NCAAF

USC Trojans at Michigan Wolverines

· NCAA - Football
2-1, 0-1 Away
Final
24 - 27
3-1, 3-1 Home

Mullings' 2nd TD with 37 seconds left lifts No. 18 Michigan to 27-24 win over No. 11 USC

Makai Lemon exits after taking helmet-to-helmet hit on punt coverage

Kalel Mullings surged 2 yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 37 seconds left, lifting the 18th-ranked Wolverines to a 27-24 win over the 11th-ranked Trojans in their conference debut.

Michigan (3-1, 1-0) overcame losing a 14-0 lead in the first half and coughing up two fumbles in the second half to extend its Big Ten winning streak to a school-record 26 games.

The Wolverines won with a 10-play, 89-yard TD drive as Mullings did most of the work.

The former linebacker converted a third down from the Michigan 20 with a 63-yard run and capped the possession with his second touchdown behind a fullback in a jumbo package that left little doubt where the ball was going.

“It's not five guys, it’s seven with the tight ends out there,” Mullings said.

Michigan and USC had played 10 times previously, eight in the Rose Bowl and not in the regular season since 1958.

The Trojans (2-1, 0-1) went ahead 24-20 midway through the fourth when Miller Moss threw his third touchdown pass, a 24-yarder to Ja’Kobi Lane.

USC's last chance ended with a fourth-down throw that came up of the stick near midfield.

“I think it was just a classic, back-and-forth fight,” Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said.

Mullings had a career-high 159 yards rushing, including a 53-yard scoring run to put the Wolverines ahead early, and Donovan Edwards had a 41-yard run to give them a two-touchdown lead.

Moss was 28 of 51 for 283 yards with a season-high three touchdowns and an interception that was returned for Michigan's only other second-half score.

“I feel like I cost our team in a big way,” he said.

USC's Woody Marks ran for 100 yards on 13 carries, and ripped the football out of Kenneth Grant's hand after the big defensive tackle had recovered a fumble for Michigan.

Moss bounced back from throwing a pick-6 to Will Johnson that gave the defending national champions a double-digit lead in third quarter with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jay Fair later in the period. His third touchdown pass to Lane with 7:01 left in the fourth came after Marks' steal deep in Michigan territory.

Michigan needed a touchdown, trailing by four, in the final minute because USC defensive tackle Gavin Meyer blocked the extra point after Johnson's interception return for a touchdown.

It also needed the clutch score because Edwards fumbled to set up a Trojans touchdown — and Michigan didn't have a passing threat.

“Teams are going to stack the box and stop the run, and we still have to run the ball,” Mullings said.

Alex Orji made his first start at quarterback and was 7 of 12 for 32 yards and ran 13 times for 43 yards.

“If we threw for a million yards today and we lost, I’d be sitting here crying,” Orji said.

The takeaway USC's revamped defense under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn was in control on most plays, but gave up three long runs and failed to make a stop on the goal-line stand.

“We came up one play short,” Riley said.

Moore earned his first signature win as Jim Harbaugh's successor, making enough moves that panned out in what was potentially a pivotal game in his first season.

“Our players never flinched and that’s what you’re really proud of,” he said.

Banged up USC receiver Makai Lemon left in the first quarter after taking a hit while covering a punt. Trojans tight end Lake McRee was hit hard on his left knee, taking another target from Moss. Riley did not have an update on either player's condition after the game.

Johnson left the field in the second half with an apparent injury.

“He could've came back in,” Moore said.

Michigan preseason All-America tight end Colston Loveland was held out of the game after being injured last week.

Poll implications Michigan may move up for the first time this season in the AP Top 25 and will extend a streak to 51 straight weeks of being ranked since early in the 2021 season. USC might slip a little in the poll.

Up next USC hosts Wisconsin on Saturday.

Michigan hosts Minnesota on Saturday.

Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage

How To Watch

How can I watch USC Trojans vs. Michigan Wolverines?
  • TV Channel: Trojans at Wolverines 2021 College Football, week 4, is broadcasted on CBS.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Wolverines: 42.2%
Trojans: 57.8%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

MICH TD 1st Period 3:10 Kalel Mullings 53 Yd Run (Dominic Zvada Kick)
MICH TD 2nd Period 7:14 Donovan Edwards 41 Yd Run (Dominic Zvada Kick)
USC FG 2nd Period 4:15 Michael Lantz 29 Yd Field Goal
USC TD 3rd Period 9:10 Duce Robinson 9 Yd pass from Miller Moss (Michael Lantz Kick)
MICH TD 3rd Period 5:26 Will Johnson 42 Yd Interception Return (Dominic Zvada PAT blocked)
USC TD 3rd Period 1:27 Jay Fair 16 Yd pass from Miller Moss (Michael Lantz Kick)
USC TD 4th Period 7:01 Ja'Kobi Lane 24 Yd pass from Miller Moss (Michael Lantz Kick)
MICH TD 4th Period 0:37 Kalel Mullings 1 Yd Run (Dominic Zvada Kick)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/30.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originUSC https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/130.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMICH
17 1st Downs 12
7-19 3rd down efficiency 4-15
0-1 4th down efficiency 3-3
379 Total Yards 322
283 Passing 32
28/52 Comp/Att 7/12
5.4 Yards per pass 2.7
96 Rushing 290
21 Rushing Attempts 46
4.6 Yards per rush 6.3
6-32 Penalties 3-25
2 Turnovers 2
1 Fumbles lost 2
1 Interceptions thrown 0
30:42 Possession 29:18

Game Information

Michigan Stadium

Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Attendance: 110,702 · Capacity:
Full Standings

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