USC Full Steam Towards Wisconsin Badgers Following Bye Week

USC Trojans football is in the midst of a crucial stretch in their schedule. 

Coming off a bye week, the Trojans and Lincoln Riley have found themselves with a 6-1 record, capped off by a signature Big Ten road win against the Penn State Nittany Lions last time out. 

Now with a week off and a flurry of players gaining another week of recovery in their belt, Riley and the Trojans look ahead to another tough road trip. 

They will travel to the Midwest for a second consecutive Big Ten road game, this time against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers are coming off their second loss of the season, falling to the now-ranked No. 9 UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 17.

This trip to Wisconsin will be just the third time that the Trojans play the Badgers at Madison, with the last time being in 1965.

Wisconsin is not a team that should be counted out by any means in the Big Ten. Led by fourth-year head coach Luke Fickell, the ceiling has gradually increased for Fickell and the Badgers. 

Though the numbers suggest something on the offensive front, a complete waltz to Madison should not be on the minds of any Trojans on both sides of the ball.  

What they lack on offense, they make up for on defense, as the Badgers are lined up to run one of the best sneaky defensive schemes they have played in 2026. 

Wisconsin ranks fourth in total yards per game (271.3), sixth in passing yards allowed (171.1) and rushing yards (99.6), and seventh in total points given up per game (16.7). 

Despite that loss to UCLA, the Badgers showed why their defense could be a potential thorn in the side for USC. The Badgers held the Bruins to just 17 points — tying their lowest mark since their week five result against the Oregon Ducks — and kept the Bruins' run game to just 3.2 yards per carry. 

The run game will be something to keep an eye on for USC, with the tandem of King Miller and Waymond Jordan not disappointing up to this point in the season.

If the Badgers do neutralize the Trojans' run game early, Jayden Maiava is more than capable of slinging the ball, as he heads to Madison, ranking number two in all of college football in yards with 2,045. 

This is all rounding up to a pivotal Halloween matchup back at the Coliseum, where the Ohio State Buckeyes are awaiting.