The Michigan Wolverines are off to a shaky start. After a sluggish Week 1 victory, they were hammered by the Texas Longhorns in their Week 2 game. New head coach Sherrone Moore may have expected this storm since taking over from Jim Harbaugh. On the other hand, USC Trojans are flying. Two victories- one against a strong LSU team away from home and then a shutout on defense against Utah State – what more can HC Lincoln Riley ask? Well, to be fair, much more! As they enjoy their bye week, the Trojans have a tough task ahead in Week 4 against the national champions. Another away game- this time at Ann Arbor. Fortunately for USC, there is some good news.

Trojans HC Lincoln Riley announced the return of two key players: LB Mason Cobb and CB Jaylin Smith. Cobb has impressed since his transfer from Oklahoma State. Unfortunately, his 2023 season was affected by injuries and struggles. Although the 2024 season had started, and he was getting back to his form and trying to gain momentum, he disappeared again. He was neither seen in the match against Utah State nor the practice sessions. Trojan fans were concerned for USC’s defense. Not anymore! As per Riley, “LB Mason Cobb and CB Jaylin Smith, who were both out vs. Utah State, will be healthy for Michigan.”

After Cobb had missed the practice and game earlier this week, senior linebacker Eric Gentry took advantage of the opportunity and stepped up for the team. Gentry played with the same intensity as Cobb, racked up three tackles in the first quarter, and kept Utah State’s quarterbacks under pressure. But it is seen that the linebacker was missing from the practice yesterday, Lincoln. Riley has confirmed that with Cobb, he will also be part of the team against Michigan. “All good with Eric. He’ll play vs. Michigan in two weeks.”

With the impressive performance on the crucial stage, Eric showed his team that he would be a vital part of USC’s defense. His versatility and determination allowed him to excel and step up when the team needed him the most. As Riley has confirmed Eric’s presence in the next game, USC’s defense has become stronger for the crucial matchup.

Lincoln Riley’s Trojans dominated the Utah State Aggies

Utah State faced the season’s second loss over the USC Trojans. Lincoln Riley’s team clearly dominated them and won by 48-0. The Aggies struggled badly throughout the game on both offense and defense. They allowed 544 yards while only managing 190 yards of total offense.

USU’s Student Newspaper reported Aggies head coach Nate Dreiling’s comment just after the match, “Hats off to USC.” He added, “They proved why they’re one of the best teams in the country, and they’re going to be hard to beat.” HC’s praise clearly highlighted USC’s performance left a lasting impression on him. Their dominance showed their depth in all the positions. Although their key players were not playing, the team managed to win by a huge margin.