Houston Roughnecks: Panthers spoil final at home

The Roughnecks held a fourth-quarter lead for the second straight home game. But the result was the same.

Two weeks after San Antonio beat Houston with a last-second field goal, the Michigan Panthers used two fourth-quarter touchdowns to hand the Roughnecks a 26-22 loss in their home finale on a hot Sunday at Rice Stadium.

Quarterback Bryce Perkins’ 5-yard touchdown run with 3:36 remaining and a one-point conversion by tight end Cole Hikutini produced the final margin.

Houston converted on third down three times on the ensuing drive, but a sack on which Nolan Henderson slid deep into the backfield produced a 3rd-and-27 that the Roughnecks couldn’t overcome. Nate Brooks’ pass broke up two plays later, but pretty much ended the game.

The Roughnecks trailed 6-3 at halftime, with JJ Molson’s 39-yard field goal in the second quarter reducing the lead created by Nate McCrary’s 3-yard touchdown run. Michigan (6-3) converted a fumble recovered by Kenny Willekes into points.

Justin Hall provided the spark the Roughnecks needed on their second play of the second half, completing a pass over the middle and going past the safety’s corner for a 63-yard touchdown.

Markel Roby, who nearly had two interceptions in the first half, threw one while charging the quarterback to set up another Hall touchdown.

Hall took a screen pass after the play and scored from seven yards out behind blocks from Cyril Grayson and Keke Chism. Hall added the one-point conversion for a 16-6 lead.

In what would become a troubling theme for the Roughnecks, Perkins restarted a Michigan drive with a 31-yard run into the red zone. He found Trey Quinn for a 4-yard touchdown moments later.

But the Roughnecks responded, led by Henderson’s third down and rush to Emmanuel Butler for a 33-yard gain. Mark Thompson scampered his way for a 2-yard touchdown, producing a 22-12 lead that Houston took into the fourth quarter.