Dalton Kincaid didn’t exactly warm up to USC on the Oct. 24 edition of ESPN College GameDay.
The Buffalo Bills tight end, who once lined up against the Trojans, took the celebrity guest picker role and made his feelings clear before backing Wisconsin against No. 16 USC. The discussion centered on USC’s matchup with the unranked Badgers in Madison, and Kincaid wasted no time making his stance known.
“There are two schools I really dislike, and USC is one of those schools,” Kincaid said, prompting a loud reaction from the crowd.
He then pointed back to the 2022 meeting between the former Pac-12 rivals and used that game as the reason for his pick.
"I believe a few years ago, we had a similar blackout game in which we beat them 43-42 in going for two. And I don't think they've recovered since that moment. I am taking the Badgers here."
Kincaid was one of two panelists to choose Wisconsin, joining McAfee. But Kincaid’s selection drew the biggest response from the Utah crowd.
His comments were rooted in that 2022 showdown, when he played a major role in Utah’s 43-42 win over USC at Rice Eccles-Stadium. Kincaid finished with 16 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown in a game that ended with the crowd storming the field. That loss damaged USC’s College Football Playoff push in a season when the playoff field was still limited to four teams.
USC and Utah met again later that same year with the Pac-12 title at stake, and Kincaid came out on the winning side again. Utah routed the Trojans 47-24 in Las Vegas to claim the conference championship. Kincaid had a quieter night that time, catching four passes for 40 yards.
He also beat a Clay Helton-led USC team in 2021, giving him three wins over the Trojans in his Utah career.
USC enters Saturday night as the favorite, though only slightly. Draft Kings listed the Trojans as a three-point favorite over Wisconsin. The Badgers are 4-2 and come in after giving UCLA a scare before falling 17-7 at the Rose Bowl.
Like that Utah team Kincaid remembers so well, USC is still in the mix for a conference title and the CFP race. This time, though, the Trojans have a chance to quiet one of their former tormentors by getting past Wisconsin.
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The tension comes from the fact that Allens recruitment is no longer one-sided. He has also visited Ohio State, which has offered him a scholarship, adding a heavyweight suitor to a race Wisconsin would prefer to keep quiet. For now, Allen remains publicly committed to the Badgers, but the combination of his continued standout play and Ohio States involvement has made this one of the more competitive recruiting battles Wisconsin has on its hands. [Read more 🡒]
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Wisconsin Faces One Problem That Could Kill Its Upset Shot
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The concern is obvious enough: if Wisconsin cannot move the ball on the ground, the burden shifts to a defense that will have to create extra possessions and win the hidden battle of turnovers. USC brings the kind of offensive skill that can punish mistakes quickly, which means the Badgers will need a cleaner performance than they showed in the loss to UCLA. There is a path to an upset at home, but it likely depends on Wisconsin finding some traction early and making USC work for every point. [Read more 🡒]