A Walkthrough of the USC Game Experience at the Big House

Being there in person for Michigan’s 27-24 victory over USC was a surreal experience, one that will stick with me for a long time. The game marked the first-ever “Stripe Out” at the Big House, with alternating sections of maize and blue lighting up the stadium. The fans did an incredible job with the stripe-out—I’d give it a solid 9 out of 10. And while the fan participation was great, the most important thing was that Michigan got the win.

From the start, I liked the offensive play-calling for Alex Orji. Sure, he missed a wide-open Marlin Klein—who was filling in for the injured Colston Loveland—on a downfield pass over the middle in the first quarter, but the pressure in his face gave him little chance to make the throw. Orji then tried to force the pass to Klein near the sideline, but it was too late, and USC’s defense managed to deflect it. The offensive line had its best game of the season, but there’s still work to be done, especially in pass protection, which was abysmal. The run blocking, however, was on point. Several key plays saw Dominic Guidice, Giovanni El-Hadi, and Josh Priebe open up massive gaps, though right tackle Evan Link stood out as the weakest link (pun intended) on the line. We saw some rotation at center with Greg Crippen coming in, but overall, the run blocking allowed Kalel Mullings, Donovan Edwards, and Alex Orji to slice and dice USC’s defense on the ground.

Coming into the game, I had concerns about the linebacker position with Pollard out and Rolder listed as questionable. Thankfully, Rolder played and gave solid support alongside Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann. In the first quarter, Michigan really controlled field position thanks to their defensive line. Josiah Stewart set the tone early with a tackle for loss and a sack, helping Michigan get off the field on third down. USC was stacking the box, leaving their second level vulnerable, which helped spring some of those longer runs for Michigan.

The second quarter was all about creativity on defense. I noticed some interesting schemes from defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who dialed up exotic looks as Michigan dominated the trenches. USC did manage a big play after Makari Paige missed a tackle on Miller Moss, and then Zeke Berry missed a shoestring tackle on a wide receiver. But the defense held firm, and Josiah Stewart continued to shine. The half ended with an exclamation point when Kenneth Grant made a key play as USC tried to score before halftime, sending Michigan into the locker room with a 14-3 lead.

USC came out strong in the third quarter, scoring a quick touchdown, and Michigan’s defensive line stopped generating pressure for a bit. But Will Johnson saved the day later in the quarter with a game-changing pick-six, extending Michigan’s lead to 20-10 after a missed extra point. Then came a bizarre sequence: Kenneth Grant recovered a fumble after Michigan made a red-zone stop, only to fumble the ball himself, giving USC a fresh set of downs. USC capitalized with a touchdown pass, cutting Michigan’s lead to just three points.