Michigan football score: Justice Haynes was injured early and Michigan football struggled to move the ball against a physical USC in a 31-13 loss.
LOS ANGELES — A year ago, it was Michigan football pulling out a stunning rally over USC on the ground in Ann Arbor.
But on the West Coast on Saturday, Oct. 11, the No. 15 Wolverines had few answers for the Trojans’ offense, as quarterback Jayden Maiava diced up the U-M defense early, his maize-and-blue counterpart, Bryce Underwood, struggled to complete short passes early and a cavalcade of USC backs broke big plays on the ground in a 31-13 loss at LA Memorial Coliseum.
It didn’t help that U-M’s top offensive threat, Justice Haynes, left the field with a midsection injury midway through the second quarter. The Wolverines’ leading rusher returned to the field in the third, but saw limited action; his program-record streak of five straight games with at least 100 yards to open his U-M tenure came to an end as he finished with 51 yards on 10 carries.
Underwood completed just 15 of 24 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Nearly 70 of those yards came on a true-freshman connection, as Underwood found Andrew Marsh in a seam along the sideline 20 yards downfield; Marsh dodged an arm tackle and sprinted the final 49 yards mostly untouched for a 69-yard TD.
Despite an injury to top running back Waymond Jordan, USC gashed U-M's defense in the second half as freshman King Miller rumbled for more than 150 yards, including a three-play stretch in which Miller accounted for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Michigan (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) will look to get back on the winning track with a visit from Washington next week.
Trojan horsepower early
Michigan struggled to slow the offense of USC (5-1, 3-1) in the first quarter, with Maiava going 9-for-10 for 101 yards and a touchdown. Seemingly only a turnover stopped the Trojans from taking a two-score lead.
With USC driving late in the first quarter, Maiava completed a short pass to tight end Lake McKee, who rumbled to U-M’s 8. But Michigan corner Jyaire Hill laid a hit on McKee that popped the ball loose, and Derrick Moore recovered to keep the Wolverines within a single possession.
Jordan Marshall plan pays off for Wolverines
Entering the season, U-M coaches raved about the equal abilities of running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, only for Haynes to dominate the carries thanks to his explosive runs.
But on Saturday, with Haynes leaving with an apparent rib injury late in the second quarter, Marshall got his chance, with four carries in five plays, for 16 yards. That and an 11-yard scramble by Underwood got the Wolverines to USC’s 8 and opened up the passing game enough for Underwood, after a play-action fake, to find Donaven McCulley with a dart in the left corner of the end zone to close out a 14-play, 86-yard drive and tie the game at 7.
Touchdown, Michigan. Underwood to Donaven McCulley on the crosser and throws a perfect strike.
— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) October 12, 2025
How about a 14-play, 86-yard drive?
Michigan 7, USC 7, 3:09 left Q2. pic.twitter.com/81PWOJzMpb
Wolverines get rolling in third quarter
After several stops and starts in the second half, the Wolverines finally got a drive rolling after Zeke Berry picked off a Maiava pass at U-M's 4. The Wolverines marched 67 yards in nine plays with a mix of runs from Marshall and out-of-pocket throws from Underwood. But the drive hit a wall deep in USC territory as a 20-yard target for McCulley was picked off at the 9 by Bishop Fitzgerald to keep it a 14-point game.
Best wide receiver in college football?
USC’s Makai Lemon made his case with a first half featuring four catches for 63 yards. That included a pair of highlight-reel hauls, with a toe-plant catch along the sideline to bail out Maiava midway through the first half and then a touchdown catch in which Lemon leapt in coverage to haul in a floating pass from Maiava and came down on his back.
Next up for U-M
The Wolverines return home to host a rematch of the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game, with Washington (5-1, 2-1) coming to Michigan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18 (noon, Fox). The Huskies are coming off a blowout of Rutgers on Friday night; their lone loss came two weeks ago to Ohio State, 24-6. Washington won the first rematch of the CFP title game last October, shutting down U-M in Seattle, 27-17.
This story will be updated.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football shredded by USC, 31-13, after Justice Haynes injury
Category: General Sports
