In a thrilling Week 5 clash at Veterans Stadium, the Birmingham Stallions narrowly edged out the Philadelphia Stars in a 19-13 overtime victory. Despite a slow start, the Stallions fought back from an early deficit, with quarterback Cliff Stoudt leading the charge. Philadelphia initially took control of the game, heading into halftime with a 10-3 lead, thanks to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Chuck Fusina to Thorton and a 39-yard field goal by David Trout.
Birmingham responded quickly after the break, with Stoudt connecting on a 59-yard bomb to Joey Jones, tying the game at 10-10. The Stars regained the lead with another Trout field goal, but Birmingham’s defense stiffened, and Dan Miller’s 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter sent the game into overtime. Both teams struggled to find a breakthrough in the extra period until Stoudt and Jones linked up once more, this time for a game-winning 21-yard touchdown with just 23 seconds remaining.
The Stallions’ ground game played a crucial role in their victory, with Joe Cribbs and Joel Coles combining for 198 rushing yards. Stoudt finished with 255 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Jones, who was named MVP of the game. Despite a valiant effort from Fusina and the Stars, including 60 rushing yards from Allen Harvin, Philadelphia fell short, dropping to 1-4 on the season while Birmingham improved to 3-2.
