Week 3 - 1983: Oakland Invaders vs Michigan Panthers

<p>1983 Week 3 - Saturday, March 19, 1983. Attendance: 28,952. TV: ESPN</p> <p>Oakland quarterback Fred Besana ruined Michigan's home opener, completing 24 of 30 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Wyatt Henderson in route to the Invaders' 33-27 win. It also overshadowed a sparkling comeback engineered by Bobby Hebert, the Panthers' quarterback, who was benched early. Hebert returned late in the third period and threw three TD passes to Derek Holloway. Both teams came into the contest at 1-1. Coached by Jim Stanley, the Panthers had scored just one touchdown in the first two contests (they won their opening game over the Birmingham Stallions by a 9-7 score thanks to three Novo Bojovic field goals). Rookie QB Bobby Hebert, a largely unknown quantity from out of Northwest Louisiana State, had won the starting job but was off to a slow start, as was the far-more-heralded rookie WR Anthony Carter from the Univ. of Michigan, who had been the team's biggest preseason signing.&nbsp;</p> <p>Oakland was coached by John Ralston, formerly of Stanford and the Denver Broncos, and had its own unheralded starting quarterback in Fred Besana, a 29-year-old who had last been behind center for the Twin Cities Cougars of the semi-pro California Football League. Backup to Steve Bartkowski and the ill-fated Joe Roth at California, he had failed to make the cut with the NFL Giants and Bills, but was making the most of his opportunity in the new USFL. He had already found a favorite target in WR Wyatt Henderson. The Invaders, who had skimped on talent coming out of college, also featured TE Raymond Chester and HB Arthur Whittington veteran ex-Raiders, on offense.</p> <p>There were 28,952 in attendance at the Pontiac Silverdome for the Saturday night game. Hebert started poorly, completing only one of his first seven passes, and was relieved by backup Whit Taylor. Still, the Panthers led by 3-0 after one quarter of play thanks to a 44-yard field goal by Bojovic. Oakland took the lead in the second quarter as Besana