This weekend’s game between USC and Wisconsin is a sellout. The two storied programs are preparing for their first meeting in nine years. The last time these teams faced off was in the 2015 Holiday Bowl, with USC emerging victorious.
Wisconsin enters the game with a 2-1 record, led by second-year head coach Luke Fickell (9-7 record with the Badgers). The Badgers are coming off an idle week, having lost their previous game to then-No. 4 Alabama by a score of 42-10. The Badgers were outgained by the Crimson Tide, 407 yards to 290.
Wisconsin’s offense is led by sixth-year running back Chez Mellusi, who has rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns on 46 carries this season. Wide receiver Will Pauling is another key weapon for the Badgers, having recorded 19 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, safety Hunter Wohler leads the way with 17 tackles and two pass breakups.
USC, meanwhile, is 2-1 on the season and ranked No. 16 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Trojans are led by quarterback Miller Moss, who has thrown for 890 yards and 5 touchdowns with just one interception. Running back Woody Marks has also been a standout for USC, rushing for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns on 42 carries (6.5 yards per carry).
The Trojans’ defense is led by linebacker Eric Gentry, who has recorded 26 tackles (18 solo), 2 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery this season.
This inaugural Big Ten home opener for the Trojans is sure to be a memorable one, as two of college football’s most storied programs clash in a sold-out Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The most famous game between these two teams was played in Southern California, over at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. USC beat Wisconsin in the 1963 Rose Bowl, 42-37, to win John McKay’s first national title at USC.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, Ducks Wire, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.