Rosters Set for PAnthers Stallions Rematch in USFL Conference Championship Game
JUNE 7, 2025 - BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
By Steve Irvine
J’Mar Smith and Bryce Perkins will be the starting quarterbacks in Sunday afternoon’s USFL Conference Championship Game between the Birmingham Stallions and Michigan Panthers at Protective Stadium.
Smith, who didn’t join the Stallions until the fifth week of the season is scheduled to start for the fourth consecutive game. But the quarterback will have a different look for the Stallions. Matt Corral will be active for the first time since suffering an injury on April 19 and is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart. Andrew Peasley, who played the entire second half in last week’s win at Memphis, will serve as the No. 3 quarterback. Smith was 22-of-31 for 307 yards with two touchdowns and had 30 yards on seven carries in a 26-22 win over Michigan in the ninth game of the season.
Perkins was selected as the quarterback on the All-UFL team despite missing the final three games because of an ankle injury. Perkins has not played since leading the Panthers to a come-from-behind 25-24 win over the Arlington Renegades on May 10. He played the entire way against Arlington but missed the next three games after hurting his ankle in the win against the Renegades. Perkins has accounted for 1,611 yards and 23 touchdowns in seven games. Perkins was 12-of-23 for 132 yards with a touchdown and had 30 yards on three carries in a 21-12 loss to Birmingham in the second week of the season.
In other personnel news for both teams heading into Sunday’s game:
*Birmingham offensive tackle Armani Taylor-Prioleau returns to the field after missing the past two weeks with an injury. Taylor-Prioleau started the first eight game of the season before hurting his leg at St. Louis on May 17.
*Stallions defensive end Bradlee Anae is back after missing most of the past three games with a groin injury. Anae suffered the injury early in the loss at St. Louis. Anae is the team leader in sacks with four. The defensive end rotation consists of Anae, Myjai Sanders and Steve Linton, who played his first game of the season last week.
*C.J. Marable and Ricky Person Jr. will share the running back position this week. Marable missed last week with an injury and Person was hurt during the win at Memphis. But both are healthy this week, which is important for the Stallions running game. Person had a pair of rushing touchdowns last week before getting banged up.
*Long snapper Ryan Langan, who is one of six Stallions to play on each Birmingham team since the beginning of the 2022 season, is active for this game. Langan missed the past five games with an injury. He will play for the first time since the loss to Memphis on April 25.
*Michigan linebacker Frank Ginda will miss the conference playoff game at Birmingham for the second consecutive season because of an injury. Ginda, who is one of the league’s top defensive players, had 62 tackles in seven games this season. This will be the fourth consecutive game he’s missed.
*Matthew Colburn II will serve as the backup at running back for the Panthers. Colburn started last week after missing the previous seven games. He replaces Nate McCrary on the active list. Toa Taua sat out last week after starting the previous four games. Taua is slated to get the start on Sunday. McCrary leads the Panthers in rushing yards with 360. Taua leads the team in rushing touchdowns with six and has rushed for 356 yards.
*Panthers defensive end Kenny Willekes leads the team in tackles for loss (6) and is tied for the team leads in sacks with 3.5. He will miss his second consecutive game. However, Breeland Speaks, who is one of the top defensive ends in the league, is expected to start for the second successive week. Speaks played in just four regular season games because of injury.