King Miller’s breakout game powers USC to win over No. 15 Michigan

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 were at a premium, both of the Trojans’ top two running backs had already been carted up the Coliseum tunnel. Two of their top linemen, meanwhile, started Saturday in street clothes. The circumstances were anything but ideal for a team whose season hung in the balance.

King Miller, though, was already familiar with beating long odds. Not long ago, the redshirt freshman was buried on the depth chart, a preferred walk-on from Calabasas High without any obvious path to playing time at USC. He’d chosen the Trojans over other opportunities, knowing he might not ever get his shot.

But that was before Saturday, before Miller saw a crease in the Michigan defense, before he took off on a breakaway, game-changing run that broke open the game and eventually 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 thankful than Lincoln Riley, who entered Saturday with a measly four victories in 15 tries over ranked teams during his tenure as the Trojans coach. Considering how poorly USC had played in its last outing — a ranked loss to Illinois in late September — this was perhaps 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 conversation, one that would open up even further with a win in South Bend next Saturday.

But the fact that this particular victory came 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 touchdown at USC — the most recent being Miller himself, earlier this season.

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

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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

As Jordan left, running 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 rest of Miller’s outing would indeed reverberate across an eventful weekend of college football. Miller’s next 16 carries ultimately went for 148 yards, more than any team 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 will be without its other backs is still unclear. Riley said the injury to Eli Sanders is likely to be season-ending, while Jordan’s status is still up in the air.

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

His outburst began with that breakaway early in the third quarter, as Miller slipped through a hole and took off, stutter-stepping his way past one Michigan defender and into the open field. Miller ultimately was tackled, only to punch in a touchdown two plays later.

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

The score gave USC a 21-7 lead that it would never relinquish. But Miller wasn’t done with his breakout performance. He sprinted away for a similar 47-yard gain on the very next drive.

The difference Saturday was on the ground. USC’s defense held Michigan to 109 rushing yards, less than half of its usual total. Its offense, meanwhile, ran for 86 more yards than Michigan has allowed all season. It finished with 224.

It was a testament to the last week and USC’s renewed efforts at the line of scrimmage, where the Trojans have been fighting perception as a team incapable of matching up with the Big Ten’s more physical outfits. That simply 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 point of attack.

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

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

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

That statement 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 apart, USC held Underwood to just 207 yards on 15-of-24 passing.

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

There were other positive signs for USC. For one, it committed just three penalties, a season-low.

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

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

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Trojans looked bound for a big night on that end when it burst out of the gate, hellbent on redeeming themselves from their previous defeat. USC rolled through one touchdown drive, then rolled into the red zone for another, before tight end Lake McRee gave up an ill-timed fumble.

Michigan looked like it might seize that momentum in the moment, 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 score again.

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

None more than Miller, who presumably won’t have to pay his own way much longer at USC.