Jayden Maiava threw a pair of touchdown passes and Southern California overcame two red-zone turnovers to top No. 15 Michigan 31-13 on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
USC (5-1, 3-1 Big Ten) came in having committed only five turnovers in its first five games, but the Trojans coughed up two against Michigan (4-2, 2-1). Both negated possible scoring opportunities, the first coming when Jyaire Hill wrested the ball from Lake McCree at the Wolverines’ 8-yard line after a completion from Maiava in the first quarter.
In the third quarter, Maiava — who did not throw his first interception of the season until USC’s last game. a Sept. 27 loss at Illinois — was picked off by Zeke Berry. But the ensuing change of possession encapsulated the night for the Trojans’ defense.
Bishop Fitzgerald intercepted Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood to thwart the Wolverines in the USC red zone. The sequence became a 10-point swing for the Trojans, who capitalized with a 54-yard Ryon Sayeri field goal.
Sayeri’s kick capped a 17-0 run. USC began the pivotal stretch just before halftime, breaking a 7-7 stalemate when Maiava found Makai Lemon for a 12-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the half.
Lemon’s diving catch in traffic was part of a nine-reception, 93-yard performance.
Maiava, who finished 25-of-32 passing for 265 yards, started the scoring with a 2-yard strike to Ja’Kobi Lane with 8:57 left in the opening quarter.
Underwood also threw two touchdowns, hooking up with Donaven McCulley on an 8-yard pass in the late second quarter. Underwood ended Michigan’s scoring drought and pulled the Wolverines to within 11 early in the fourth quarter on a deep pass to Andrew Marsh, good for 69 of the quarterback’s 207 yards on 15 completions and 24 attempts.
Michigan came no closer, however, giving up a 29-yard Bryan Jackson touchdown carry on the next possession. USC chewed nearly five minutes off the clock on the nine-play, 75-yard drive.
Jackson’s was the second Trojans rushing touchdown of the second half. King Miller ran for 15 yards to pay dirt in the early third quarter. Miller averaged almost nine yards on his 18 carries en route to 158 for the game.
Miller handled the majority of the work in the second half with USC’s season-long rushing leader, Waymond Jordan, was sidelined with an unspecified injury in the first half. Michigan also lost its leading rusher, Justice Haynes, to an apparent rib injury.
Haynes carried for 51 yards before coming out of the game.
