Jayden Maiava threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns and walk-on redshirt freshman King Miller ran for 158 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries as USC defeated Michigan, 31-13, Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Miller, a Calabasas High School alum pressed into duty because of injuries, ran for 115 yards on six carries in the third quarter, including a 49-yard run, two plays before his 15-yard touchdown run increased the Trojans’ lead to 21-7.
USC took a 24-7 lead on Ryon Sayeri’s 54-yard field goal with 10:01 left.
The Wolverines (4-2, 2-1).responded two plays after the ensuing kickoff with a 69-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to Andrew Marsh. Underwood’s pass on the 2-point conversion was incomplete, keeping the score 24-13.
The Trojans (5-1, 2-1 in Big Ten Conference play) scored on their next possession on Bryan Jackson’s 29-yard touchdown run with 4:21 to play.
USC ran for 224 yards on 36 carries against a Michigan defense that entered the game seventh among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing defense, allowing opponents 77 yards per game.
The Trojans outgained the Wolverines, 489-316, led 24-17 in first downs and 33:22-26:38 in time of possession in front of a sellout crowd announced at 75,500.
Maiava completed 25 of 32 passes with one interception.
Underwood completed 15 of 24 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
USC opened the scoring on the game’s first possession with Maiava’s 2-yard touchdown pass Ja’Kobi Lane culminating an 11-play, 75-yard drive.
The Trojans appeared headed for another touchdown on their second drive, only to have tight end Lake McRee lose a fumble at Michigan’s 8-yard line.
The Wolverines, ranked 15th in The Associated Press poll tied the score 3:09 before halftime on Underwood’s 8-yard pass to Donaven McCulley, completing an 14-play, 86-yard drive.
USC regained the lead with 14 seconds left in the half on Maiava’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Makai Lemon.
The game was the first for The Trojans since their 34-32 loss at Illinois Sept. 27 that knocked it from 21st in The Associated Press poll to out of the top 25.
The game was the second between the teams at the Coliseum.
The Wolverines were 16-6 winners in the only previous meeting between the teams at the Coliseum on Sept. 28, 1957. The Trojans were 1-9 in 1957, setting the school record for losses, which still stands. Future Pro Football Hall of Fame member Al Davis was in the first of his three season’s as USC’s offensive line coach.
The teams are not scheduled to meet again until 2028 and won’t face each other at the Coliseum again until 2029 at the earliest.