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Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates can easily be considered one of the biggest performers in the United Football League's (UFL) opening week.
On Saturday, he hit a 64-yard field goal with just three seconds left in the game against the St. Louis Battlehawks. It made a difference in a closely contested game, which saw touchdowns and conversions from scrimmage aplenty.
Pat McAfee was among those impressed, saying on X:
After the game, Bates said:
"I prepared for this moment. I was ready. When you have a lot of faith in your guys, man, nothing is (impossible with) God. He is risen. Easter weekend, man. It's a really special feeling."
He later narrated how the play came to be (via the Detroit Free Press):
"Before they kicked off, I went up to (quarterback) E.J. (Perry), and I don't know if he realized it because he was pretty locked in, and told him to get it to the 45 and I'll get it there. The first one, I hit a good ball, but that's why you practice so hard so every kick can be the same."
What else was said about Jake Bates, Panthers' win in UFL opener?
The win did not come easy for Jake Bakes and the Michigan Panthers. Their starting quarterback for the game, EJ Perry (12/24 passes for 176 yards), initially struggled with two interceptions and was lucky that a face mask penalty negated a lost fumble.
However, he also rushed for the team's only two touchdowns. After the game, head coach Mike Nolan had mixed feelings about his signal caller:
"I thought he was trying too hard, like I said, early in the game. Then he settled down and did what he always does ― he finds a way to win the football game. I believe he's just going to get better and better with the players that he plays with around him."
Bates described the atmosphere as strong, with 9,444 fans in attendance:
"It was really cool to be in this stadium — it's a beautiful stadium. I thought the fan turnout was great. They were great, they were active the whole game and got loud when they needed to get loud. They were great, gave us a big advantage."
The Panthers next play the reigning USFL champion Birmingham Stallions on April 7.
