Michigan Monday: Game 6 at USC
#15 Michigan (4-1) at USC (4-1)
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum / Los Angeles, Calif.
Saturday, Oct. 11 | 4:30 p.m. PT
Television: NBC | Radio: Learfield Michigan Sports Network
What You Need to Know
• Michigan will be making its second visit to the LA Memorial Coliseum; won a 16-6 affair against USC on Sept. 28, 1957.
• Michigan is seventh in the NCAA in rushing defense (77.0 ypg) and is 13th in rushing offense (237.8 ypg).
• The Wolverines list eighth nationally in turnover margin (1.2 avg.).
• Justice Haynes has rushed for 100-plus yards in all five games; nation's third-leading rusher (130.8 avg.).
• Bryce Underwood has thrown for 1,003 yards on 77-of-130 passing and has tossed three touchdowns.
• Donaven McCulley leads the team with 19 receptions for 309 yards and one TD.
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Wolverines and Trojans
• This will be the 12th meeting between the Wolverines and Trojans on the gridiron and the second as Big Ten Conference opponents.
• Eight of the previous 11 matchups came in the Rose Bowl, with the Trojans holding a 6-2 edge in those games.
• Michigan won all three previous regular season contests: 16-6 win at USC (1957), 20-19 victory at Michigan (1958) and 27-24 win at Michigan (2024).
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U-M vs. USC at LA Memorial Coliseum
• This will be the second-ever meeting between the two schools at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
• The only previous matchup came to open the 1957 season for both squads.
• The Wolverines defeated the Trojans, 16-6, on Sept. 28, 1957, in the only previous contest played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
• Michigan scored touchdowns on runs by Jim Pace (one yard) and Brad Meyers (four yards) and received a second-quarter safety for its 16 points on the day; the runs capped 51- and 65-yard scoring drives in the second and third quarters, respectively.
• USC scored its only points in the second quarter following a fumble by U-M but missed the extra point to make the score 9-6 at halftime.
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USC Series
• This will be the 12th meeting between the Wolverines and Trojans.
• U-M sports a 5-6 record against USC.
• The first meeting as Big Ten foes came in 2024, a 27-24 victory by the Wolverines over the Trojans at Michigan Stadium.
• The Trojans had claimed wins in the last three games contested between the two programs, all on New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl.
• Prior to last season's conference matchup, the prior seven meetings – and eight of the 10 previous games – had all been played in the Rose Bowl, with USC holding a 6-2 advantage in those contests.
• The last Rose Bowl meeting was a 32-18 victory for USC in the 2007 Rose Bowl Game.
• Michigan has compiled a 3-0 record against USC in the regular season, winning 16-6 at Southern California (1957), 20-19 at Michigan Stadium (1958) and 27-24 at Michigan Stadium (2024).
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Game Note Nuggets
• The Michigan run game is 13th in the FBS, averaging 237.8 yards per contest. Six different players have scored on the ground this year, led by Justice Haynes, who ranks fourth in the nation with eight rushing touchdowns.
• The offensive line has paved the way for 17 touchdowns on the ground so far this year while allowing only five sacks in the pass game (19th, FBS). Despite three different starting lineups across the first five games due to injuries, the unit has helped lead the way offensively.
• The U-M offense has ripped off 28 plays of 20-plus yards on offense (16 receiving, 12 rushing) through five weeks (six in week one, four, eight, three, seven). Haynes leads the team with seven such plays (all rushes), followed by Donaven McCulley (five; all receiving) and Andrew Marsh (four; three receiving, one rushing). Additionally, Marsh has three via kickoff return.
• Running back Haynes paces the rushing attack. He has reached at least 100 yards rushing with at least one touchdown in all five contests this year (159, 125, 104, 149, 117 yards), the longest streak of 100-yard games since Blake Corum hit the century mark in eight consecutive games in 2022.
• Haynes' 654 total rushing yards are the most in the Big Ten (next: USC's Waymont Jordan, 537 yards). For the season, Haynes is third nationally in rushing yards per game (130.8), averaging 7.69 yards per carry (fifth, FBS). Both figures lead the Big Ten.
• Haynes helped the U-M offense total 175 rushing yards against the Badgers, who saw their nation-leading run defense go from first (50 yards per game) to sixth (74.6 yards per game) after playing the Wolverines.
• Fourteen of Haynes' 85 rushes have gone for 10-plus yards (16.5 percent), and he has long runs of 43, 56, 59 and 75 yards (twice). He is one of only two backs (Hollywood Smothers, NC State) with five runs or more of 40-plus yards and one of only two backs (Robert Henry Jr., UTSA) with four runs or more of 50-plus yards.
• Pro Football Focus credits Haynes with 20 missed tackles forced, tied for third most in the Big Ten. USC's Waymond Jordan is credited with 24 missed tackles forced. He and Haynes share a tie for the third-most first downs (28) among Big Ten backs. Rutgers' Antwan Raymond (36) and Washington's Jonah Coleman (33) lead the way.
• Haynes' backfield mate Jordan Marshall is averaging 5.2 yards per carry with three touchdowns. Quarterback Bryce Underwood is averaging 6.7 yards per carry with three touchdowns of his own.
• Underwood's 59.2 percent completion rate (77-of-130 passing) comes with an average of 7.7 yards per attempt.
• Michigan's passing game continues to develop. Eleven players have caught passes so far this year, including six with five or more receptions.
• On the season, U-M is one of five teams in the nation with six or more rushing plays of 40-plus yards (UCF, BYU, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt).
• U-M is winning the turnover battle with a 9:3 ratio (two fumbles lost, one interception). The Wolverines are one of 15 teams to have at least 130 pass attempts with one or zero interceptions.
• On the defensive side of the turnover battle, Cole Sullivan leads the team with three turnovers forced (two interceptions, one fumble recovery).
• The Wolverines rank 12th in interceptions (seven) and have multiple turnovers in three of five games, with at least one in each contest. Six players have U-M's seven picks: Elijah Dotson, TJ Guy, Brandyn Hillman, TJ Metcalf, Rod Moore and Sullivan.
• Through five games, 17 different players have an interception or pass breakup: four linebackers, three defensive linemen, and 10 defensive backs. Jyaire Hill leads the team with four breakups.
• The run defense has been stout, allowing 77.0 yards per game (seventh, FBS) and 2.4 yards per carry on 160 rushes against. Oklahoma (two) and Wisconsin (one) are the only teams to score a rushing touchdown against the Wolverines this year.
• The pass rush has been a force for the U-M defense, averaging three quarterback takedowns per game (13th, FBS). U-M's 15 sacks generated are tied for fourth in the Big Ten. That has helped pad a tackles-for-loss rank of 22nd nationally, with the defense averaging seven negative plays per contest. Jaishawn Barham leads the team in both categories (3.0 sacks, 5.0 TFL).
• The secondary and pass rush will need to be up to the task this weekend against a USC opponent that averages 338 pass yards per contest (third, FBS) with a team pass-efficiency rating of 190.79 (fifth). Derrick Moore (14 pressures) and Barham spearhead the pass-rushing attack.
• Linebacker Ernest Hausmann is pacing the defense with 31 tackles through four games, followed closely by Jimmy Rolder (28), who set a career high (seven tackles) against the Badgers. Three of the team's top four tacklers (Sullivan, 22) are in the linebacker room.
• Defensive back Hillman (23 tackles) leads the DB room, and Trey Pierce (13) is the leader among interior linemen.
• Opponents have combined to score only three field goals and one touchdown in fourth quarters against Michigan this year. U-M has permitted only three touchdowns and three field goals across five second halves. That average of six points allowed per game in second halves ranks ninth across the FBS.
• U-M has been excellent in several special teams areas, including kick-return defense (24th, 15.63 yards). Specialist Beckham Sunderland has generated 20 touchbacks on 31 attempts.
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