No. 13 USC vs. Wisconsin
When: 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV/radio: CBS (Ch. 2)/710 AM
Records: USC 2-1 (0-1 Big Ten), Wisconsin 2-1 (0-0 Big Ten)
Line: USC by 15.5
Notable injuries
USC: OUT: TE Lake McRee (leg); DOUBTFUL: WR Makai Lemon (undisclosed), DT Bear Alexander (redshirt); QUESTIONABLE: S Akili Arnold (undisclosed)
Wisconsin: OUT: QB Tyler Van Dyke (knee), DL James Thompson Jr. (upper body)
What’s at stake? In USC’s tightly produced “Only USC” mini-doc series, head coach Lincoln Riley was captured in the locker room preaching a message of moving forward after last Saturday’s hard-fought loss to Michigan.
“I bet you this,” Riley announced to his group. “I bet you we get better from this. I think we’re a pretty close group. I bet we even get a little closer after this.”
The Trojans will have the chance to show it Saturday in their Big Ten home opener, facing two key reminders of last year’s program that this 2024 team has so thoroughly moved on from. Alex Grinch, the defensive coordinator placed squarely on the chopping block for 2023’s defensive doldrums, will return to the Coliseum as Wisconsin’s safeties coach. Tackett Curtis, so highly touted as a freshman starter at linebacker, will line up opposite his former roommate, USC left tackle Elijah Paige. It’s a fascinating matchup from a narrative standpoint, a chance for USC to channel the frustration of a loss to Michigan in a dominant exorcism of the ghosts of 2023 past.
Who’s better? USC. Wisconsin looked like a potential test entering the season, a formidable Big Ten opponent a week after traveling to Ann Arbor, but the Badgers’ outlook dimmed greatly after Miami transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in a 42-10 loss to Alabama on Sept. 14. Backup Braedyn Locke, a former Mississippi State transfer who’s completed exactly half of his 178 attempts in seven games at Wisconsin, will start in Van Dyke’s place.
There’s still enough talent on this Badgers team to make the predicted spread seem drastic, particularly in a solid secondary that’s limited opposing attacks to an average of 160 yards through the air through the season’s first three games. But Wisconsin’s offense has proved less-than-dynamic even with Van Dyke, averaging four yards a carry on the ground.
Matchup to watch: Riley vs. Grinch, because, well, let’s just have some fun here. There’s no ill will from Riley, as the head coach made clear Thursday, noting the “good times and great memories” he’d shared with Grinch dating to their days at Oklahoma. But Grinch could take in a slice of extra motivation – and it’ll be fascinating, from an on-field perspective, to see how Wisconsin’s secondary adjusts to a Riley passing attack Grinch is all too familiar with.
“I still think the game comes down to players and who executes the best on Saturday afternoon,” Riley said when asked about the dynamic Thursday. “I think we’ve prepared hard, but we know it’ll be a good challenge going against defense that he’s obviously a part of.”
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USC wins if: Quarterback Miller Moss can generate a little more momentum in the screen game and in downfield shots, also hugely dependent on an improved offensive-line performance … USC gets out to an early two-touchdown lead after a slow start against Michigan … USC can limit Wisconsin’s Will Pauling to a handful of catches, the only consistent pass-catching weapon through the early part of the Badgers’ season.
Prediction: USC 35, Wisconsin 21. The Badgers are gritty, and this doesn’t feel like a complete blowout. But expect USC to be in control through most all four quarters.