Makai Lemon injury: USC HC Lincoln Riley shares update on Trojans WR's status
The USC Trojans suffered the first loss of the 2024-25 season over the weekend, losing a tough 27-24 matchup versus the Michigan Wolverines.
The Trojans suffered an injury within the talented receiving corps during the Week 4 matchup, when sophomore wideout Makai Lemon went down after a blindside hit from a Michigan player on a punt in the first quarter.
The receiver stayed down for a few moments and required assistance from the Trojans' training staff to get to the sideline. Lemon was taken to a University of Michigan hospital following the hit.
Despite the scary situation, USC head coach Lincoln Riley provided an optimistic update on Lemon following the Trojans' loss.
"He's doing good, he's doing good. He's rebounded back well, I think, as good as you could possibly hope for with that scary of a situation. That was kind of a unique play. His head kind of ended up with a whiplash effect. I think it was more of the helmet hitting the ground than the actual hit. You never want to see that, but thankfully, he bounced back well and was able to fly home with us that night and is doing very well." (10:08 )
Riley remained very positive when providing his update, giving fans optimism for a return from the sophomore wideout sooner rather than later. Lemon could miss a game or two going through concussion protocol, and will likely be out this weekend versus Wisconsin.
Lemon was ranked as the No. 6 wide receiver in the country in the 2023 Class and was touted as a top-50 recruit in the country, per 247Sports.
USC Trojans prepare to bounce back in Week 4 Big Ten home opener
Lincoln Riley and the Trojans will host the home opener since joining the Big Ten in Week 4, with the Wisconsin Badgers coming to town.
The Badgers suffered the first loss of the season at the hands of the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide in a 42-10 blowout.
Sportsbooks like the Trojans at home versus Wisconsin, with USC opening as a 15.5-point favorite. The Trojans will look to avenge Week 4's loss versus Michigan on Saturday.
USC remains in the playoff hunt despite the early season loss. The Trojans have two top-25 opponents left on the schedule to potentially bolster the stats as the season progresses.
No. 9 Penn State is USC's next ranked opponent on the schedule. The Trojans will meet the Nittany Lions in Los Angeles on October 12.