si
The No. 16 USC Trojans faced a familiar setback on Saturday night, falling to the Wisconsin Badgers 24-7 at Camp Randall Stadium. The defeat marks another road loss in Big Ten play for USC under coach Lincoln Riley, who has now seen his team drop five such games in his tenure. The Trojans entered the matchup as favorites but were overwhelmed by a stifling Badgers defense.
For Wisconsin, the victory is a signature win for coach Luke Fickell, who praised his team's defensive effort. "That defense, Coach Tress and those guys on the defensive side of the ball, they played an incredible game, and they kept the pressure on," Fickell said. The Badgers held USC to minus-17 rushing yards, a statistic Fickell highlighted as crucial. "It's going to be tough to lose a football game if you can hold somebody under 100 yards rushing," he added.
Fickell also acknowledged the performance of Bryan Jackson, who faced his former team. "To have his opportunities tonight, obviously, in the situation that it is, is pretty special," Fickell said. "Sometimes you just got to give guys greater opportunities to see what they really have when the game's on the line, and he showed us something tonight." Jackson's contribution helped the Badgers control the game and secure the upset.
After the win, Wisconsin fans stormed the field, a moment Fickell cherished. "This is what college football is about," he said. "We complain at times that there's a merry-go-round of college football and a lot of the new of college football, but this is what never changes and what makes college football special. The pageantry, the history, and the fanbases, in particular on campuses, it's unbelievable."
Key Analysis
The loss drops USC to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play, severely damaging their College Football Playoff aspirations. To keep their CFP hopes alive, the Trojans likely need to win out against a daunting schedule that includes games against No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Indiana, and No. 9 UCLA. With two of those three games on the road, where Riley's teams have struggled, USC's path to the playoff appears increasingly narrow. The Trojans' next opportunity comes on Halloween night against the Buckeyes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.