Michigan 21 at Los Angeles 27 3OT Playoff

1984 Quarterfinals - Saturday, June 30, 1984
Michigan Panthers(10-8) at Los Angeles Express(10-8)(-6)
Attendance: 7,964, TV: ABC

LOS ANGELES(AP) - "I've never been through anything like that in my life," said Los Angeles Coach John Hadl -- and neither had anyone else.

The teams played 93 minutes, 33 seconds, breaking the old mark of 82 40 set by the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs in a 1971 National Football League playoff game. Just 8,753 fans witnessed the struggle in the 90,000-seat Los Angeles Coliseum, where the Express downed the Michigan Panthers 27-21 to advance to next weekend's Western Conference Championship.

Ironically, the player who broke up the game, tailback Mel Gray, broke his left arm as he crashed into the end zone on a 24-yard touchdown run at 3:33 of the third overtime.

Kevin Nelson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run to bring the Express to within 21-19 with 52 seconds left in regulation time. Quarterback Steve Young followed with a dash around left end for the two-point conversion to set up the overtime.

Michigan had two chances to win, but Novo Bojovic missed a 37-yard field goal attempt with 10:13 left in the first overtime period and a 36-yarder with 36 seconds left in the second.

Complete Game

Highlights

Michigan Panthers at Los Angeles Express
Saturday , June 30, 1984

Michigan           0     14     0     7     0     0     0- 21
Los Angeles        7      3     3     8     0     0     6- 27

LA- Nelson 5 yard run (Zendejas kick), 4:34 1st
LA- Zendejas 32 yard field goal, 8:30 2nd
MI- C.Miller 3 yard run (Bojovic kick), 13:10 2nd
MI- Lacy 22 yard pass from Hebert (Bojovic kick), 13:41 2nd
LA- Zendejas 34 yard field goal, 11:03 3rd
MI- Cobb 2 yard pass from Hebert (Bojovic kick), 5:57 4th
LA- Nelson 1 yard run (Young run), 14:08 4th
LA- Gray 24 yard run (no kick), 3:33 3rd overtime

Attendance- 7,964

                         MI             LA        
first downs              24             29
rushes-yards             45-236         54-217
passing-yard             245            285
sacked-yards lost        2-18           1-10
return yards             181            155
passes                   16-32-3        23-45-2
punts                    4-37.0         7-37.4
fumbles-lost             1-1            1-1
penalties-yards          7-54           5-45
time of possesion        41:34          51:59

Rushing
MICH- J. Williams 23-113, C.Miller 4-5, Lacy 5-60, T.Miller 13-58
LA- Nelson 15-4, Young 7-44, Gray 31-124, Boddie 1-8

Passing
MICH- Hebert 13-27-2-201, Taylor 2-4-1-34, Lacy 1-1-0-28
LA- Young 23-44-2-295, Gray 0-1-0-0

Receiving
MICH- O'Neal 2-49, Lacy 4-57, Allen 2-43, Broughton 1-18, 
Holloway 4-67, Cobb 3-29 
LA- Boddie 2-24, Scott 1-8, Gray 3-18, Hersey 5-68, Long 2-42, 
Townsell 5-96, Moore 3-26, Nelson 2-13

Kickoff Returns
MICH- A.Bentley 3-84, Futrell 2-63, Echols 1-1
LA- Gunn 1-38 ,  Boddie 4-87

Punt Returns
MICH- Allen 1-5
LA- Gunn 1-12

Interceptions
MICH- Osborne 1-15, R.Bentley 1-13 , 
LA- Drane 1-minus 7, E.Scott 1-0, Mitchell 1-25

Punting
MICH- Johnston 4-37.0
LA- Partridge 7-37.4

Field Goals
MICH- Bojovic 0-3 missed 46, 37, 36
LA- Zendejas 2-2

Sacks
MICH- Borland 1-10
LA- Weaver 2-18

Archived news report

Supplemental information courtesy of Chris Blackburn

Back to 1984 season results

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