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1983 Week 1 - Monday, March 7, 1983
Attendance: 38,352
TV: ESPN
Monday Night and the Legion Field crowd was hyped as their Birmingham Stallions took on the Michigan Panther's in the first USFL Monday night game. The Stallions were spurred on by their crowd and stayed close.
On Monday, March 7, 1983; The Panthers opened the season with a 9-7 win over the Birmingham Stallions at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL. This was the first professional football game ever broadcast on ESPN. Serbian kicker (via Central Michigan) Novo Bojovic kicked the winning field goal from 48 yards out in the waning moments to preserve the win.
Coach Jim Stanley had no trouble describing the United States Football League debut of his Michigan Panthers and the Birmingham Stallions, and neither did the 38,352 fans.
"It was a good defensive game first and foremost," Stanley said after the Panthers defeated Birmingham 9-7 on three field goals by Novo Bojovic, two for 49 yards and one for 48.
The hometown fans had only one chance to cheer, when Birmingham quarterback Reggie Collier skirted right end on a bootleg keeper for the game's only touchdown.
Other than that, the most cheering occurred before the kickoff when a parachutist delivered the game ball at midfield.
All the scoring occurred in the first half although Birmingham threatened twice after the intermission. Scott Norwood missed a 27-yard field goal attempt on the first play of the fourth period and later Birmingham drove from its 39 to the Michigan 32 but linebacker Ray Bentley intercepted at the 19.
Bentley was a main reason it was a good defensive game. He had another interception and led his team in tackles with 10.
Linebacker Larry McPherson of Birmingham had 12 tackles and the Stallions' Mike Raines sacked Michigan quarterback Bobby Hebert twice.
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