Jake Bates could not meet the moment this time.

The Michigan Panthers' normally icy kicker missed a 53-yard field goal as time expired that would have been his third game-winning field goal of the UFL season, as the Panthers fell to the Birmingham Stallions, 20-19 on Saturday in Birmingham, in a playoff preview.

Bates pushed the kick that would've saved the Panthers wide right, after Michigan gave up a lead to Birmingham with a minute remaining.

The Panthers and Stallions came into the game with their seeds locked up weeks in advance for the four-team UFL playoffs. The Stallions completed the regular season sweep over the Panthers, who led by six points for most of the fourth quarter but failed to deliver the dagger and then crumbled late.

The Panthers are 7-3 entering the inaugural UFL playoffs, where they will play Birmingham (9-1) on the road again next Saturday.

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The Panthers took a 19-13 lead on a Bates field goal with 13:49 left and shut down the Stallions' offense twice, but failed to score on the next two possessions, leaving the door open. Former Detroit Lions reserve quarterback Adrian Martinez and the Stallions offense broke through on their third chance with a 12-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to Jace Sternberger to tie the game at 19, then converted the 1-point conversion to take the lead with a minute left.

The Panthers reached field goal range in part because of a flag against Birmingham to set up the deflating end.

The Panthers defense held firm until the final possession when Martinez completed five passes and rushed for another 10 yards to orchestrate the comeback. Until then, Michigan caused fits on defense with constant pressure, recording five sacks, but came up empty on offense in the final 13 minutes.

Danny Etling, in his second game back as starting quarterback after sitting out with a left hand injury, played the first half before handing the reins to Bryce Perkins briefly, before he left with a calf injury. Michigan's offense found a rhythm in the first half with Etling back, but failed to score on the final three possessions of the fourth quarter, including Bates' miss.

Etling finished with 195 passing yards and two touchdowns (one rushing, one passing) while completing 16 of 31 pass attempts. Perkins rushed for 37 yards before he left the game.

Birmingham jumped out to a 6-0 lead after Martinez hit Sternberger on a 32-yard completion to the Michigan 1, setting up a C.J. Marable rushing touchdown. Michigan answered with a Bates field goal, trimming the early deficit to 6-3, then turned up the pressure on defense. Two straight sacks on Martinez and another hurry gave Michigan the ball back, and the offense drove 86 yards and finished with an Etling scramble for a 23-yard touchdown to take a 10-6 lead.

Michigan forced another punt after a Javin White sack put Birmingham behind the sticks, then Etling hit Siaosi Mariner on a jump ball in the corner of the end zone for a 46-yard touchdown to go up 16-6 before the half. The Panthers' defense held the Stallions to 102 yards and recorded four sacks in the first half.

Birmingham cut the lead to 16-13 with a 20-yard Marable touchdown on a shotgun power run on the opening possession of the third quarter.

Perkins couldn't get anything going on the first possession, but led Michigan down to the 25-yard line on the second drive before leaving with a leg injury. Etling returned and the Panthers settled for a field goal to go up 19-13 a minute into the fourth quarter, after a series of penalties pushed them back from first-and-goal to the 30.

Birmingham went three-and-out twice, but the Panthers had two quick punts after a pair of drives with just one first down combined, allowing Birmingham to come back late.

Martinez finished 14-of-28 for 163 yards, one touchdown and 41 rushing yards. Marable had 56 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Panthers miss game-winning FG in 20-19 loss to Birmingham