Michigan running back Kalel Mullings (20) squeezes through for a 2-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal to give the Wolverines the lead with 37 seconds left on Saturday.
Paul Sancya | AP photo
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan welcomed Southern California to the Big Ten with a heavy dose of smashmouth football.
Kalel Mullings surged 2 yards for a touchdown run on fourth-and-goal with 37 seconds left, lifting the 18th-ranked Wolverines to a 27-24 win over the 11th-ranked Trojans in their conference debut.
Michigan (3-1, 1-0) overcame losing a 14-0 lead in the first half and coughing up two fumbles in the second half to extend its Big Ten winning streak to a school-record 26 games.
The Wolverines won with a 10-play, 89-yard TD drive as Mullings did most of the work.
The former linebacker converted a third down from the Michigan 20 with a 63-yard run and capped the possession with his second touchdown behind behind a fullback in a jumbo package that left little doubt where the ball was going.
“It’s not five guys, it’s seven with the tight ends out there,” Mullings said.
Michigan and USC had played 10 times previously, eight in the Rose Bowl and not in the regular season since 1958.
The Trojans (2-1, 0-1) went ahead 24-20 midway through the fourth when Miller Moss threw his third touchdown pass, a 24-yarder to Ja’Kobi Lane.
USC’s last chance ended with a fourth-down throw that came up of the stick near midfield.
“I think it was just a classic, back-and-forth fight,” Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said.
Mullings had a career-high 159 yards rushing, including a 53-yard scoring run to put the Wolverines ahead early, and Donovan Edwards had a 41-yard run to give them a two-touchdown lead.
Moss was 28 of 51 for 283 yards with a season-high three touchdowns and an interception that was returned for Michigan’s only other second-half score.
“I feel like I cost our team in a big way,” he said.
USC’s Woody Marks ran for 100 yards on 13 carries, and ripped the football out of Kenneth Grant’s hand after the big defensive tackle had recovered a fumble for Michigan.
Moss bounced back from throwing a pick-6 to Will Johnson that gave the defending national champions a double-digit lead in third quarter with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jay Fair later in the quarter. His third touchdown pass to Lane with 7:01 left in the fourth came after Marks’ steal deep in Michigan territory.
Michigan needed a touchdown, trailing by four, in the final minute to win because USC defensive tackle Gavin Meyer blocked the extra point after Johnson’s interception return for a touchdown.
It also needed the clutch score because Edwards fumbled to set up a Trojans touchdown — and Michigan didn’t have a passing threat.
“Teams are going to stack the box and stop the run, and we still have to run the ball,” Mullings said.
Alex Orji made his first start at quarterback and was 7 of 12 for 32 yards and ran 13 times for 43 yards.
“If we threw for a million yards today and we lost, I’d be sitting here crying,” Orji said.
USC’s revamped defense under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn was in control on most plays, but gave up three long runs and failed to make a stop on the goal-line stand.
“We came up one play short,” Riley said.
Moore earned his first signature win as Jim Harbaugh’s successor, making enough moves that panned out in what was potentially a pivotal game in his first season.
“Our players never flinched and that’s what you’re really proud of,” he said.
No. 3 OHIO STATE 49, MARSHALL 14
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Quinshon Judkins rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns, Emeka Egbuka had 117 yards receiving and a TD and No. 3 Ohio State overcame an early push by Marshall to pull away and win..
TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns, freshman Jeremiah Smith had a 53-yard TD catch, and quarterback Will Howard rushed for a 1-yard score. The Buckeyes scored four touchdowns of 40 yards or more.
No. 16 LSU 34, UCLA 17
BATON ROUGE, La. — Garrett Nussmeier passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 16 LSU outscored UCLA 17-0 in the second half for a victory.
However, LSU lost the services of linebacker Harold Perkins, a preseason All-America selection, when he injured his right knee while making a tackle in the fourth quarter.
Perkins needed help getting to the sideline. Minutes later, he walked gingerly to the locker room with a towel over his head, flanked by trainers on each side.
By then, LSU (3-1) led by two touchdowns and added a field goal with 5:48 left in what became the Tigers’ third straight victory.
RUTGERS 26, VIRGINIA TECH 23
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jai Patel connected on a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining to lift Rutgers to a victory over Virginia Tech.
Patel’s field goal capped a 68-yard drive after Rutgers (3-0) squandered a 16-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but hung on to register its first road win of the season and its 10th consecutive nonconference victory.
Virginia Tech (2-2) took over at its 25-yard line after Patel’s field goal, but on the third play of the drive, quarterback Kyron Drones’ pass was intercepted by Rutgers’ Robert Longerbeam to seal the win for the Scarlet Knights.
The Hokies had tied the game at 23 after scoring touchdowns and converting two-point conversions on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten scored both of the Hokies’ touchdowns on runs of 14 and 2 yards.
Kyle Monangai and Samuel Brown V combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers, which finished with 187 yards rushing.
INDIANA 52, CHARLOTTE 14
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Kurtis Rourke threw one touchdown pass, ran for another and Ty Son Lawton rushed for two more scores as Indiana routed Charlotte.
Indiana is 4-0 for just the third time since 1991 and only the eighth time in school history. Curt Cignetti also became the first coach to open his Hoosiers career with four consecutive wins.
Charlotte (1-3) kept it close through the first 21 minutes but allowed two TDs in the final three minutes of the first half and another to open the second half and it never recovered.
MARYLAND 38, VILLANOVA 20
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Tai Felton caught 14 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown to continue his stellar season and Maryland scored on its first four drives en route to a victory over Villanova.
Billy Edwards Jr. completed 28 of 32 passes for a career-high 328 yards and two TDs, Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray each ran for scores and Kaden Prather caught a 19-yard TD pass to open a ruthlessly efficient first half.
In its final non-conference game and only matchup against FCS opposition, Maryland (3-1) outgained Villanova 326-51 in the first two quarters to enter halftime with a 24-0 advantage.