Photo gallery from Wisconsin’s disappointing loss to No. 13 USC Trojans

Photo gallery from Wisconsin’s disappointing loss to No. 13 USC Trojans

The Wisconsin Badgers football team lost to USC 38-21 on Saturday. It was the second straight blowout loss for Luke Fickell’s squad.

Wisconsin was coming off of their bye week and quarterback Braedyn Locke took over as the full-time starter following Tyler Van Dyke’s season-ending knee injury versus Alabama on Sept. 14.

The Badgers took advantage of three first h-lf turnovers from the Trojans, taking a 21-10 lead into the break with running back Tawee Walker scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter.

The second half was the complete opposite story for Wisconsin as they fumbled a punt return, which led to a USC touchdown on the following possession. They also failed to convert on fourth down deep in Trojans’ territory in the third quarter.

USC quarterback Miller Moss hit his stride following halftime, throwing for two touchdowns in the second half, while also adding a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown.

Braedyn Locke finished his day with 180 passing yards and a touchdown, while also throwing a pick-six to Mason Cobb in the fourth quarter. Tawee Walker compiled 55 yards and two scores on 12 carries.

For USC, Miller Moss produced 308 passing yards and three touchdowns while adding 17 rushing yards and a score on five rushes. Wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had a monster day, reeling in 10 catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

The Badgers will look to get back on track when they host Purdue at Camp Randall on Saturday in Week 6. In the meantime, here are some of the best pictures from Wisconsin’s Week 6 loss to the Trojans:

Wisconsin Badgers vs. USC Trojans: Series history, all-time record

Wisconsin Badgers vs. USC Trojans: Series history, all-time record

Wisconsin (2-1) will travel to face No. 13 USC (2-1) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Los Angeles. It will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two programs and their first since the two teams squared off in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.

The Badgers have gone 1-6 against the Trojans to this point, though they won that Holiday Bowl matchup 23-21. That was the first matchup between the schools since 1966.

Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave completed 18 of 27 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown while running back Corey Clement added 67 yards and a score on 19 carries. The victory secured the team’s second straight bowl win, a streak that ultimately reached five years in a row (2014-2018).

Prior to the Holiday Bowl in 2015, all six of Wisconsin’s prior contests with USC came from 1953-1966, all of which they lost.

USC enters Week 5 of the 2024 college season 2-1 on the year, dropping their contest this past weekend 27-24 on the road to Michigan in a battle of two ranked teams. The Wolverines were able to churn out 290 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the game.

Wisconsin will be entering Saturday’s contest in Los Angeles with Braedyn Locke as their new starting quarterback, replacing Tyler Van Dyke after he suffered a season-ending knee injury versus Alabama on Sept. 14. The Badgers will likely look to rely on their running game similar to Michigan to take down the Trojans in Week 5.

Wisconsin remains on the outside of latest US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 4

Wisconsin remains unranked in latest US LBM Coaches Poll ahead of Week 5

The Wisconsin Badgers (2-1) remain unranked in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll following Week 4.

Wisconsin was idle this week after falling to No. 4 Alabama 42-10 on Sept. 14. Though there were plenty of noteworthy games in the Big Ten this weekend, as No. 17 Michigan knocked off No. 12 USC at home 27-24 and No. 24 Illinois defeated No. 22 Nebraska 31-24 in overtime in Lincoln.

The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the college football regular season. The Badgers have yet to be ranked this season and coming off of a bye week, it’s not a major surprise that they remain on the outside looking in.

The top of the poll this week is led by Georgia at No. 1 overall, then Texas at No. 2, Ohio State at No. 3, Alabama at No. 4. and Ole Miss at No. 5, which is the same configuration as last week.

Here’s a look at the full Week 4 US LBM Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports:

Ranking Team Record Points
1 Georgia Bulldogs 3-0 1,350 (35)
2 Texas Longhorns 4-0 1,324 (18)
3 Ohio State Buckeyes 3-0 1,279 (2)
4 Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0 1,185
5 Ole Miss Rebels 4-0 1,145
6 Tennessee Volunteers 4-0 1,094
7 Oregon Ducks 3-0 1,016
8 Penn State Nittany Lions 3-0 967
9 Miami Hurricanes 4-0 912
10 Utah Utes 4-0 904
11 Missouri Tigers 4-0 887
12 Michigan Wolverines 3-1 692
13 LSU Tigers 3-1 632
14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 3-1 553
15 Clemson Tigers 2-1 542
16 USC Trojans 2-1 520
17 Louisville Cardinals 3-0 509
18 Oklahoma Sooners 3-1 404
19 Iowa State Cyclones 3-0 386
20 Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-1 326
21 Illinois Fighting Illini 4-0 307
22 BYU Cougars 4-0 167
23 UNLV Rebels 3-0 124
24 Texas A&M Aggies 3-1 119
25 Kansas State Wildcats 3-1 116

Schools Dropped Out

No. 22 Nebraska; No. 23 Memphis;

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 94; Indiana 67; Pittsburgh 50; Boise State 42; UCF 35; Iowa 34; Arizona 16; Boston College 15; Duke 14; James Madison 13; Nebraska 7; Washington 6; Rutgers 5; Colorado 5; SMU 4; South Carolina 2; Navy 2; Liberty 2; Arkansas 2;

Wisconsin will travel to face No. 16 USC on the road Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The contest will the the Badgers’ first with Braedyn Locke as their starting quarterback this season after Tyler Van Dyke suffered a torn ACL in his right knee against the Crimson Tide.

Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas shares his opinion of Badgers’ current ‘Air Raid’ offense

What Joe Thomas thinks of Wisconsin’s ‘Air Raid’ offense

The Wisconsin Badgers football team has started the year 2-1, but many are growing to be impatient with the team’s offensive approach. Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas, however, is not one of those jumping ship on Phil Longo’s offense.

Thomas is a member of the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, spending 2003-2006 with the Badgers before an 11-year professional career with the Cleveland Browns.

He joined ESPN Madison’s “Jump Around” program Thursday, explaining what he thinks of the air raid offense from an offensive lineman’s perspective.

“If you have aspirations of being an NFL offensive lineman, the air raid doesn’t bother me the way that Wisconsin is running. They’re still teaching pro-style techniques,” Thomas explained.

In terms of where the offense is at so far on the season, Wisconsin ranks 96th in the FBS, averaging 356.3 yards per game on offense. Thomas outlined what the team needs to do moving forward.

“It’s just a matter of putting together what’s our identity on offense. If it is air raid and short passes, then we have to complete a lot of them. If we’re not good at that, maybe we have to pivot a little,” Thomas described.

Wisconsin will return to action on Sept. 28, squaring off with No. 11 USC in Los Angeles.