However, the Michigan football coaches did just that. Sherrone Moore installed Alex Orji as the starting quarterback, deciding that running (and protecting) the football was much more important than having someone who could make throws downfield — which occasionally ended up in the hands of someone wearing the wrong uniform.

Michigan football appeared to be going backwards and USC was still reveling in its Week 1 win over a potentially overhyped LSU team. Still, the Wolverines had lost to Texas in Week 2 and the Trojans were flying high coming into Ann Arbor for their first-ever Big Ten game.