NFL
By George Lopez
The USC Trojans make their BIG 10 debut as they travel to Ann Arbor to face 18th-ranked Michigan in front of what is expected to be over 100,000 fans at the Big House. The Trojans defense will face their biggest test of the early 2024 season.
Quarterback Miller Moss leads the Trojans offense. In the first two games of the season, Moss has passed for 607 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing 72% of his passes. Moss has shown he has a good grasp of the offensive game plan put together by head coach Lincoln Riley. A key aspect of Moss’ game is his not forcing throws into double or triple coverage. Moss has shown he will take what the defense will give him in order to keep the offense moving. This will be a key for Moss facing the Wolverine defense and dealing with a raucous crowd.
Coach Riley’s passing game plays at its optimum level when multiple receivers are in the mix. This season has been no exception as 14 different receivers have caught at least 1 pass. Leading the Trojans receivers is TE Lake McRee with 9 receptions in the first two games. Kyron Hudson and Zachariah Branch have been the top two receivers for the Trojans with 6 and 8 receptions respectively. Look for Moss to continue to spread the ball around to different receivers against the Wolverines.
Leading the rushing attack for the Trojans is RB Woody Marks. In the first two games, Marks has rushed for 171 yards and 3 touchdowns. Marks has shown that not only does he have the speed to run outside the tackles, he also is able to get the tough yards in between the tackles. Quinten Joyner is expected to see considerable playing time in the backfield for the Trojans.
The key to the success the Trojans offense has had in their first 2 games has been the improved play of the offensive line. The Trojans coaching staff set the goal of strengthening the offensive line as they entered BIG10 play. With the improved play of the offensive line, the Trojans have averaged 159 rushing yards per game in their first 2 games of the season. Establishing the running game early against Michigan will be a key to the Trojans offense.
The Michigan offense has struggled to find consistency in the early part of the season. Starting quarterback Davis Warren has struggled with interceptions, as he has thrown 6 in the first 3 games compared to only 2 touchdowns. The Wolverines have decided to make a change at quarterback as Alex Orji has been announced as the starting quarterback against the Trojans. Orji presents a dual threat for the Trojans defense as he shown the ability to get outside the pocket. Trojan defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn will be tasked with devising a game plan that will have the Trojans defense maintain outside containment and keep Orji inside the pocket.
Containing the Wolverine rushing attack will be a key for the improved Trojans defense as the Wolverine’s average 176 rushing yards per game. Leading the Michigan running game are RBs Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards as they have rushed for 270 and 150 yards respectively through Michigan’s first 3 games of the season. The Trojans rush defense has shown improvement under Coach Lynn, allowing an average of 100 rushing yards per game. The interior defense line will look to get off their blocks and close the inside running lanes with the inside linebackers coming up to support. Maintaining outside containment and forcing the Wolverine running backs inside will be a key for the Trojans defense to slow down the Wolverine running game.
The Trojans will make their BIG10 debut in front of nearly 110,000 fans in what is sure to be a deafening crowd noise. Coach Lincoln Riley will look to Miller Moss to continue to play with the poise he has shown in his 3 starts, including last season’s bowl game as he leads the Trojans offense. This will be a big test for the Trojans defense as they will face the physical Wolverine running game. Look for the Trojans to block out the crowd noise, and make an impressive BIG10 debut, and come out with the victory.
