Despite a nervy second half, No. 18 Michigan outlasted No. 11 USC, 27-24, to win its Big Ten home opener on Saturday.
The Wolverines opened as 8.5-point favorites, but the Trojans were favored by four points across several different books after Michigan coach Sherrone Moore announced that junior quarterback Alex Orji would start ahead of senior Davis Warren. Orji managed just 32 passing yards, but Michigan's run game lifted the team to victory.
〽️ 17 car.
〽️ 159 yards
〽️ 2 TDKalel Mullings posted his second straight 150-yard, 2-TD effort in a win over No. 11 USC.#B1GFootball x @UMichFootballpic.twitter.com/wTyre40WlV
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 21, 2024
Kalel Mullings (159 yards, two touchdowns) and Donovan Edwards (74 yards, one touchdown) powered the Wolverines rushing attack, breaking out 53- and 41-yard touchdowns to open the scoring and give Michigan an early 14-0 lead.
All-American defensive back Will Johnson's 42-yard pick-six briefly slowed a USC rally midway through the third quarter.
USC QB Miller Moss answered with a pair of touchdown passes to Jay Fair and Ja'Kobi Lane to give the Trojans a 24-20 lead (their first of the game) with seven minutes left. But Michigan's offense used a 10-play, 89-yard drive to set up Mullins' game-winning one-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-goal with 37 seconds left.
This result hands USC its first defeat of the season and pushes Michigan to 2-1. The Trojans were listed with the fourth-best odds (+900) of winning the Big Ten in their debut season, while the Wolverines, the defending national champions, had the fifth-best odds (+4000).
With the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, neither program is out of the field just yet. USC had the 10th-best odds (+3756) of winning the national championship this year, while Michigan was listed with the 19th-best odds (+12500).
