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The welcoming party for USC football into the Big Ten Conference didn’t go quite as Trojans fans had hoped. USC, historically familiar with Michigan from past Rose Bowl matchups, traveled to The Big House for only the second time in history, losing to the Wolverines 27-24.
The Trojans (2-1) thought they had secured the game midway through the fourth quarter when Miller Moss connected with Ja'Kobi Lane for a touchdown, giving USC a 24-20 lead. The Trojans were able to capitalize after they recovered a Michigan fumble at the Wolverines' 12-yard line.
However, Michigan (3-1) responded with classic Big Ten smashmouth football, driving 89 yards in 10 plays—eight of which were runs—culminating in a touchdown that gave the Wolverines the lead with just 37 seconds remaining.
While this wasn’t a make-or-break game for the Trojans, it’s undoubtedly disappointing that they couldn’t secure their first Big Ten win and take an early lead in the conference. Despite noticeable improvements on defense compared to the past few seasons, there’s always room for accountability after a loss.
Miller Moss throws a pick-six
Getting the ball to start the second half, the Trojans began on a positive note, scoring on a 75-yard, 12-play drive to get within four points. After forcing a Wolverines punt on the next drive, the momentum seemed to be shifting entirely in USC's favor.
However, three plays into the ensuing drive, Miller Moss threw an errant pass that was intercepted by All-American Will Johnson, who returned it for a pick-six, extending Michigan’s lead to 20-10. It was a demoralizing mistake that could have easily sealed the game for USC, but the Trojans didn’t let it get them down.
Overall, Moss had a mixed performance. Without him, USC likely wouldn’t have been in the game as much as they were. However, his offensive line didn’t offer much protection, causing him to miss several pass attempts. Despite throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns, Moss completed just 28 of 51 pass attempts. He was pressured 24 times on 55 dropbacks, taking four sacks in the process, according to Nick Baumgardner.
John Humphrey, Kamari Ramsey can't wrap up Kalel Mullings
With 4:04 remaining, the Wolverines needed to go 90 yards to score and take the lead. Considering they had been offensively challenged and one-dimensional most of the day, few thought it was possible. That was until Kalel Mullings sliced through the USC defense with a 63-yard run, putting Michigan at the USC 17-yard line just before the 2:00 timeout.
While the the explosive play was impressive, a significant portion of it could have been avoided if USC defenders John Humphrey and Kamari Ramsey had wrapped up and made the tackle. Mullings had already reached the first down marker when Humphrey made contact, but Mullings dragged him for several yards. Ramsey followed up with a hit but similarly failed to bring him down.
That wasn’t the only time USC struggled to stop Mullings on the drive. With 37 seconds remaining, Michigan coach Sherrone Moore turned to his running back again on a critical fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. Mullings found the end zone, giving the Wolverines the lead and, ultimately, the game, 27-24.
Mullings was instrumental to Michigan’s offense, which remained one-dimensional throughout the game. He ran 17 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Michigan ran the ball 46 times for 290 yards and three touchdowns. It was a classic display of old-school Big Ten football and a fittingly tough welcome for USC into the conference.
