Michigan vs. USC Football Match Prediction, Forecast, Spread, Odds, Where to Watch, TV Channel, Live Stream

No. 11 USC and No. 18 Michigan will meet in the regular season for the first time since 1958, when the Wolverines host the Trojans in their first meeting as Big Ten rivals. Eight of their previous 10 meetings have come in the Rose Bowl, making this just the second time USC has played inside Michigan Stadium.

The couple of college football The Giants come into the matchup with very different vibes after both faced significant challenges early in the season. USC aced its Week 1 test against LSU, winning 27-20 while showing much-needed defensive improvement. Michigan faltered in its first big challenge with a weak offensive showing in a 31-12 Week 2 home loss to Texas.

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, who is in his first year, is turning to junior quarterback Alex Orji for a spark this week. But Orji will have his work cut out for him against the Trojans, who are coming off a bye week after blunting LSU’s running game and then blanking Utah State in Week 2. The Texas debacle also left the Wolverines’ defense with something to prove, as Trojans quarterback Miller Moss makes his first career road start.

As these two historic powers prepare to face off on CBS inside the Big House, here are a few more storylines to keep an eye on.

Michigan vs. USC: What you need to know

Orji is QB1: Orji has attempted just seven career passes in three seasons at Michigan. Now he'll be forced into the starting role in a big matchup after playing sparingly in the first three weeks of the season. With the immobile Davis Warren unable to jumpstart the Wolverines' passing game, Orji will have to breathe some life into Michigan's offense. Orji's ability to run is his calling card, but he'll have to show some level of competency in the passing game to prevent USC from packing the box and ruining Michigan's ground attack. Moore said this week that Orji's accuracy “has improved tremendously.” But that needs to carry over to the big stage if Michigan is going to have a chance.

Revitalized under Lynn: Last season, USC was ranked No. 116 nationally in total defense as the Trojans struggled to an 8-5 record after starting the year ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP poll. Riley fired coordinator Alex Grinch after five seasons together between Oklahoma and USC and hired D’Anton Lynn, who shined as UCLA’s defensive coordinator in 2023. The early results are encouraging, but Michigan will pose a new challenge. While the Trojans shut down LSU’s rushing attack, the Tigers have proven to be listless on the ground. Michigan is built to run the ball, which will test USC’s physicality. With the duo of Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards at running back, combined with Orji’s mobility, it’s no secret that Michigan will look to hit the rock.

Fruits of realignment: Conference restructuring has altered the foundation of college football by consolidating the sport's most powerful brands into four conferences, with a heavy concentration of them now in the Big Ten and SEC. Among the downsides of restructuring are the abandonment of geographic congruence and the disruption of traditional rivalries. The result is more blockbuster regular-season games like this one. Later this season, we'll also get the sixth-ever USC-Nebraska matchup and the sixth-ever Oregon-Michigan matchup.

How to watch Michigan vs USC live

Date:Saturday, September 21 | Time: 3:30 pm Eastern Time
Location:Michigan Stadium – Ann Arbor, Michigan

TV: cbs network Live broadcast: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Transmission in Paramount+ with Showtime (Try it for free)

Michigan vs. USC Prediction and Predictions

Michigan is turning to junior Alex Orji at quarterback in hopes of giving its offense a boost after a troubling start. But it's clear Michigan's staff doesn't trust Orji to throw the ball, meaning the Wolverines will continue to be one-dimensional. The Trojans look much more competent defensively under first-year coordinator D'Anton Lynn and should have the luxury of loading up against the run. USC also has enough offensive firepower to exploit the weak points of a Michigan defense that isn't as dominant as its 2023 counterpart. Pick: USC -6

Which college football What picks can you make with confidence in Week 4? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread. — all from a proven computer model that has generated over $2,000 in profits since its inception — and find out.