If the Big Ten were sponsored by McDonald’s, this matchup would be the game featured in every commercial. Two opposing teams donning red and yellow, facing off under the bright Ann Arbor sunshine, eventually connecting over their mutual love for a Big Mac. 

However, this game was far from a burger commercial. It was an advertisement of adrenaline, a contest for Midwestern conquest, and let’s just say that during the first half of this game, the Trojans were not lovin’ it.  

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Stripes of yellow painted the Big House on Saturday, and it was clear from kickoff that maize was the dominant color in the crowd. After a bleak first half and energizing third and fourth quarters, a battle between two historic teams ended with Michigan (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) on top and USC (2-1, 0-1 Big Ten) defeated, 27-24. 

With less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, a collective gasp rattled the Big House as graduate running back Kalel Mullings pulled a Forrest Gump and left the defense in the dust. Mullings was taken down by USC at the 17-yard line. 

In the game’s final moments, Michigan managed to break through a tight Trojan defense and score, giving the Wolverines the three-point lead.

Michigan drove all the way down the field after USC had taken the lead earlier in the quarter. 

The score starting the fourth quarter stood at 20-17. This was anyone’s game. A fumble forced and recovered by senior linebacker Eric Gentry brought the Trojans close enough to their end zone for a touchdown by sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane with seven minutes to go before the Wolverine’s eventual game-winning drive. 

They don’t say that “everything is bigger in Michigan,” but they should. The Big House holds a whopping 107,601 fans, as opposed to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s 77,500. This Big Ten Blue fanbase shook the stadium and, without a doubt, deafened the Trojan into defeat. Howls of “Go Blue!” echoed around the stadium as Michigan’s team steamrolled out of the tunnel, and equally deafening “boos” spawned as USC followed suit. 

By halftime, the Wolverines were up 14-3, and USC’s offense was flailing. In a shocking turn of events, the Trojan’s defense was holding up against Michigan. It was the other side of the ball that caused problems. The first half of this game was the most rushing yards Head Coach Lincoln Riley has ever allowed in a single half in his time at USC. 

USC’s first Big Ten battle revealed one thing: tired Trojans are not top-of-their-game Trojans. The 2,000-mile journey from L.A. to Ann Arbor that conference realignment supporters didn’t seem concerned about may have led USC to their first loss of the season. 

However, the third quarter was the start of something new for the Trojans. 

A touchdown catch by sophomore wide receiver Duce Robinson brought USC to 14-10, the closest this contest had been all game long. By the end of the third, Michigan had scored another touchdown and brought the score back to a two-possession game, followed by another Trojan TD, this time from junior wide receiver Jay Fair. 

But USC could not hang on in the end, dropping to 0-1 in Big Ten play.