LOS ANGELES — USC’s running back room was depleted rapidly in Saturday’s 31-13 victory over Michigan .

Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders both left the game due to injury, and their return isn’t likely to happen soon. The running back situation unraveled so rapidly that the coaching staff decided to deploy Bryan Jackson, who was originally listed as “out” on the official Big Ten Conference availability report.

USC was ultimately slapped with a $5,000 fine for violating the availability report, but a loss to Michigan likely would have been even more costly. It also was a baptism-by-fire that showed that Jackson, who has been healing from turf toe, is ready to play again.

“He did well, came out of the game really clean, felt good,” head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters after practice on T

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