Kameron Goodwill
 |  Special to The Detroit News

Detroit — Despite sloppy play, four turnovers and multiple scuffles, the Michigan Panthers almost overcame a fourth-quarter deficit but fell to the Houston Roughnecks, 19-12, in the regular-season finale.

The Roughnecks certainly earned their nickname, as Saturday’s contest at Ford Field was filled with multiple instances where both teams needed to be separated. The first incident occurred early in the fourth quarter on a trick play on a fake field goal attempt. Roughnecks kicker Chris Blewitt tried to run for a first down but was tackled into the Houston sideline by Panthers’ Kedrick Whitehead Jr., leading to both teams butting heads.

Then with 2:33 left in the game, Panthers quarterback Danny Etling scrambled out of bounds but was hit late on the Michigan sideline and several players wasted no time coming to Etling’s defense. After the Panthers failed to convert on a fourth-and-6, another scuffle occurred that resulted in a 15-yard penalty against Houston.

Etling still had time for a game-winning drive with 1:39 left, but he was intercepted by Roughnecks’ Keenan Isaac to seal the loss.

Despite what happened on the field, both teams shook hands after the game and both head coaches, Michigan’s Mike Nolan and Houston’s CJ Johnson, had great things to say about one another in the postgame press conferences.

With former Panthers kicker and current Detroit Lion Jake Bates in attendance for his own bobblehead day, 16,014 fans came to watch the regular-season finale, marking the Panthers’ biggest home attendance number since the franchise’s revival in 2022.

“Unfortunate today that we lost, obviously, but I think it’s a combination of them coming out and seeing a good product, but they have progressively gotten better all through the year,” Nolan said.

This will be the Panthers’ last game at Ford Field this season, as a scheduling conflict next weekend has the USFL Conference Championship game against the Birmingham Stallions set to be played in Alabama.

Ultimately, Saturday’s matchup seemed like an afterthought since the Roughnecks (5-5) were eliminated from playoff contention and the Panthers (6-4) had locked up a postseason spot a couple weeks ago.

“We clinched the playoff spot a couple weeks early and we talked a lot about what we play for, why we play and things like that,” Nolan said. “I thought we competed well today, but we made some mistakes along the way. That’s not a lack of competitiveness. That’s just a lack of doing your job.”

Former Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi had a rocky performance in his first professional start for the Panthers. He finished 8-for-18 passing for 61 yards and rushed for 30 yards but had an interception and lost a fumble on a bad snap.

Lombardi could’ve ended with better numbers, as 49-yard touchdown run was erased thanks to video review showing receiver Siaosi Mariner committing a personal foul, offsetting with a hands to the face penalty by the Roughnecks.

The interception, though, was costly. Houston’s Marvin Moody cut right in front of Lombardi’s intended pass to Gunnar Oakes and Moody went untouched for a 32-yard pick-six that gave the Roughnecks a 13-0 lead in the second quarter.

Etling came in after the Panthers’ only touchdown drive of the game and finished 5-for-12 passing for 70 yards, including the game-ending interception and a fumble. Etling had been the starter since Bryce Perkins injured his ankle a few weeks ago, and Perkins’ return is trending in the right direction.

B.T. Potter, who took over at kicker after Bates signed with the Lions last offseason, made two field goals, including a 49-yarder late in the second quarter. Nate McCrary led all rushers with 68 yards on the ground, while Matthew Colburn II scored the only touchdown for the Panthers on a 23-yard run.

With the regular season over, the Panthers look ahead to next Saturday, when they’ll take on the Stallions at Protective Stadium for the USFL Conference Championship.

“Everyone will probably watch the film, players and coaches alike,” Nolan said. “We won’t meet on this game. We’ll go right into Birmingham, because that’s what’s left.”

Kameron Goodwill is a freelance writer.

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