the Maulers’ lead was cut to 13-7 with 12:16 left in the third quarter.
A five-play, 24-yard drive that resulted in a punt by Pittsburgh followed, but the Maulers’ defense got back to their roots and forced a three-and-out. On the next drive, facing a 3rd and 13 from the Michigan 43, Williams went deep and connected with WR Isiah Hennie for a 33-yard gain down to the Michigan 10, giving the Maulers a prime opportunity to score.
But two incomplete passes and a two-yard run weren’t enough, and the Maulers settled for a 26-yard Blewitt field goal to make it a nine-point game at 16-7 with 2:18 left in the third quarter.
The momentum stayed on Pittsburgh’s side, as Love forced a pass in to Hikutini and Tezino picked off his second pass of the day, the fourth turnover forced by Pittsburgh’s defense. On the final play of the third quarter, Williams again went deep, finding WR Tray Walker for a 32-yard that moved the Maulers to the Michigan 36. But on 3rd and 7 from the Michigan 34, Williams took a sack, knocking the Maulers out of field goal range and they had to punt.
A kick catch interference penalty then ensued on the punt, and Michigan took over at their own 25. They would go three-and-out, however, with Pittsburgh then taking over at their own 30 after the punt.
The Williams-Walker connection again came through, this time with a 23-yard gain on 3rd and 4. Two plays later, Madre London ran for 12 yards to move Pittsburgh to the Michigan 25, and a 14-yard run two plays later moved them to the Michigan 8-yard line with a new set of downs. But the Maulers once again failed to find the end zone, a recurring problem during the game and the season. They ended up settling for a 19-yard Blewitt field goal to make it a two-score game at 19-7 with 5:09 left.
Michigan had one last-ditch effort after moving into Pittsburgh territory, but on 4th and 16, Izayah Green-May sacked Love and the Maulers took over with 2:30 left.
In the victory formation, DL Boogie Roberts took the snap.
That would essentially clinch the 19-7 win for Pittsburgh, who move to 3-6 and face a win-and-in situation for the playoffs next week against the New Jersey Generals due to holding the tiebreaker over Michigan.
