No. 18 Michigan inflicted a pair of significant blows in the first half against No. 11 USC on Saturday, taking a 14-3 lead into the break behind stingy defense and explosiveness in its run game. Kalel Mullings busted a 53-yard touchdown run on the Wolverines' third possession to open the scoring after the teams traded early punts.

Michigan football had limped into Week 4, not having a resounding victory to its name and with a one in the loss column after the Week 2 defeat to Texas. Saturday brought an opportunity to right those wrongs with No.

Michigan football is on the rise in the Associated Press college football poll. After dropping three consecutive weeks in the rankings, the Wolverines (3-1) climbed six spots in Sunday's updated AP Top 25, to No. 12 after Saturday's 27-24 victory over then-No. 11 USC in Ann Arbor.