USC’s second-half shutout keeps high hopes alive as Wisconsin collapses again

number 13 USC used the second half rally to come out on top Wisconsin 38-21 at the Coliseum on Saturday. The Trojans improved to 3-1 after making an error in their first game against the Big Ten. Michigan While the Badgers fell to 2-2.

Wisconsin bids bye a week after loss AlabamaWe closed the first half ahead 21-10, but in the second half we missed the opportunity to get a quality win in a goalless conference. quarterback Braedyn Locke Made his first start of the season since the start Tyler Van DykeACL injury. Locke completed 13-of-26 passes for 180 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The Trojans outscored Wisconsin 205-82 in the second half. quarterback Miller Moss He completed 30 of 45 passes for 308 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Here’s what we learned from the game:

USC’s second half response

The Trojans’ performance in the first half Saturday was inexcusable. There were drop-offs, tackles, sloppy penalties and a general lack of discipline on both sides of the ball. It was the worst half of football USC has played this season.

As a result, for the second week in a row the Trojans found themselves trailing by 11 points at halftime. USC responded well and showed some toughness last week by putting itself in position to beat Michigan. Ultimately, the Trojans fell short.

USC responded similarly this week. After falling behind at halftime, he scored 21 points in a row to take a 31-21 lead in the middle of the fourth quarter.

This time, the rally began with Wisconsin muffing a punt and the Trojans recovering at the Badgers’ 30-yard line. moss found Ja’Kobi Road He was on this drive often and capped it off with a 6-yard touchdown pass to the young sophomore.

My second grade student friend Duce Robinson He made some big plays on the ensuing offensive possession, including an 8-yard score. After that the offense gained yards with possession, ending with a 7-yard field goal by Moss.

The defense also played more disciplined football. Safety Kamari Ramsey Wisconsin came up with a critical fourth-and-1 interception while deep in USC territory and then burned a Badgers pass catcher on third down of the series, forcing a punt, which allowed the Trojans to continue the rally. — morales

Badgers are in short supply

Wisconsin suffered a 42-10 defeat against Alabama at Camp Randall Stadium two weeks ago; It was the program’s worst home loss in 16 years. Considering the Badgers’ performance against the Crimson Tide and two closer-than-expected wins to open the season against weaker opponents, it was fair to wonder how ready Wisconsin was for Big Ten play.

The Badgers brought optimism to the schedule through two quarters and took the lead at halftime before relinquishing it in the second half. USC had too many playmakers on offense and Wisconsin had no answers. The loss dropped Luke Fickell to 0-4 against ranked teams at Wisconsin, meaning he’s looking for his first signature win since taking over the program.

There were questions before this contest about how many winnable games were left on Wisconsin’s schedule because it features ranked opponents Penn State, oregon And Nebraskatogether Iowa and invincible Rutgers. This concern is unlikely to change. If you’re looking for optimism, Wisconsin made it through at least the fourth quarter. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Badgers are currently 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the Big Ten and have a tough road ahead. — Temple

Ja’Kobi Lane steps up for USC

USC’s receiving unit is led by four talented but young sophomores who are still developing their roles. So far this group’s on-field performance has been inconsistent. Every player is good, but through three games no one has truly emerged as the No. 1 option.

That may have changed with Lane’s performance against Wisconsin. Lane caught nine passes for 108 passes and two touchdowns to lead the Trojans’ second-half rally.

Moss has distributed the ball evenly in the four starts of his career. He has thrown for at least 229 yards in each of those games, but he hasn’t thrown for 100 yards in any of the games he started heading into Saturday.

This is due to how much he spreads the ball around, but is there a true alpha that requires more goal sharing?

On Saturday afternoon, Lane looked like the man Moss went to in so many critical situations. Moss got to Lane at key moments in the fourth quarter. LSU and Michigan too. So Lane may be growing into the No. 1 role. — morales

Here goes that man @cantGuardJak1

@CBSSports pic.twitter.com/alSJ2bOK0l

— USC Football (@uscfb) September 28, 2024

Questions remain for Wisconsin’s offense and defense

Van Dyke suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee against Alabama, prompting Locke to take the field under challenging conditions for the second straight season. Locke entered Wisconsin’s off week knowing he would start nine regular season games to prove himself, and he made several big plays early in the game against USC.

Had a nice 63 yard touchdown pass to receiver Vinny Anthony IIbeat USC cornerback Jacobe Covington In the longest Badgers game of the season, the team stayed down the left sideline and tied the score at 7-7 with 10:52 left in the first quarter. Also made a 35 yard completion to the receiver Bryson Green This led to running back Tawee Walker‘s touchdown run and a 21-10 lead in the second quarter.

However, Locke and Wisconsin did not have enough firepower to maintain this momentum. The big blow came in the third quarter when Walker went on a shotgun fourth-and-1 run at the USC 33-yard line. The Trojans took the lead by scoring a touchdown on the next drive. Effective rushing plays have been rare, and Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo continues to search for answers.

Wisconsin’s defense, meanwhile, consistently failed to get off the field at critical moments, giving Moss too much time to throw. Three consecutive Trojans touchdown drives in the second half sealed the Badgers’ fate. Wisconsin, meanwhile, failed to stop five consecutive third downs and then failed to keep Moss out of the end zone on a fourth-and-one series. — Temple

(Photo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)