USC Trojans are off to a flying start in their 2024 college football season. Despite getting past a strong LSU team in Week 1 and Utah State in Week 2, HC Lincoln Riley knows that much bigger tests are awaiting his team. It won’t be wrong to say that no test may be bigger than the current national champions. However, the Michigan Wolverines are coming off a horrible loss. Is it the best time to play them, as the new HC, Sherrone Moore, is still trying to find his feet? Or is it the worst time because they will be eager to remind the world why they won the national championship last year? To Lincoln Riley, Michigan remains a program with a rich legacy.

Speaking to the media after Tuesday’s practice, Trojans HC Lincoln Riley praised Michigan’s success over the years and discussed his comments in winter last year when he compared the trajectory of USC’s program to the Wolverines. “Well, I think there was a lot of—yeah, I think in the beginning there was. It’s two blue-blood programs. Two iconic programs, two programs that have been down. They had both some ups and downs, right when Jim got there. Yeah, a lot of people on the outside thought, ‘Oh, they’re not going to be able to turn it around. And they stayed the course.”

Riley explained the fact that both the programs, USC and Michigan, had a rich history of winning titles and had great seasons. That’s the one reason he compared them. Later, he explained that both the programs went through some rough patches, like when Michigan’s then-head coach Jim Harbaugh joined the program. He received some backlash, but he took the program to its peak. It’s intriguing to notice how Riley took the example of Harbaugh but did not mention Sherrone Moore.

Furthermore, Lincoln Riley expressed his admiration for Michigan by saying, “The thing I respected the most about them is I think they stayed very true and committed to their process, and ignored everybody on the outside that thought they deserved an opinion. And I think that’s ultimately why they’ve had a lot of great seasons in a row. Riley expressed that it doesn’t matter what people have to say about them. Michigan stayed focused on the game, and that’s the reason for their success. Besides that, let’s look at USC’s team ahead of their game against Michigan.

Lincoln Riley’s team ahead of the game against Michigan

Fans can’t wait to watch their favorite teams play against each other in Ann Arbor on September 22nd, when the No. 11 USC Trojans will face the No. 17 Michigan Wolverines for their next game. Their last match happened back in 2007’s Rose Bowl when the Trojans won with a 32-18 record. Despite it being an away game, the Trojans will be pumped because they already dealt with a tough crowd at LSU and the Miller Moss-led team emerged victorious.

Miller Moss had 48 of 66 passes for 607 yards and two touchdowns during his first two starts. However impressive the offense has been, the real story of the rejuvenated Trojans is their defense. The USC fans must remember the terrible Saturdays in October and November last year when their defense leaked like somebody left the tap open. That has changed, and their defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, deserves credit for turning things around. After limiting a strong LSU offense to 20 points, the game against Utah was a complete shutout on defense. No points allowed! Can they repeat this against the Wolverines? Lincoln Riley would hope so! Besides that, let us know your thoughts on the upcoming game between these two teams. Who do you think will win?