Michigan Football finds itself at a pivotal moment, as the program must ensure that the setback against USC doesn’t spiral into a losing streak reminiscent of what happened in 2024.

Following a discouraging 31-13 defeat to the USC Trojans on Saturday, the Michigan Wolverines seem to be at a crucial juncture once again, needing to prevent this latest loss from snowballing into a series of defeats like the previous season.

In 2024, Michigan opened with a 4-1 record before traveling west to face Washington. That loss not only stopped their early-season momentum but triggered a disastrous stretch where they dropped four of their next five games.

The Wolverines entered last week’s USC contest at 4-1 too, only to collapse in the second half. Now, head coach Sherrone Moore faces the challenge of keeping the team from repeating history and turning one defeat into multiple.

“The guys have been putting in work to fix all the issues and ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Moore said. “The message is simple — get back to work. No pouting, no excuses, just focus and improvement.”

Michigan can’t afford to dwell on the USC loss. To avoid a repeat of last season’s downward slide, the Wolverines must regroup quickly for their next matchup — a critical showdown against Washington.

“The players are upset, but we’re addressing the problems, not the people,” Moore told reporters. “We’ll correct things and move forward because we can’t let this one loss beat us twice. We’ve got to go out, play hard, and win this weekend.”

The Washington game offers Michigan a chance to regain momentum and prove this year’s team is built differently. However, another loss could signal the beginning of another rough stretch similar to last year’s.

Quarterback Bryce Underwood expressed optimism about the team’s ability to rebound from the defeat.

“We just have to keep our heads up all game, stay positive, and believe we can execute,” Underwood said. “We need to be the best version of ourselves every play and finish strong.”

To avoid reliving 2024, Michigan must clean up several problem areas. The offensive line and secondary have struggled with consistency, while the run defense was a glaring issue in the loss to USC.

USC piled up 224 rushing yards — the most Michigan has allowed since the 2022 playoff loss to TCU. If the Wolverines plan to recover, their defense must play with better discipline and stronger fundamentals in stopping the run.

Safety TJ Metcalf emphasized the importance of unity and focus as the team works to move forward.

“As a team, we need to come together more than ever,” Metcalf said. “We can’t dwell on that loss. We have to focus on what we need to fix and get better for Saturday.”

The defensive line has shown its potential — highlighted by seven sacks against Nebraska — but it must be more dominant and physical up front. The secondary also needs to tighten its coverage and prevent explosive plays.

Though the USC defeat stings, Michigan still has time to turn things around. The Wolverines can correct their flaws and steer the season back on track, but they must not let this loss define them the way it did in 2024.