Pittsburgh Maulers advance to USFL Championship Game with ...

CANTON — The Cinderella glass slippers must fit well for the Pittsburgh Maulers. A year after being the worst team in the USFL, and a month removed from a 2-6 start, the Maulers are one win away from winning a USFL Championship this season.

The Maulers defeated the Michigan Panthers 31-27 in overtime in the North Division Championship Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday evening. The Maulers advance to this Saturday night's USFL title game to play either the Birmingham Stallions or New Orleans Breakers (they meet for the South Division title Sunday).

The Maulers (5-6) beat the Panthers (4-7) three times this year, but the playoff matchup was far different from the first two meetings. After the Maulers allowed just seven points in each of those games, the Panthers put up 410 yards of total offense Saturday. Costly penalties on the Panthers, though, offset that in a game featuring seven lead changes.

And In overtime, each team received alternating plays from the 2-yard line worth two points. The Maulers were successful on their first two, stopping the Panthers each time on their ensuing attempts to secure the win.

Here's a breakdown of the game:

Player of the Game: Maulers QB Troy Williams

Williams stayed poised and precise the whole game. His numbers may not show as much compared to E.J. Perry, who threw for 370 yards and two touchdowns, but Williams scored when it counted. He threw the ball 40 times and completed 23 for 201 yards and a touchdown. Trailing 24-20, Williams connected to Ishmael Hyman on a 6-yard TD pass to regain the lead with 39 seconds left in regulation. After the Panthers hit a field goal to force overtime, Williams threw for one two-point conversion and ran for another to help the Maulers win. 

Play of the Game: Maulers kicker Chris Blewitt nails a long field goal late

Blewitt showed his cannon of a leg, giving the Maulers a 20-17 lead on a 59-yard field goal with 3:16 left in the back-and-forth final quarter. This was redemption for Blewitt, who missed a 28-yard field goal before the end of the first half. He also made a 45-yard field goal for the Maulers on their opening drive. 

Three stats to know on the Maulers vs. Panthers

12-137: Penalties hurt the Panthers the whole game, as they were flagged 12 times for 137 yards. Half of the penalties were costly errors on defense, keeping drives going for the Maulers.

3-of-4: The Maulers took advantage in the red zone as they went 3-for-4 in red zone scores. Scoring inside the 20 was a crutch for the Maulers' offense this year.

3: The Maulers’ defense won the turnover battle, which all came in the first half. The Panthers fumbled twice, and Arnold Tarpley III made an interception. Each of those three turnovers put the Maulers in good field position. 

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Michigan quarterback E.J. Perry on Panthers offense allowing three turnovers. "The offense turned the ball over, and that was why we got stopped. Two fumbles and an interception on my part. We took care of the ball in the second half, and then everyone made plays.”

Maulers head coach Ray Horton on the season's offensive performance: "Hopefully this is such a genesis of great things to come for the offense. ... We have a plan, and nobody says it will be easy."

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Maulers quarterback Troy Williams on not giving up even when they were trailing. “It’s just us staying confident in ourselves. Even when we get down, you just have to stay poised and believe in yourself. These are the type of moments that you want. The defense has been on fire all year. We were holding hands and helping them out. We got the best defense in the league, and I’m just glad we were able to pull it out.”