Michigan Panthers vs Philadelphia Stars Week 8 Predictions, Odds, Best Bets

• While the 1-6 Panthers have only won once this season, they do keep it close
• The 4-3 Philadelphia Stars could clinch their playoff spot with a win in Week 8
• Watch Panthers vs Stars live on Sunday, June 5, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET on FOX

Panthers vs Stars Odds

Odds taken from BetMGM. Click on the links below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet.

Panthers vs Stars Pick

The Panthers struggle to score and the Stars are ready to clinch so take Philly to cover the spread in Week 8.

Philadelphia Stars (-5.5)

The first USFL Week 8 Sunday matchup is a do-or-die game for the 1-6 Michigan Panthers facing their North Division rivals, the 4-3 Philadelphia Stars, who could clinch their playoff spot with a win, a spring football race to the finish with just two total postseason seeds still available.

While the 1-6 Panthers have only won once this season, they keep it close like in last week’s loss to the New Orleans Breakers, a matchup that Michigan almost had won twice in the fourth quarter, but their defense let the Breakers back in only for HC Jeff Fisher’s team to lose in OT.

Last week, the Stars earned their fourth win of the season the hard way by entering the fourth quarter down to the Houston Gamblers, 13-24, and then by popping off 22 points for the 35-24 win, with additional kudos to the Philadelphia defense who kept Houston scoreless in the fourth.

Panthers vs Stars Predictions

Can the Panthers Improve Their Passing Attack?

The Michigan Panthers went from the team with the number one overall draft pick in QB Shea Patterson and a weak placekicker to a one-win team that released Patterson to start Josh Love but with a solid kicker in Cole Murphy who booted a 60-yarder and made all his extra points.

The Panthers’ passing attack is ranked sixth out of eight teams, their production lacking with 122 completions of 215 attempts (56.7%) and 1,120 yards for 5 touchdowns but with 6 interceptions on the season, though Patterson had five of those while on the team.

Michigan is playing a Philadelphia defense that limits opponents to 185.9 yards through the air per game, but they do let the teams they play score over 25 points per game, so expect the Panthers to have a chance here as they attempt to save their postseason lives.

Can the Stars Rush Attack Begin to Produce More?

The Philadelphia Stars could use a burst of power in their run game, right now ranked sixth out eight teams after posting 139 rushing attempts for 673 yards and 9 touchdowns, this league so new that having a solid rushing attack becomes helpful especially in the postseason.

The stars depend heavily on RB Matt Colburn II for their ground attack, and so far he has rewarded HC Bart Andrus’ faith with the 8th best production at the position in the league after his 64 attempts generated 274 yards on the ground and 5 touchdowns in the 7 games he’s played.

More than likely this week, OL coach Neil Callaway has been having multiple game planning sessions with his front line, a key to a solid run game being a dependable blocking unit, the Stars facing a Panthers defense that allows opponents to rush for about 110 yards per game.

Panthers Key Player: (RB) Reggie Corbin

Make sure to keep an eye on Michigan Panthers RB Reggie Corbin, a 26-year old former Illinois player who is currently leading the league in production at his position, a breath of fresh offensive air for a Panthers team that struggles to put points on the board (18.7 per game).

Corbin is a 5’ 9” 205 pound back who is tough to tackle and so far in the six games he’s played he has posted 82 attempts for 515 yards for 2 rushing touchdowns, which is an impressive 6.3 yards per carry for a team that averages 162 yards on the ground every game.

The dual threat aspect to Corbin’s game makes him doubly dangerous, so far this year he has caught for 32 receiving yards which puts him in second place for total all-purpose yards this season (791), this powerful playmaker a part of whatever solution HC Jeff Fisher comes up with.

Stars Key Player: (WR) Jordan Suell

A player to watch in this Week 8 matchup is Philadelphia Stars WR Jordan Suell, a favorite target of QB Case Cookus who last week led his receiver room by catching all six balls he was targeted with for 69 yards and a touchdown averaging 11.5 yards per reception in that win.

Suell’s overall production is ranked 15th in the league with 23 catches for 246 yards and a touchdown on the season, more room to grow for this 25 year old South Oregon product who has tight end height at 6’ 5” and 205 pounds with receiver speed, a deadly combination.

Another standout Stars receiver is Bug Howard, a 27 year old North Carolina alum who plays tight end and has caught four touchdown passes among his 22 receptions, the 6’ 5” 240 pound playmaker tough to tackle in the open field, a decent blocker who can also get open.

How to Watch Panthers vs Stars