Event Date: July 9th, 1984
Event Description: Stallions Stun Stars
Story-UPI
The two teams with the best records during the season proved to be the class of the playoffs as well.
Cliff Stoudt attacked the Stars’ secondary by throwing for records of 230 yards and Leon Perry scored a pair of touchdowns, helping Birmingham edge Philadelphia by a score of 27-20.
“You never expect a playoff road win, but when it begins to develop, you go for the throat,' said Birmingham coach Rollie Dotsch. 'We're really proud of these guys and they are proud of themselves.”
The Stallions will now face Houston in next weeks’ championship game to be held in Tampa, Florida.
“We played relentless, we played hard, we played tough, and we came out with the win,” added Stallions' defensive back Chuck Clanton.
Stoudt completed 18-of-21 passes for 230 yards and was intercepted once to go along with two sacks. Joe Cribbs ran 15 times for 88 yards to lead the Birmingham.
Philadelphia quarterback Chuck Fusina was 25-of-42 for 215 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and two sacks. Kelvin Bryant paced the Stars' ground attack with 109 yards and one touchdown.
The Stallions opened the scoring on their first possession, putting together an eight-play, 48 yard drive that need with a 43-yard Danny Miller field goal.
After stifling the Philadelphia offense through the first quarter, Birmingham struck again with an Earl rant one-yard touchdown plunge that culminated a six-play, 64 yard drive to end the first stanza.
Philadelphia finally broke the ice at the end of the first-half with a one-yard Kelvin Bryant touchdown run. A failed extra point sent the teams into the intermission with Birmingham ahead 10-6.
Birmingham extended its lead to 13-6 midway through the third after another Dan Miller field goal, but the Stars quickly responded with a ten-play, 73 yard drive that ended with a Fusina to Willie Collier touchdown pass. The teams then headed into the final frame tied at 13-13.
The final frame witnessed two long Birmingham drives which sealed the win. The first drive came at the start of the fourth, culminating with a Leon Perry 14-yard run, finishing an 11-play, 75 yard drive, pushing the visitors up 20-13.
The second drive, again finished with a Perry touchdown run and finished a five-play, 70 yard drive after a Donald Evans interception of Fusina.
“We just kept rolling and our defense was the best on the football field today," said Birmingham quarterback Cliff Stoudt.
“I didn't feel frustrated out there,” said Philadelphia coach Jim Mora. “I just kept feeling we would make a big play to put us back into the game -- but it never came. We did a lot of things we wanted to, but they just beat us.”
Story-(UPI Modified)
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