Michigan strength will test a critical USC weakness

Although Michigan is continuing to place more and more trust in their young QB, USC's next opponent has a clear path to victory. The Wolverines will look to impose their will on the game through the run game.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, this is the exact element that ultimately resulted in the first loss of the season. Illinois was able to gash the USC defensive line.

Now, coach Lincoln Riley will be tasked with improving this important element of the game strategy. The entire stadium will know what Michigan's aim is going to be. It is up to USC to find a way not to be as susceptible in this area. 

Although past years had the same concern, the earlier games showed true encouraging signs of promise.

This Trojan roster has the talent and athletes needed to show significant progress. It is, of course, possible that the unit simply had an off-day.

Important aspect of USC game

There should certainly not be as much production for the Trojan opposition in the run game. Even if the defense is not performing at the highest levels in college football, it will need to find a way to be serviceable against the run game in order to help itself out and to not put the offense in a position in which it is forced to put up over 40 points in order to have a narrow victory.

Coach Riley will arguably have the most important game of his tenure since arriving at Troy on Saturday. This aspect alone will determine how the game ends up going and will quite possibly dictate how USC fans end up looking back on the 2025 season as a whole.