Makai Lemon once again reminded everyone why he’s one of USC football’s most important offensive weapons. The sophomore wide receiver hauled in 11 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns in a narrow loss to Illinois, capping off a breakout month that has cemented his place as Lincoln Riley’s go-to playmaker.
Riley couldn’t hide his admiration for Lemon’s impact, praising his versatility and commitment to improvement. “I don’t rank ’em while they play for me, but he’s playing good ball for us right now,” Riley told Thomas Goldkamp of On3/Rivals. “His versatility and consistency really stand out to me in the way that he’s playing.”
The head coach elaborated further, emphasizing how Lemon’s skill set allows the Trojans to be creative on offense. “He’s a guy that we feel like can do a lot of different things well on the field, and that allows us to use him in different areas and try to get him in situations where we feel like the advantage is going to be ours,” Riley said. He also highlighted Lemon’s growth mindset, adding that the receiver “just keeps getting better and better.”
But as USC enters its bye week ahead of a massive Big Ten showdown, attention has shifted to Riley’s response to comments made by Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore. After Moore credited the Wolverines for USC’s first sellout of the season, Riley fired back, as noticed by On3:
Moore said, “It’s sold out, but it’s sold out because Michigan’s coming.” When asked about the remark, Riley brushed it off. “I don’t really care what he says,” Riley told reporters Tuesday. “We’re looking forward to playing.”
Saturday’s matchup marks the 12th all-time meeting between USC and Michigan, their second since the Trojans joined the Big Ten in 2024. Michigan won last year’s meeting 27-24 at The Big House. Now, the Wolverines return to the Coliseum for the first time since 1957, another storyline fueling anticipation for the nationally televised game on NBC.
USC enters Week 7 ranked second in the nation in total offense, averaging 565 yards per game and 48.4 points. Quarterback Jayden Maiava continues to impress, throwing for 1,587 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception.
Michigan, on the other hand, comes off a win over Wisconsin to improve to 4-1, led by freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and running back Justice Haynes, who combined for nearly 400 yards of offense in their last outing.
Still, USC’s most recent performance against Illinois left fans uneasy. The Trojans’ two-point loss exposed serious depth issues behind Lemon, particularly among the receiving corps. Players like Jay Fair, Tanook Hines, and Jaden Richardson have yet to provide reliable support, leaving Maiava heavily dependent on his star receiver.
As USC prepares to face Michigan, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A win would reestablish the Trojans as legitimate Big Ten contenders, while another loss could signal that depth and execution remain their Achilles’ heel.
