ANN ARBOR — It ended the only way it could’ve, a test of newfound beef against the class of a conference, Trojan luster against Michigan grit in a 4th-and-1 to decide the first chapter of a new USC era.
USC had readied, for an offseason, for Big Ten football, for this new age and monumental shift in collegiate athletics. The gains came in bulk, and widespread, with whisperings of 1,400 pounds gained in the offseason and linemen showing up with tree trunks for limbs and carefully lit social media before-and-afters. It had worked for two games, smash-mouthing from the trenches, a completely new look for a program bullied and bruised in 2023.
But this was Michigan, the reigning national champions entering Saturday’s clash with USC wounded at 2-1 and carrying a point to prove. And after an afternoon of smashmouth football, a first half completely shutting down the Trojans’ offensive attack and a second half turned drunk and giddy in USC’s favor, Kalel Mullings lined up from the goal line down four points and charged right down the gullet.
He waited as the bodies dropped around him, and tree-trunk legs motored, and linebacker Mason Cobb’s shove to the turf was simply too late – the ball crossing the plane with less 37 seconds left to seal a 27-24 win for Michigan and a gut-wrenching loss for USC.
After an afternoon spent running for his life, an afternoon spent arguably with as much time on his back as upright, USC quarterback Miller Moss stood for a third-and-16 with seven minutes remaining. And with no sign of the blows to his chest on the day, no sign of the third-quarter pick-six he’d thrown to Michigan’s Will Johnson, Moss unfurled a 24-yard strike to trusted 6-foot-4 receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, the sophomore rolling into the end zone with a 24-20 lead and arms firmly outstretched in glee.
Are you not entertained?
It was impossible for this crowd in the Big House to not be entertained Saturday, after a first half in which Michigan (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) ran roughshod over USC’s defense and shut down their offense, only for a remarkably improbable third quarter to ensue. Needing a major adjustment after a half with negative rushing yardage and freshman left tackle Elijah Paige bull-rushed too often by Michigan edge Josaiah Stewart, USC (2-1, 0-1 Big Ten) completely reshuffled its offensive line.
Paige was benched. Mason Murphy, the program’s starting right tackle, shifted to Moss’ blind side, while redshirt freshman Tobias Raymond entered for the biggest snaps of his young career. Suddenly, Moss, who hadn’t looked quite as sharp in sailing a couple throws, was afforded entire cushions of Ann Arbor daylight. And he capitalized early, with a gutsy drive to start the third quarter culminating in a touchdown strike to Duce Robinson.
Johnson’s 42-yard interception return brought Michigan’s lead to 20-10 at 5:26 of the third quarter, a lead built by earlier 53-yard and 41-yard rushing touchdowns gashing up the middle of USC’s defense. And after another USC drive keyed by a 65-yard run from tailback Woody Marks, disaster returned as Moss was sacked by Stewart and lost the ball – only for a gutsy Marks to somehow charge and strip the football back away from rumbling Wolverine defensive lineman Kenneth Grant, setting up a touchdown from Moss to Auburn transfer Jay Fair to cut Michigan’s lead to three.
Moss was 28 of 53 for 283 yards, three touchdowns and the one interception. Marks finished with 100 yards after totaling five yards on six first-half carries
USC’s defense held firm for much of the second half, Eric Gentry continuing to play like his 6-foot-6 frame was on fire with 12 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble and Jaylin Smith coming up with a massive third-down tackle to set up the Moss-to-Lane fourth-quarter score.
Related Articles
USC WR Makai Lemon exits with injury against Michigan
How Michigan star Mason Graham could have ended up at USC
No. 11 USC at No. 18 Michigan: Who has the edge?
How USC’s Zachariah Branch went from fast to ‘real fast’
USC heads to Michigan with ‘healthy respect’ for reigning champs – and QB Alex Orji
But with the Trojans needing one stop to clinch victory, Mullings went motoring up the gut and spun off a tackle, the Big House erupting as a 63-yard gain set up the backbreaker that ruined USC’s first Big Ten day.
Michigan ran for 290 yards and threw for just 32.
USC tight end Lake McRee, who tore his ACL before last season’s Holiday Bowl and returned to play in just six months, was hit low on a pass in the third quarter and didn’t return.