USC is headed to Wisconsin with Jayden Maiava carrying the kind of momentum that can tilt a game before the first snap. Through seven games, the Trojans quarterback has been the best quarterback on the field in USC’s games more often than not, and that has helped push the team to 6-1.
The assignment gets tougher this week, though, because Wisconsin brings a quarterback who can take over a game in his own right. Colton Joseph has become the hinge point for the Badgers all season long.
If Wisconsin wins, he will be the reason. If he struggles, the Badgers are in trouble.
That’s been the story of their offense.
Joseph leads Wisconsin in rushing with 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he has added 1,198 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. Even with inconsistency from his receivers, he has still been able to impact the game both from the pocket and as a runner. If USC can keep him from making plays, Wisconsin’s offense has little room to operate.
That said, Joseph is expected to cause problems for the Trojans. USC has had issues with mobile quarterbacks, and this matchup looks like another one that could force the defense to chase. The expectation here is that Joseph throws for 200 yards and runs for 60.
Still, the bigger quarterback edge belongs to USC. Wisconsin’s defense is the stronger unit, and its secondary is among the best around, but Maiava has been playing with real confidence. Lincoln Riley should have him in position to test that defense, and the quarterback is projected to rise to the challenge with more than 250 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns.
The road environment should also push Maiava to use his legs. Against a tougher defense, that part of his game could become just as important as what he does throwing the ball. Like Joseph, Maiava can turn his scrambling into a weapon, and the expectation is that he adds 60 rushing yards as well.
If that happens, USC will again be reminded that it has one of the best quarterbacks in the country. A strong Week 8 showing would only add more noise around Maiava and his place in the Heisman conversation. He has been one of the most underrated players in the country, and a big performance in Wisconsin would only build the buzz even more.
In Other News...
USC Is Chasing A Local Recruiting Win Lincoln Riley Needs
USCs push for the 2028 class already has a local name at the center of it, and CaRon Williams has become one of the early targets worth tracking. The four-star defensive back has drawn attention from a long list of heavy hitters, but the Trojans have a built-in advantage with multiple visits to campus already under his belt, giving Lincoln Riley and his staff a chance to sell him on staying close to home.
For a program trying to build momentum early in that cycle, landing a player like Williams would matter well beyond one commitment. USC currently has just one pledge in the 2028 class, and the Trojans are expected to ramp up their recruiting efforts in the spring of 2027, which makes this a situation to watch as the next stage of the process gets going. [Read more 🡒]
USC Suddenly Has A Big Ten Path Fans Need To See
USCs move into the Big Ten has already changed the way the Trojans are judged, but the league slate still has room for a rivalry twist that would have sounded far-fetched a year ago. With UCLA also in the conference now, the possibility of the two former Pac-12 rivals meeting in the Big Ten Championship Game is no longer just a talking point for nostalgics. It is the kind of path that gives the rest of the season an extra layer of meaning, especially with both programs trying to finish strong and keep themselves in the title chase.
For UCLA, the loss of starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava reshapes the equation, while USC is focused on what its own schedule and key contributors can still produce down the stretch. The conference race is tight enough that both teams have to keep stacking wins to stay in range, and the matchup possibilities only get more interesting from there. If the pieces continue to fall a certain way, the Big Ten could end up with a championship game that once belonged only to old conference lore. [Read more 🡒]
Former Utah Star Took A Fresh Shot At USC Before Wisconsin
Before Wisconsin ever lined up across from USC, Dalton Kincaid was already leaning into an old Pac-12 rivalry that never seemed to lose its edge. The former Utah tight end, now with the Buffalo Bills, made his feelings clear on the October 24 edition of ESPN College GameDay, publicly taking a shot at USC and backing the Badgers to pull the upset.
Kincaid pointed back to Utahs history of success against the Trojans, including that 43-42 win in 2022, as part of why he liked Wisconsins chances. It was a pointed pick against a USC team that entered the matchup as a slight favorite, and it added another layer to a game already carrying some extra intrigue. [Read more 🡒]