Late touchdown negates Panthers comeback in loss to Generals

Luis Perez hit Darrius Shepherd with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:33 to play and the New Jersey Generals beat the Michigan Panthers, 25-23, in a United States Football League game at Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers had trailed most of the game, falling behind 16-6 with 1:55 left in the first half when Cam Echols-Luper scored on a 24-yard run. 

But Michigan (1-8) got back within a score 55 seconds later when Josh Love hit Ishmael Hyman with a 2-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion cut the lead to 16-14 at halftime.

After a Generals field goal in the third quarter, the Panthers took a 20-19 lead when Eric Berriere found Joe Walker for a 22-yard pass with 31 seconds left in the quarter.

Cole Murphy stretched the lead to 23-19 with a 25-yard field goal with 6:33 to play, but the Generals' late score wiped that lead out.

Love finished 12-for-21 for 168 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Walker caught seven passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

Shepherd caught eight passes for 99 yards for the Generals (8-1).