King Millers breakout game powers USC to win over

The walk-on took his place next to USC’s quarterback, the last man standing in a battered backfield. In the midst of a bruising Big Ten battle with Michigan, where brawn and ball control had been at a premium, both of the Trojans’ top two operating backs had already been carted up the Coliseum tunnel. Two of their top linemen, meanwhile, began Saturday in avenue garments. The circumstances had been something but ideally suited for a crew whose season hung in the steadiness.

King Miller, though, was already acquainted with beating long odds. Not long in the past, the redshirt freshman was buried on the depth chart, a most well-liked walk-on from Calabasas High without any apparent path to taking part in time at USC. He’d chosen the Trojans over other alternatives, realizing he won’t ever get his shot.

But that was before Saturday, before Miller noticed a crease in the Michigan protection, before he took off on a breakaway, game-changing run that broke open the game and ultimately lifted USC to a statement-making, 31-13 win over No. 15 Michigan.

“It was all honestly just a dream come true, man,” Miller said. “I’m just honestly so grateful.”

Certainly no one was more grateful than Lincoln Riley, who entered Saturday with a measly 4 victories in 15 tries over ranked groups during his tenure as the Trojans coach. Considering how poorly USC had performed in its last outing — a ranked loss to Illinois in late September — this was maybe the Trojans’ most resounding win among those few.

“Really just an awesome performance,” Riley said. “A gritty, tough performance. Just felt like they were not gonna come out here with anything less than a win.”

They also emerged with a conceivable path into the College Football Playoff dialog, one that would open up even additional with a win in South Bend next Saturday.

But the fact that this specific victory got here behind a back who had to pay his own tuition to be a Trojan only made it all the more memorable. Just twice in the past 50 years had a walk-on ever even scored a recorded landing at USC — the most current being Miller himself, earlier this season.

USC coach Lincoln Riley congratulates King Miller after Miller’s landing carry in the third quarter against Michigan.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Miller had just two carries for 10 yards to his title, when Waymond Jordan, the Trojans’ main rusher, hopped off the sphere in the second quarter, unable to put any weight on his foot.

As Jordan left, operating backs coach Anthony Jones went to Miller. He reiterated his confidence in him. Just do what you do, he told him.

“He always preaches to us, ‘Whatever we want, we can do,’” Miller said. “The whole room is amazing. No matter who you put in there, we always believe that we can go shock the world.”

The relaxation of Miller’s outing would certainly reverberate across an eventful weekend of school soccer. Miller’s next 16 carries in the end went for 148 yards, more than any crew has rushed against Michigan this season.

“It’s just what he does in practice,” Riley said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s a humble guy. He cares about this team a lot. And honestly, hell, we didn’t have anybody else. So what else was I gonna do, you know?”

How long USC might be without its other backs is still unclear. Riley said the injury to Eli Sanders is probably going to be season-ending, while Jordan’s standing is still up in the air.

But Miller proved Saturday that he may carry the load, if need be.

His outburst started with that breakaway early in the third quarter, as Miller slipped through a gap and took off, stutter-stepping his method past one Michigan defender and into the open area. Miller in the end was tackled, only to punch in a landing two performs later.

“Whenever I see green grass,” Miller said, “I just try to go out there and get what I can.”

The rating gave USC a 21-7 lead that it could never relinquish. But Miller wasn’t carried out with his breakout efficiency. He sprinted away for a comparable 47-yard gain on the very next drive.

The distinction Saturday was on the ground. USC’s protection held Michigan to 109 dashing yards, less than half of its traditional whole. Its offense, meanwhile, ran for 86 more yards than Michigan has allowed all season. It completed with 224.

It was a testomony to the last week and USC’s renewed efforts at the road of scrimmage, where the Trojans have been combating notion as a crew incapable of matching up with the Big Ten’s more bodily outfits. That merely wasn’t the case Saturday, though. USC was without two of its steadiest offensive linemen, Elijah Paige and Kilian O’Connor, and still managed to dominate at the purpose of assault.

USC tight end Walker Lyons makes a first-down gesture after catching a cross in the first half of the Trojans’ win over Michigan at the Coliseum on Saturday evening.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“It says we’re a tough-ass physical program,” Riley said. “That’s what it says.”

That assertion was most encouraging on the defensive end, where USC bounced back to shut down Michigan and its standout freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. After weeks of its secondary being picked aside, USC held Underwood to just 207 yards on 15-of-24 passing.

“We got into some exotic looks with this young quarterback,” said security Bishop Fitzgerald, who snagged his fourth interception of the season. “We threw a lot at him.”

There had been other optimistic indicators for USC. For one, it dedicated just three penalties, a season-low.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava was largely regular. The junior did throw an interception in the crimson zone, when USC may have put the game away in the third quarter. Still, he completed with 265 yards passing and two touchdowns.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passes in entrance of Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore in the first half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Trojans appeared certain for a big evening on that end when it burst out of the gate, hellbent on redeeming themselves from their earlier defeat. USC rolled through one landing drive, then rolled into the crimson zone for another, before tight end Lake McRee gave up an ill-timed fumble.

Michigan appeared prefer it may seize that momentum in the second, as it mounted consecutive 11- and 14-play drives. But after Miller broke away in the third quarter, the Wolverines never cut the lead to a single rating again.

“They were eager,” Riley said, “and they just rose to the occasion in every single way.”

None more than Miller, who presumably received’t have to pay his own method for much longer at USC.