LOS ANGELES — The pollsters have added insult to injury for Michigan football.
The Wolverines got thumped by USC 31-13 on Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and as a result have tumbled all the way from No. 15 in the nation to out of the rankings in the latest US LMB Coaches Poll.
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The Trojans went from unranked to No. 21.
It was a rough night all around for Sherrone Moore’s group which tied a season low on offense with 13 points (same as loss at Oklahoma) and allowed a season-high in points (31) and yards (489) to Lincoln Riley’s team.
Starting with the attack, Michigan had a season-low 109 yards on the ground. It comes as little surprise it coincided with star running back Justice Haynes leaving with an injury in the second quarter. He did not return to the game and finished with 10 rushes for 51 yards.
The passing attack was statistically better as Bryce Underwood went 15 of 24 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, but it didn’t truly yield better results: Michigan converted 2 of 9 third downs. Andrew Marsh was one of the long bright spots, setting career highs with eight grabs for 138 yards and a touchdown.
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But the real let down was on defense, where per Pro Football Focus, Michigan missed a season-high 14 tackles.
Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) is pressured by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Cameron Brandt (9) in the second half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
THE REALITY: Michigan football knows where it stands in CFP chase: Painfully short
Michigan allowed 11 plays of 15 yards or more (six through the air, five on the ground) which included eight plays of 20 yards or more and three rushes of 29 yards or more. The numbers could have been even worse if Michigan hadn’t come away with two turnovers (a forced fumble by Jyaire Hill and an interception by Zeke Berry) inside its own 10 yard line.
Michigan will look to regroup next week as the second half of its season begins against Washington (Noon, Fox).
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Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football tumbles out of top 25 after west coast meltdown vs. USC
