Michigan opens up Big Ten play against USC.

It felt odd just typing that.

The Trojans come to Ann Arbor for the first time since 1958. A game that was penciled in as a win to start the year now feels like a season-defining game for the Wolverines. The fan base is anxious after a 2-1 start, including a blowout loss to Texas and two not-so-satisfying wins.

A change is being made at quarterback, and Michigan will start the player everyone expected to start the season, Alex Orji. What will it mean for a run game that looked more familiar last week, and which players on USC will try to impact it? Can Orji be a factor in the passing game and limit the turnovers that ultimately cost Davis Warren the job?

Will the Michigan defense step up this week, playing its second big opponent in three weeks?

These are the three players to watch in USC vs Michigan.

The biggest story for USC this offseason was the departure of Heisman winner Caleb Williams. After a breakout bowl game last year, Miller Moss won the starting job and started 2024 with a lights-out performance in the win against LSU.

Moss is completing 72% of his passes for 300 yards a game so far but has thrown only two touchdowns. Moss has done serious damage down the field to start the season. 339 yards have come on throws longer than 10 yards, and he's 5/7 for 139 yards and a touchdown on throws over 20 yards.

Against four-man rushes Moss has excelled this season, completing nearly 80% of his throws for 9.4 yards per attempt. However, the drop-off under blitz is not significant, and both of his touchdown throws were under pressure. How Michigan DC Wink Martindale tries to affect Moss will be a story to watch, much like it was with Quinn Ewers and Texas.

The second biggest story for USC this offseason was an upgraded defense.

Through the Trojans' first two games, no one has played more snaps on defense than Oregon State transfer Easton Mascarenas-Arnold.

The senior linebacker had 107 tackles, including 6.5 TFL, two sacks, three QBHs, and two INTs, while appearing in and starting all 12 Beavers games. Currently second on the team in tackles, Mascarenas-Arnold should be a factor in USC's efforts to stop the Michigan run game.

How Mascarenas-Arnold is used against new Michigan starting quarterback Alex Orji could be the game's story. Will the Trojans try to spy Orji or lock onto him in the run game, or will Mascarenas-Arnold be used in coverage against the Wolverine tight ends? Maybe it depends on Colston Loveland's status, but Mascarenas-Arnold has been targeted early this season, giving up nine receptions on nine targets. Michigan should use Donovan Edwards in motion and tight ends to move Msscarenas-Arnold, ideally opening rush lanes.

Arguably, the Trojans' best player on defense to start the season, Greedy Vance, Jr., has been lockdown.

Vance Jr. played two seasons at Florida State before moving to Los Angeles and two seasons at Louisville before that. In his fifth season, he takes on a bigger role with the Trojans.

Vance Jr. has only been targeted once early in the season for USC, and the pass was incomplete. Primarily a slot corner, Vance Jr. lines up all over the field, but with how Michigan utilizes the slot he could be the Wolverines greatest opstacle to getting its passing game going behind Orji.

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