The Michigan Wolverines are off to a strong start in 2025. After five games, they hold a 4-1 record and are ranked 15th in the latest AP poll. In Week 7, the Wolverines face a pivotal Big Ten road matchup against the USC Trojans.
Ahead of the game, head coach Sherrone Moore is reportedly taking steps to avoid a mistake Penn State made earlier this season, while also making adjustments for freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and the Michigan offense.
How Is Sherrone Moore Preparing Michigan for USC and Adjusting the Offense for Bryce Underwood?
Michigan will travel to Southern California this week to take on the Trojans in a game that could make or break their season. The Wolverines already have one loss to No. 6 Oklahoma, and a loss to USC would severely hurt their College Football Playoff hopes.
A key challenge for Michigan is the long trip across the country to Los Angeles, which includes a three-hour time difference. Teams have struggled with such adjustments this season, most notably Penn State, which lost to UCLA on the road last week in one of the year’s biggest upsets.
Moore reportedly plans to have the team travel on Thursday instead of Friday to avoid a similar situation, giving his players more time to adjust to the time change.
#Michigan HC Sherrone Moore says leaving to California on Thursday instead of Friday feels like it will help the team by allowing the guys to sleep and get used to the new time zone.
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) October 6, 2025
It may seem like a minor detail, but after seeing what happened to Penn State and head coach James Franklin in Week 6, it’s likely a wise decision by Moore.
Michigan’s travel plans aren’t the only change this week. Moore reportedly announced that true freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh has earned the right to start against USC.
#Michigan HC Sherrone Moore says freshman WR Andrew Marsh has earned the right to play more after his performance.
He further adds that he’s earned the right to be a starter and play.
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) October 6, 2025
Marsh was a consensus four-star in the 2025 cycle and has quickly built a strong connection with Underwood this season. He had a breakout game in Michigan’s Week 6 win over Wisconsin, catching four passes for 80 yards.
Given that Marsh and Underwood were in the same recruiting class, it makes sense that the quarterback and wide receiver have good chemistry. It appears that Moore wants to use that connection to Michigan’s advantage against the Trojans.
Michigan’s offense has been solid this season, ranking 33rd in the country according to PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric. Meanwhile, Underwood has had a strong true freshman campaign, ranking 46th among all college quarterbacks in PFSN’s CFB QBi metric.
Adding Marsh as a starter should only help Michigan’s offense and Underwood perform better against the Trojans. Moore isn’t taking any chances this week. Knowing how crucial the USC game is, he is doing everything possible to improve the Wolverines’ chances.
Michigan’s matchup against USC will be broadcast on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 11.
