USC football wasn’t perfect against Michigan, but it was certainly good. That is exactly how a team must respond after a disappointing loss and an off week. I was expecting another disappointing performance from the Trojans this week; instead, the Trojans had other plans in mind. This Trojan team was locked in this game, with some mistakes but far fewer than against Illinois. It felt like this was a completely different Trojan team than we have seen. The Trojans finished with three penalties on the game. For the first time this season, the Trojans’ opponent had more penalties than they did.
This was a lot closer to what we need to see from this team.
Offensive line
Banged-up offensive line, no Waymond Jordan or Eli Sanders, no problem for this offense. Elijah Paige and Kilian O’Connor were out, but the rest of the Trojans controlled Michigan’s defensive front. USC moved the ball consistently and always appeared to be in control on offense. This O-line is for real.
King Miller
King Miller, the backup freshman running back, carried the ball and the running back room in this game. Miller had 158 yards rushing, 8.8 yards per carry, and a 15-yard rushing touchdown. Miller was dominant, and he showed how much running back depth USC truly has.
Jayden Maiava
Jayden Maiava started the game 8-8 and finished the night almost as efficent. Maiava outplayed Bryce Underwood, as he threw for 265 yards and 2 passing touchdowns. He did throw one really bad interception, but the good clearly outweighed the bad. Maiava looks comfortable in Lincoln Riley’s offense. He can be better, but he was solid, and it was more than enough against Michigan.
Makai Lemon
It was yet another Makai Lemon masterclass performance. He hauled in 9 catched for 93 yards, and a sweet highly- contested touchdown catch which wowed the Los Angeles Coliseum crowd. Lemon is in the hunt for the Biletnikoff Award, recognizing the nation’s best receiver.
Lincoln Riley
I would be remiss if I did not mention the fantastic job Lincoln Riley did in this game. Games like this show why Riley gets the respect he deserves. He handled an aggressive Michigan defense as well as anybody has. He made the Wolverines pay on countless screens, orchestrating big plays all game long.
D’Anton Lynn
As good as Riley was with this offense, D’Anton Lynn had this defense extremely prepared. There was no Justice Haynes for the majority of this game for Michigan, but before he got hurt, he was not dominant. This Michigan offense was one-dimensional, and Bryce Underwood showed his age and his inexperience in this one. USC got three sacks on the day, and this defensive line improved markedly from the Illinois loss.
Prepared team
The Trojans came ready for this game and poised to silence the critics. This was a statement victory and a game that shows everybody that when the Trojans are on, they can play with anybody in the country. Notre Dame looks really good, but this Trojans team is primed to give them a game next weekend.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley and USC make a statement against Michigan, keeping playoff hopes alive
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
