Wisconsin walks into Week 8 with a real chance to make some noise, and the number next to the game says as much. The Badgers are only 2.5-point underdogs against USC, a line that has plenty of people doing a double take. Add in the fact that the Trojans are ranked No. 16 and had a bye week to get ready, and this still comes off as a tricky one to sort out.
Even so, the College GameDay crew leaned Wisconsin’s way. Three of the five picked the Badgers to upset USC, and that alone has given fans a fresh jolt of optimism heading into tonight’s game.
This is also a much different matchup for Wisconsin than last week’s trip to UCLA. Yes, the Badgers are back home at Camp Randall, but the bigger story is how these teams stack up against each other.
Wisconsin’s calling card this season has been its pass defense. It hasn’t been perfect, and the unit has faded after some early strength, but it still stands as one of the better parts of this team.
The Badgers held Notre Dame in check for most of that opener, and UCLA had trouble moving the ball through the air too - at least until it was too late.
That matters here because USC wants to win with its arm. The Trojans rank second in the Big Ten in passing yards per game, and while they can mix in the run, they haven’t exactly scared anybody on the ground.
On the other side, USC’s pass defense has been a major issue. The Trojans sit third from the bottom in the Big Ten in defending the air attack, which gives Wisconsin a clear path to try to get Colton Joseph back on track.
There’s also reason to question just how proven USC really is. The Trojans have been winning, but not against much of a resume.
Their victories have come in a soft non-conference slate or against the bottom tier of the Big Ten: Penn State, Rutgers, and Washington. That leaves a little bit of doubt about how sturdy this team actually is.
Still, there is one area that should make Wisconsin pause. USC has been one of the most efficient third-down offenses in the country, converting more than 50% of its chances. That’s not ideal for a Badgers defense that struggled badly in that area against UCLA.
So the path is there, even if it’s not simple. Wisconsin’s defense has a chance to force USC into the kind of game the Trojans would rather avoid, and the GameDay pick only adds to the belief that an upset is within reach. Luke Fickell has spent the week getting his team ready, and if the Badgers can pull this one off, they’ll be sitting in a strong spot to chase eight or nine wins this season.
In Other News...
Wisconsin's Kingston Allen Is Making This Recruitment Much More Tense
Kingston Allen keeps giving Wisconsin plenty to like and just as much to worry about. The high school running back, already the touchdown leader in Wisconsin state history, recently added another milestone by setting a school rushing record, a reminder that his production has stayed at a level few recruits can match. Badgers running backs coach Jayden Everett has been making sure Allen knows how strongly Wisconsin wants him, and the program has good reason to stay aggressive.
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 🡒]
Wisconsin Faces One Problem That Could Kill Its Upset Shot
Wisconsin comes home after the loss to UCLA with a chance to reset against USC, and the matchup asks the Badgers to lean on what has kept them competitive. Their defense has been the steadier part of the team, while the offense has faced real questions, especially with the run game needing more consistency against a Trojans front that can make life difficult. With Wisconsin listed as a three-point underdog, this is the kind of spot where a home crowd can matter, but only if the Badgers can control enough of the game to keep USC from dictating the pace.
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 🡒]
Dalton Kincaid Just Gave Utah Fans Another Reason To Love USC Week
Dalton Kincaid gave Utah fans a little extra juice during the Oct. 24 edition of ESPN College GameDay, leaning into an old Pac-12 rivalry by publicly taking a shot at USC. The former Utah tight end, now with the Buffalo Bills, pointed back to the Utes past wins over the Trojans and used that history to back Wisconsin in the upcoming matchup, a position that instantly played well with the live audience.
For Wisconsin, the endorsement was a curious little bonus entering a game with plenty of its own intrigue. Kincaid is still remembered in Salt Lake City for the role he played in those Utah-USC battles, and his comments added another layer to a rivalry that already tends to bring out strong feelings. Whether Badgers fans embrace the support or just enjoy the reaction it stirred, it was the kind of pregame moment that tends to travel fast. [Read more 🡒]