Cole Kelley hooked up with Derrick Dillon for a 64-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes of regulation and the host Memphis Showboats held on to beat the Houston Gamblers 23-20 on Sunday.
Memphis (4-3) established an early 13-3 before the Gamblers charged back. Houston running back Mark Thompson put his team up 20-16 on a 20-yard rushing score with 1:56 left in the fourth quarter.
But on the Showboats’ next play from scrimmage, Kelley hit Dillon for a completion and Dillon turned upfield, made two tacklers miss and sprinted away for the go-ahead score. Kelley finished with 146 yards on 12-of-24 passing, two touchdowns and one interception.
Thompson had two rushing TDs for the Gamblers (4-3). Kenji Bahar went 18-for-39 passing for 216 yards and two interceptions, including one in the final seconds after Houston had entered Memphis territory.
Panthers 25, Generals 22
Josh Love threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help Michigan stave off New Jersey in Canton, Ohio.
The Panthers (3-4) clung to a 12-10 lead through three quarters before Love connected with tight end Cole Hikutini for a 23-yard touchdown with 10:34 to go. The Generals responded with a touchdown but couldn’t convert their three-point attempt, and Love came back with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Joe Walker.
Love finished 16-of-29 passing for 264 yards and three touchdowns, and Walker caught five balls for 121 yards and his score.
For the Generals (2-5), Kyle Lauletta completed 9 of 16 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns, both of which also came in the fourth quarter. His 5-yard pass to running back Darius Victor cut the deficit to 25-22 with 1:55 left, but New Jersey again failed the three-point conversion try.
–Field Level Media
