The No. 16 USC Trojans (6-1 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) travel to Camp Randall Stadium to face the Wisconsin Badgers (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) on Saturday night.
With one loss and entering their final five-game stretch, the primetime clash in a hostile environment against the Badgers holds massive implications for the Trojans' Big Ten title and College Football Playoff aspirations.
A win over the Badgers on Saturday would give the Trojans the confidence they need heading back to Los Angeles for one of their most important games of the season on Halloween night against a Julian Sayin-less, No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Trojans are hoping to get key players back for Saturday night’s matchup against the Badgers, especially true freshman tight end Mark Bowman, who has missed the last two games against the Washington Huskies and Penn State Nittany Lions with an undisclosed injury.
Bowman remains questionable for Saturday night’s game against the Badgers. Here’s a look at the Trojans' current injuries, according to Friday’s Big Ten availability report.
USC Trojans Injury Report vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Out
Terrell Anderson, wide receiver
Corey Simms, wide receiver
Kendarius Reddick, safety
Taylor Johnson, linebacker
Roman Marchetti, linebacker
Kilian O'Connor, offensive lineman
Questionable
Mark Bowman, tight end
Luc Weaver, wide receiver
Jide Abasiri, defensive tackle
Probable
Jahkeem Stewart, defensive tackle
Jadyn Walker, linebacker
USC Trojans vs. Wisconsin Badgers Recent Meetings
Since the Trojans joined the Big Ten in 2024, they have faced Wisconsin one time. The meeting came on Sept. 28, 2024, a game the Trojans won 38-21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans look to continue their dominance on Saturday night with a win at Camp Randall as USC leads the all-time series 7-1 over Wisconsin.
The Badgers' only win in the series came in a 23-21 win over the Trojans in the 2015 Holiday Bowl. With the Trojans being three-point favorites, per DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds, a similar scoring margin to the 2015 Holiday Bowl might be what it takes for the Badgers to upset the Trojans on Saturday night.
A Badgers upset win over the Trojans on Saturday night would crush USC’s CFP aspirations, as they would likely need to win out to make the 12-team bracket for the first time in program history. The Trojans have three games remaining against top-10-ranked opponents, including the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (Oct. 31), No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers (Nov. 14), and No. 9 UCLA Bruins (Nov. 28).
Odds suggest the Trojans won’t win all three matchups, as ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives USC a 17.5 percent chance to make the CFP, the fifth-highest in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, and Iowa.
How USC Trojans Can Pass Road Test vs. Wisconsin Badgers
The key to a Trojans road win over the Badgers on Saturday night is how their defense performs against Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph, who leads Wisconsin in passing and rushing this season. Joseph’s talent has the attention of defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren and the Trojans' defense as they prepare for their road test against the Badgers.
“Almost every single team in college nowadays has a quarterback who can run,” VanSumeren said. “That’s popular, and we faced a lot of them this season. But we’ve done a good job. Yet just because we’ve done a good job in the past doesn’t guarantee success in this game. So we’ve done a really good job emphasizing it over the bye week."
The Trojans look to use those skills they’ve worked on during the bye week in Saturday night’s matchup against the Badgers and improve to 7-1. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava, who leads the Big Ten in passing this season with 2,045 yards, 18 touchdowns, and three interceptions, also looks to build off his performance in USC’s thrilling 31-23 road win before the bye week against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Maiava will rely on a talented young group of wide receivers for the Trojans, including Trent Mosley, Tanook Hines, and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, all of whom contributed to USC's recent statement road win over the Nittany Lions.
The Trojans and Badgers will kick off at Camp Randall Stadium at 4:30 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on NBC.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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