Michigan scores late to defeat USC in physical Big Ten opener
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It seemed, at first, like just the sort of old-fashioned Big Ten welcome that would have made Bo Schembechler swoon. Two defenses swarming to the ball. Two rushing attacks grinding away, one yard, two yards, three yards at a time. Two coaches wary of the forward pass. And in the wreckage stood USC, the new Big Ten team on the block, forced into a foreign style of football at the start of a new era.
This was not, however, the sort of game Lincoln Riley had hoped to wind up in for USC’s Big Ten debut, with his new quarterback under heavy attack and his new defense barely holding on from behind. But as the final seconds ticked away, Riley watched from the sideline as Michigan’s Kalel Mullings rumbled 63 yards into scoring position, and USC buckled under the weight after taking a late lead.
Instead, here was Michigan inside the two-yard line with 37 seconds left. And here was USC, huffing and puffing at the line of scrimmage, unable to hold any longer, as Mullings burst through to spoil USC’s Big Ten debut, which ended in a 27-24 defeat, the Trojans’ first of the season.
USC can’t counter Michigan’s late scoring drive
USC couldn’t counter Michigan’s final haymaker.
The Trojans, trailing by three points, started on the 25-yard line with no timeouts.
Miller Moss tossed an incomplete pass as he tried to evade an unblocked pass rusher. On second down, Moss passed to Woody Marks for 11 yards with 27 seconds left.
USC was called for false start on the next play.
On first-and-15 at the USC 31, Moss passed to Ja’Kobi Lane with 23 seconds left.
On second-and-nine, Moss passed to Kyron Hudson along the sideline and the play was broken up.
On third-and-nine with 17 seconds left, Michigan called timeout.
Moss’ pass to Zachariah Branch across the middle of the field was incomplete.
On fourth-and-nine with 12 seconds left, Moss passed to Lane for eight yards and turned the ball over on downs.
The spot was reviewed and the call was upheld.
Michigan’s Alex Orji took a knee to run out the final three seconds of the game.
No. 18 Michigan 27, USC 24, end of the fourth quarter
Michigan powers its way to a touchdown, takes lead in final minute
Michigan started on its 11-yard line.
Kalel Mullings ran for four yards. Michigan was called for false start. On second-and-11, Alex Orji passed to Marlin Klein for 10 yards. On third-and-one, Mullings broke free up the middle for a 63-yard gain, moving the ball to the USC 17 with 2:21 left in the quarter.
Mullings ran for one yard. On second-and-nine, Mullings ran for eight yards with 1:17 left in the quarter. On third-and-one, Mullins rushed for two yards to the USC 6 with 1:01 left.
Mullings rushed for three yards with 51 seconds left. On second-and-goal at the USC 6, Orji faked a handoff and tossed an incomplete pass out of the end zone. Orji was slow to get up after the play. On third-and-goal, Mullings rushed for two yards. On fourth-and-goal at the USC 1 with 41 seconds left, USC called timeout.
Mullings ran for the one-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left. Michigan hit the exra point.
No. 18 Michigan 27, USC 24, 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter
USC can’t close the door on Michigan, punts
USC started on its 38.
Woody Marks ran for two yards. Moss was under pressure and quickly tossed the ball toward the line of scrimmage to avoid contact. On third-and-eight, USC was called for a false start. On third-and-13, Moss faked a handoff and then tried a shovel pass that was off target and fell incomplete.
USC punted and Michigan returned it to its 11-yard line
USC 24, No. 18 Michigan 20, 4:10 left in the fourth quarter
USC defense gets another big stop
Michigan returned the kickoff to its 16-yard line.
Alex Orji faked a handoff and dropped on the left side of the field for a loss of one yard. On second-and-11, Kalel Mullings ran for one yard. On third-and-10, Orji was sacked by Braylan Shelby for a loss of four yards.
Michigan punted. Zachariah Branch returned it six yards to the USC 38.
USC 24, No. 18 Michigan 20, 5:09 left in the fourth quarter
USC scores after forcing a fumble, takes first lead of the game
USC started on Michigan’s 18 after Eric Gentry forced a Wolverines fumble.
Miller Moss’ pass was complete to Zachariah Branch, but USC was called for a penalty. On first-and-20, Moss passed to Woody Marks for four yards. Moss tried to dump off the ball under pressure and was fortunate not to turn the ball over. On third-and-16, Moss passed to Ja’Kobi Lane for a 24-yard touchdown.
USC hit the extra point to claim a four-point lead.
USC 24, No. 18 Michigan 20, 7:06 left in the fourth quarter
USC defensive leader Eric Gentry forced big turnover
On first down at the Michigan 12, Donovan Edwards ran for six yards before Eric Gentry punched the ball out and recovered the fumble.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, 8:18 left in the fourth quarter
USC earns a few first downs before punting again
USC started on its 20-yard line.
Woody Marks ran for three yards. Miller Moss’ pass to Zachariah Branch was on target but Branch couldn’t hang onto it. On third-and-seven, Moss passed to Ja’Kobi Lane for 12 yards.
On first down, Marks ran for three yards. Moss’ next pass was short and incomplete after he was hit on the play. On third-and-seven, Moss had to throw the ball away to avoid a sack.
On fourth-and-seven at the USC 38, the Trojans punted and down the ball at the Michigan 12-yard line.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, 8:35 left in the fourth quarter
USC defense forces another punt
Michigan started on its 33-yard line.
Kalel Mullings ran for two yards. On second-and-eight, Alex Orji’s pass was broken up by Kamari Ramsey and fell incomplete. On third-and-eight, Michigan took a timeout to avoid a penalty. Orji then passed to Semaj Morgan, but USC’s Jaylin Smith dropped him for a one-yard loss.
Michigan punted and Zachariah Branch was leveled at the 20-yard line during the return. Branch held onto the ball.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, 11:00 left in the fourth quarter
USC drive deep in Michigan territory stalls early in the fourth quarter
USC started on its 10-yard line.
Miller Moss was sacked for a loss of four yards. On second-and-14, Quinten Joyner ran for five yards. On third-and-nine, Joyner ran for seven yards.
On fourth-and-two at the USC 18, the Trojans punted and Michigan didn’t return it.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, 12:41 left in the fourth quarter
USC defense forces Michigan to go three-and-out
Michigan started on its 25.
Alex Orji ran for four yards. Donovan Edwards ran for three yards and Orji ran again for no gain as tim eexpired in the third quarter.
Michigan opened the fourth quarter with a punt that USC did not return.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, 14:52 left in the fourth quarter
Woody Marks saves USC drive on wild play, Trojans score
USC’s running backs are doing everything for the Trojans today.
USC started on its 25-yard line.
Woody Marks ran for eight yards. On second-and-two, Moss tossed an incomplete pass along the sideline to Duce Robinson. On third-and-two, Marks broke through the middle of the Michigan defense and evaded several tackles for a 65-yard gain. Marks was tackled at the Michigan two-yard line.
USC appeared to score, but the Trojans were called for a false start.
Miller Moss ran for one yard. Moss then tossed an incomplete pass. On third-and-goal at the Michigan six, Moss was hit as he threw and the play was called a fumble. Michigan lineman Kenneth Grant recovered the ball and started to return it before Woody Marks pulled the ball away from him and fell to the ground.
The play was reviewed and the call on the field was upheld.
On first down at the Michigan 27, Quinten Joyner ran for 11 yards.
Moss faked a handoff and passed to wide open Jay Fair for a 16-yard touchdown. USC’s Michael Lantz hit the extra point.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 17, with 1:27 left in the third quarter
Miller Moss gives up his first pick six
USC started on its 34.
Miller Moss passed to Woody Marks for a gain of six yards. Moss faked a handoff and passed to Zachariah Branch along the left sideline for one yard. On third-and-three, Michigan’s Will Johnson jumped on Moss’ to the left sideline and returned it for a touchdown. The Wolverines missed the extra point.
No. 18 Michigan 20, USC 10, with 5:31 left in the third quarter
USC defense picks up big stop
Michigan started on its 25.
Alex Orji passed to Kalel Millings for two yards. Orji carried the ball on the next play and was bounced out of bounds on his sideline after a three-yard gain. On third-and-five, Orji was sacked by Eric Gentry.
On fourth-and-11 at Michigan’s 36, the Wolverines punted. Zachariah Branched returned the ball eight yards to the Michigan 34.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 10, with 7:11 left in the third quarter
USC caps its best drive of the game with a touchdown
USC’s offense had a very fruitful halftime chat.
The Trojans opened the third quarter with their best drive of the game.
USC started on its 25.
Miller Moss’ first pass to Kyron Hudson was incomplete.
Woody Marks ran for 12 yards, breaking a tackle late on the run for the first down.
Marks pulled in a low pass from Moss for four yards. On second-and-six, Moss tried to toss over the top of the defense and his pass sailed long and off target. On third-and-six, Moss passed to Hudson for 13 yards and the first down.
Moss passed to Lake McRee, who was hit just above the knee and flipped in the air for a loss of two yards. McRee required medical treatment, triggering a timeout. McRee walked to the sideline under his own power.
On second-and-12, Moss passed to Quinten Joyner for seven yards. On third-and-five, Moss passed to Hudson for 15 yards along the left sideline.
Moss passed to Zachariah Branch for 12 yards, moving the ball to the Michigan 14.
Marks ran for two yards. On second-and-eight, USC was forced to call timeout with the play clock running down.
Moss passed to Hudson for three yards.
On third-and-five, Moss passed to Duce Robinson for a 9-yard touchdown. USC’s Michael Lantz hit the extra point.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 10, with 9:10 left in the third quarter
USC shows promise on drive to close second quarter
USC started on its eight-yard line.
Miller Moss passed to Kyron Hudson, but USC was called for an illegal block. Moss’ next pass to Zachariah Branch was incomplete. On second-and-14 at the USC 4, Moss passed to Woody Marks, who broke a few tackles for a 15-yard gain and a first down.
On first down, Moss was hit as he passed out of bounds. Michigan was called for offisdes on the play.
On second-and-five, Moss passed to Branch for 11 yards. Moss’ next pass to Marks was incomplete. Moss’ next pass to Jay Fair was complete for a 24-yard gain.
On first down on the Michigan 41, Moss passed to Fair for two yards. On a trick play, Kyron Hudson took the ball and rolled to pass, but it was incomplete.
On third-and-eight with six seconds left, Moss was sacked for a 12-yard loss and time expired in the second quart.
USC will have the ball to start the third quarter.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 3, end of first half
USC defense forces a punt after containing Michigan run threat
Michigan started on its 25.
Donovan Edwards rushed for two yards. Edwards then ran for five yards. On third-and-three, Alex Orji ran for nine yards.
Donovan Edwards then rushed for four yards to the Michigan 45. On second-and-six, Orji pass for three yards. On third-and-four on the Michigan 47, Michigan ran for one yard.
The Wolverines punted and USC took a fair catch.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 3, 1:51 left in the the second quarter
USC field goal during its strongest drive of the game
USC started on its 25.
Miller Moss passed to Zachariah Branch for 24 yards.
Moss then passed to Quinten Joyner for one yard. He then tossed an incomplete pass to Branch. Moss evaded a sack and tossed the ball off balance to Branch, who gained 42 yards on the play.
On first down at the Michigan 10, Moss pass tossed an incomplete pass intended for Lake McRee. On second down, Moss faked a handoff and passed to McRee for one yard.
On third-and-nine, Moss was under pressure and tossed an incomplete pass near Woody Marks.
Michael Lantz 29-yard field goal.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 3, 4:19 left in the the second quarter
USC defense wears down, gives up another long rushing touchdown
Kalel Mullings ran for eight yards. He then carried the ball for three yards and a first down.
Frederick Moore again gashed the USC defense, running for 15 yards.
Quarterback Alex Orji rushed for six yards, Mullings ran for seven and Donovan Edwards ran for a 41-yard touchdown.
USC was called for a substitution infraction on the extra point.
No. 18 Michigan 14, USC 0, 7:18 left in the the second quarter
USC struggles to run the ball
USC started on its 13-yard line.
Miller Moss tossed a slant to Duce Robinson for 10 yards.
Woody Marks rushed for one yards. Moss then tossed a pass to Lake McRee that was knocked out by Will Johnson and fell incomplete.
Moss’ next pass over the middle was tipped and nearly intercepted by two Michigan players before falling incomplete.
USC punted and Michigan called for a fair catch at its 20.
No. 18 Michigan 7, USC 0, 10:47 left in the the second quarter
USC defense forces Michigan to punt
Michigan faced third-and-four on its 28 to start the second quarter.
Quarterback Alex Orji ran for six yards and the first down along the left sideline.
Orji kept the ball again, running for 12 yards.
USC’s Eric Gentry dropped Donovan Edwards for a loss of two yards. Orji’s long pass down the left side sailed past his target. Edwards ran the ball for three yards to the USC 48 and punted. The Trojans took a fair catch.
No. 18 Michigan 7, USC 0, 12:07 left in the the second quarter
Michigan driving as first quarter ends
Michigan started on its 25.
Donovan Edwards ran for three yards on his first carry and another three yards before time expired in the first quarter.
No. 18 Michigan 7, USC 0, end of the first quarter
USC drive stalls
USC started on its 25.
Miller Moss passed to Zachariah Branch for eight yards. Moss then handed off to Woody Marks, who gained one yard. Moss handed off to Marks again and he was stuffed for no gain.
USC punted on fourth-and-one.
Makai Lemon, meanwhile, is headed to the locker room after getting hit hard during a punt return earlier in the first quarter.
No. 18 Michigan 7, USC 0, 1:05 left in the first quarter
Michigan splits USC defense and scores its first touchdown
Michigan started on its 37-yard line.
Michigan quarterback Alex Orji’s first pass was incomplete and overthrown. His next pass, the Trojans broke up and nearly intercepted a pass Orji tossed under pressure. On third-and-10, Orji passed to Martin Klein for nine yards.
On fourth-and-one, Kalel Mullings ran for one yard and the first down. The play was close and was not reviewed.
On the next snap, Mullings broke through the middle of the USC defense and ran for a 53-yard touchdown. Michigan hit the extra point.
No. 18 Michigan 7, USC 0, 3:10 left in the first quarter
Trojans can’t muster a first down on second possession
USC went backwards again on its second possession.
With the Trojans starting at their 20-yard line, Woody Marks rushed for five yards on first down. Then quarterback Miller Moss was sacked by Josaiah Stewart for a loss of nine yards. A screen pass by Moss to tight end Lake McRee went for no gain.
Eddie Czaplicki’s fourth-down punt went for 59 yards and Michigan returned it to the Michigan 37-yard line.
No. 11 USC 0, No. 18 Michigan 0, 4:50 left in the first quarter
Trojans defense forces a punt on Wolverines’ second possession
After a personal foul penalty moved Michigan back to its 43-yard line, USC’s defense held and forced a punt.
Kalel Mullings lost a yard on first down and then Alex Orji gained four yards on second down. Orji’s third-down pass was complete to Fredrick Moore for five yards, forcing a fourth-down punt that went for a touchback.
No. 11 USC 0, No. 18 Michigan 0, 6:42 left in the first quarter
USC loses ground on first possession deep in their territory
After a Michigan punt pinned USC at its six-yard line, the Trojans were unable to do much on its opening possession.
Woody Marks rushed for no gain on first down, then a false start penalty on second down pushed the Trojans back to the three-yard line.
Miller Moss threw an incomplete pass on second down, and then Marks lost two yards on third down.
Eddie Czaplicki, punting from the one-yard line, got off a 60-yard punt that was initially returned to the USC 42-yard line by Raesjon Davis.
But personal foul penalty on Brandyn Hillman pushed the ball back to the Michigan 43-yard line.
No. 11 USC 0, No. 18 Michigan 0, 9:21 left in the first quarter
USC’s defense forces a punt on Michigan’s opening possession
The Wolverines started at their 25-yard line after a touchback on the opening kickoff.
Donovan Edwards rushed for five yards on first down and then for three yards on second down.
Kalel Mullings ran for one yards, setting up a fourth-and-1 situation for Michigan.
Quarterback Alex Orji kept the ball and rushed up the middle for three yards to get a first down at the 37-yard line.
USC’s defense clamped down after that. After Orji completed a pass for five yards to Semaj Morgan, the Trojans’ Mason Cobb stuffed Edwards for a three-yard loss, setting up a third-and-8.
Orji rushed for five yards, forcing a Michigan punt.
No. 11 USC 0, No. 18 0, 10:26 to go in the first quarter
And we’re off in Ann Arbor ...
USC won the opening coin toss and deferred.
USC’s first Big Ten matchup is officially underway.
No. 11 USC 0, No. 18 Michigan 0, 15:00 left in the first quarter.
‘It was already written.’ How USC center Jonah Monheim became the Trojans’ leader
The last three USC centers were floating down Whitefish River last July, marveling at the Montana mountains, when suddenly Brett Neilon and his tube went careening into the river bank.
The tube couldn’t be salvaged. What was once a lazy river float became a slapstick rescue mission for Justin Dedich and Jonah Monheim, the two centers who followed Neilon at USC. When they finally saved Neilon — and had a good laugh at his expense — he was relegated to a spare floatie, which was otherwise meant for the beer cooler.
He didn’t mind. It was the perfect sort of getaway for the trio, the kind of story they could tell over cold beer years later. They already had so many of those stories, and the fourth trip to Montana would add more moments, from late-night bonfires in a place where the sun sets at midnight to Fleetwood Mac carpool karaoke. But it was getting harder to find the time for such outings, with their lives now headed in different directions.
Lake McRee’s connection with Miller Moss fueling USC’s new-look offense
When Lake McRee felt a pop in his right knee during bowl practice last December, the USC tight end didn’t think much of it at first. He finished the play, then lined up for another. Even ran a route. McRee may have kept going still, if a coach had not pulled him aside and told him something looked strange in his stride.
The diagnosis, McRee said, was “devastating.” A torn anterior cruciate ligament, his second in just over four years.
The timing was especially cruel. Not only would he miss the Holiday Bowl, which was shaping up to be a breakout moment. Considering when the tear occurred, it wasn’t clear, at the time, if McRee would be back for the start of USC’s 2024 campaign.
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Beyond that, it was a major blow to the trajectory of the Trojans’ tight end room. Any hope that the position would suddenly play a major role in USC’s offense this season seemed to be put to rest with the injury.
But eight months later, McRee was miraculously back to full speed. And two games into this season, his fourth at USC, no pass catcher has had a bigger impact on the Trojans’ offense than the redshirt junior tight end, who leads the team in both receptions (nine) and receiving yards (137) and ranks eighth in the nation in both categories among tight ends.
Gavin Meyer’s portal patience has paid off for USC in its defensive makeover
The window was quickly closing last May, the pool of available transfers nearly set for next season, and Lincoln Riley had yet to land the interior lineman he and USC’s defense still desperately needed.
Damonic Williams, one of the top young defensive tackles in the Big 12, was headed to Oklahoma. Derick Harmon, a 320-pound behemoth previously at Michigan State, chose Oregon. Within two days in May, two of the most coveted tackles in the transfer portal were out of reach. Others were finding homes fast. Time was running out to find a fit.
For Gavin Meyer, though, there was no real hurry. The Wyoming grad transfer had waited until the last possible moment to enter the portal, just barely beating the May 1 deadline. In part because he was graduating that week in Laramie, Wyo., where he’d spent the last four years. But also Meyer understood his circumstances made finding the right situation especially important. He didn’t want to just be a depth piece added to some defense at the eleventh hour.
Lincoln Riley isn’t too bothered that Michigan has switched quarterbacks
Lincoln Riley is not the type of coach to divulge more information than is absolutely necessary. Especially when that information might offer an upcoming opponent even a sliver of a hint about USC’s plans or personnel. Specifics are regularly side-stepped. Injury inquiries are stiff-armed away.
Sherrone Moore, his coaching counterpart at Michigan, appeared to share similar feelings about protecting state secrets. That is, until this week, when Moore decided to share with the world, three games into his tenure at Michigan, that he was making a change at quarterback.
Moore made it official in a news conference Monday that Michigan would replace Davis Warren, a former walk-on who struggled through three starts, with Alex Orji, a running threat with limited experience as a passer. Why Moore decided to do so publicly, squandering the element of surprise with Riley and his defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, has yet to be explained.
That information was certainly welcomed with open arms by USC and its coaching staff. But Riley said he understood Moore’s rationale behind announcing the move, even if he wouldn’t speculate as to why he announced it five days ahead of Saturday’s big-time Big Ten opener in Ann Arbor.
How to watch USC vs. Michigan and betting odds
Two college football teams on exact opposite trajectories head into Week 3 of the college football season.
No. 11 USC will play its first ever Big Ten game Saturday against No. 18 Michigan at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor at 12:30 p.m. PDT. The game will air on CBS and Paramount+ and be available on 710 AM in the Los Angeles area.
Here’s a look at the betting odds heading into the game:
USC vs. Michigan: Three things to watch during the Trojans’ Big Ten opener
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Before Jim Harbaugh built Michigan back into a national power, the coach was nearly kicked to the curb in Ann Arbor, Mich. Patience with Harbaugh’s plans wore thin. Recruiting was lagging. Fans called for his firing.
But Michigan kept Harbaugh and he raised a national title trophy in 2023.
As USC coach Lincoln Riley saw it, that was the sort of commitment required to rebuild a top program from the ground up. Like Harbaugh, he had no plans of letting outside pressure derail his process at USC.
“They had some ups and downs, right when Jim got there,” Riley said. “A lot of people thought on the outside, ‘Oh, they’re not gonna be able to turn it around,’ and they stayed the course. The thing I respected the most about them is they stayed very true and committed to their process and ignored everybody on the outside that thought they deserved an opinion.”
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