Between different quarterbacks, hot seat questions and a different atmosphere, the USC game should be one of the most exciting games on Michigan Football’s schedule this fall. Here is an early look at the Trojans:
The USC Trojans did not have the inaugural Big Ten season head coach Lincoln Riley and company were hoping for. They went 6-6, with five of those losses coming within one score. They gave up the game-winning score at Michigan with 37 seconds to play, to Minnesota with 57 seconds left and to Maryland with 53 seconds to go. They lost vs Penn State in a wild overtime shootout, and came up just short at Washington and Notre Dame.
With a lot of learning lessons, Riley and his staff are looking to be a lot more competitive in 2025. Here’s a brief look at where things stand with USC and what fans of the Michigan Wolverines might be able to expect in this game.
The Basics
Game info: Saturday, Oct. 11, LA Memorial Coliseum, Time and network TBD
2024 record: 6-6
2025 projected wins: 7.5 (per FanDuel)
Last matchup: 2024: Michigan won, 27-24
Roster Moves
Notable draft losses: DB Jaylin Smith (Houston Texans), RB Woody Marks (Houston Texans), OL Jonah Monheim (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Notable portal losses: WR Duce Robinson, WR Zachariah Branch, OL Emmanuel Pregnon, DL Bear Alexander, OL Mason Murphy, QB Miller Moss, RB Quinten Joyner, EDGE Sam Greene, WR Kyron Hudson, DB Zion Branch, TE Kade Eldridge, EDGE Lorenzo Cowan, OT Kalolo Ta’aga, OL Amos Talalele, LB Raesjon Davis, WR Charles Ross, DB Maliki Crawford, RB A’Marion Peterson
Notable portal additions: DL Keeshawn Silver, OL DJ Wingfield, DL Jamaal Jarrett, OL J’Onre Reed, DB DJ Harvey, DB Bishop Fitzgerald, LB Ta’Mere Robinson, DB Chasen Johnson, DB Kennedy Urlacher, RB Eli Sanders, WR Prince Strachan, WR Zacharyus Williams, QB Sam Huard
State of the Program
The Trojans need to flip their program around and show they can compete in the Big Ten and beyond. With one of the highest paid annual salaries in college football of more than $10 million per year, Riley could be sitting on the hot seat in 2025 if he does not improve the program.
As seen in the notable additions and departures, Riley and his staff elected to clean house this offseason, allowing multiple highly-rated prospects find homes elsewhere while bringing in a slew of new players.
Starting with the offense, the quarterback, running back, both starting wide receivers and almost the entire offensive line will be different compared to last season. Jayden Maiava went 3-1 last season after replacing Miller Moss and went through the offseason as the starter. He completed nearly 60 percent of his passes during that time, throwing for more than 1,200 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.
As for his targets, USC lost starting receivers Duce Robinson and Zachariah Branch to the portal, but he will still have a talented core in junior wide receivers Makai Lemon (764 receiving yards) and Ja’Kobi Lane (12 touchdowns). In addition to the homegrown talent, the Trojans brought in Boise State transfer Prince Strachan, who had 25 catches for 304 yards as a sophomore.
What will be new for Maiava to manage will be his running backs and the line protecting him. Bryan Jackson is expected to be the bellcow after Woody Marks got drafted this spring, but he will split some of his caries with New Mexico transfer Eli Sanders and JUCO transfer Waymond Jordan.
As for the defense, USC has bolstered the frontlines by getting much bigger. There’s a good veteran core in Devan Thompkins, Braylan Shelby and Anthony Lucas, paired with intriguing transfers like Keeshawn Silver and Jamaal Jarrett.
However, the second and third level still remains a topic of contention.
The Trojans hope to get back Eric Gentry to lead the linebackers after concussions forced him to redshirt in 2024. And the secondary has some question marks outside of safety Kamari Ramsey, but transfers DJ Harvey (San José State) and Bishop Fitzgerald (NC State) will hope to factor into the equation.
The Trojans are one of the most intriguing teams in the country heading into the fall. Facing Notre Dame, Oregon, Illinois, and Nebraska on the road — as well as Michigan at home — they could come away with nine or 10 wins and get back to their winning ways. They could also just as easily go 6-6 again if they fall back to their old habits of losing close games at the very end.
In order for the top brass to keep their jobs, the Trojans need to win, and the game against Michigan will be a massive test.