This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley and his USC football staff failed to clean up mistakes USC's Woody Marks made a heck of a play to take the football from Grant. Williams is the seventh Heisman winner to have his number retired by the school.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Certainly, Lincoln Riley thought his introduction to the Big Ten would go much different. But the bruising, physical conference welcomed him and the USC Trojans in by showcasing a complete lack of a passing offense on the other side, along with a ferocious defensive attack.

With five minutes remaining in the game, USC had the ball at their own 38-yard line with a 24-20 lead. Instead of running the ball and wasting some clock, coach Lincoln Riley elected to throw the ball on 2nd and 3rd downs. Both passes fell incomplete, and the clock was stopped twice, giving Michigan extra time to score.

USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley classified the team's upcoming matchup against the Michigan Wolverines as a "historic game."

Lincoln Riley: "We gotta be ready for everybody they have. Very multiple offense. Very good on the offensive line. Backs are good. Tight ends elite."

USC showed some toughness, but the Trojans will need to play clean football the rest of the way if they hope to achieve their goals.

The Trojans rally in the second half only to fall 27-24 after Wolverines running back Kalel Mullings’ 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 37 seconds left

After two big wins to start the 2024 college football season, the USC Trojans slammed into a brick wall on Saturday evening in Ann Arbor. The No. 11 USC football suffered a 27-24 loss to the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines to the tune of a 27-23 score.