USFL Week 9: Generals come from behind, clinch North Division
Week 9 of the USFL season kicked off Saturday with the New Jersey Generals (8-1) clinching the North Division with a 25-23 win over the Michigan Panthers (1-8).
Here are the top plays.
New Jersey Generals vs. Michigan Panthers
New Jersey received the opening kickoff and ended the first drive with a missed field goal, but a big man interception by Toby Johnson put the Generals back in scoring position.
Austin Jones then redeemed himself with kick through the uprights to give New Jersey a 3-0 lead.
New Jersey extended its lead to 10-0 after KaVontae Turpin made USFL history with this punt return TD.
KaVontae Turpin takes it to the house for a 71-yard punt return touchdown
Michigan got on the board when quarterback Josh Love found Joe Walker darting across the back of the end zone on fourth down for a two-yard score.
New Jersey answered immediately with some trickery from Cam Echols-Luper.
The flea flicker turned into a 24-yard rushing touchdown and the Generals extended the lead to 16-6 with less two minutes to go in the first half.
Generals' trickery leads to a Cameron Echols-Luper score
It didn't take long for Michigan to respond.
With a minute left in the half, Love threw a touchdown to Ishmael Hyman for a 25-yard score.
Panthers' Josh Love finds Ishmael Hyman for the score
The Panthers then added a two-point conversion via a connection between running back Cameron Scarlett and tight end Connor Davis.
With the score, Michigan cut the deficit to 16-14 heading into halftime.
New Jersey opened the second half with some defense, courtesy of Trae Elston, who grabbed this pick and put New the Generals in scoring position.
However, N.J. wasn't able to create major damage, coming away with another field goal from Jones.
Eric Barriere said not so fast and gave Michigan its first lead, 20-19, with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Walker.
The completion was Walker's second touchdown and gave him 129 receiving yards on the day.
Panthers' WR Joe Walker Rises up for 22-yard TD grab
Michigan extended its lead to 23-19 with 6:37 to go courtesy of a Cole Murphy 25-yard field goal.
The Panthers lead vanished with 2:33 to go in the game when Generals quarterback Luis Perez found Darrius Shepherd for a 17-yard touchdown, giving N.J. a 25-23 lead.
Generals QB Luis Perez finds Darrius Shepherd for go-ahead TD late in fourth quarter
With under a minute remaining, New Jersey locked up the win when Paris Ford intercepted Barriere.
The Generals took a knee and walked away with a 25-23 win.
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