Luke Fickell doesn’t sound like a coach planning to sleepwalk into Saturday night.
With No. 16 USC rolling into Camp Randall Stadium for a primetime matchup against Wisconsin, the Badgers coach was direct about what makes Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava so difficult to deal with. Maiava has stacked up 2,045 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions this season, and Wisconsin knows stopping him means more than just covering receivers downfield.
“They have thrown the ball exceptionally well, and I don’t know that would surprise you. I think they’ve got a hell of a combination.
He does a great job. I think that they’re unique in their run game.
It’s not like you can fall asleep on the run game.”
Fickell also pointed to the way USC can punish defenses in multiple ways if they lose discipline.
“That’s where I think they get so many people to have to be able to handle a lot of the counter plays that they have and run really well, but his connection with the wideouts and his ability to move in the pocket, his ability to even create not maybe run as much when he creates, but always keep his eyes downfield. He’s got a lot of trust in the wideouts, and for a good reason.”
“So I think there’s a great combination of him with his ability to throw the football, but also the combination of his ability to extend plays and a really talented receiver group,” Fickell continued.
USC comes in at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten as a three-point favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds. The Trojans are trying to keep their momentum rolling through the back half of the season, and a win in Madison would set up an even bigger test on deck: No.
3 Ohio State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31.
The schedule only gets tighter after that. USC still has ranked matchups against No.
6 Indiana on Nov. 14 and No. 9 UCLA on Nov.
Wisconsin enters at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten after a 17-7 road loss to No. 9 UCLA.
Saturday is the second stop in a three-game road stretch for the Badgers, which also includes No. 15 Iowa on Oct.
For Wisconsin, quarterback Colton Joseph is the one USC has to account for. He leads the Badgers in both passing and rushing, throwing for 1,198 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while also running for 333 yards and four scores on 69 carries.
If USC wants to leave Camp Randall with another road win, its defense will have to slow Joseph down and keep the Badgers from turning this into a grind. The Trojans and Badgers kick off Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
PT on NBC, marking USC’s fourth straight primetime game on the network after the 41-27 home loss to Oregon on Sept. 26.
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