The No. 16 USC Trojans are embarking on their third road game of the season this weekend with a trip to Madison to face off against Wisconsin. NBC will cover the game in a primetime slot, marking the fifth time the network has covered USC.
During an appearance on Yogi Roth’s show Y-Option on Monday, NBC color analyst Todd Blackledge, who has called all four USC games on the network alongside Noah Eagle, shared his insights on USC’s keys to beating Wisconsin.
USC Trojans Fans Overlooking Wisconsin
Because of the State’s recent loss of Ohio State starting quarterback Julian Sayin to an injury last week, most of the talk around the Trojans have been raving about their chances against the Buckeyes. But the Trojans still need to face off against Wisconsin this Saturday before their Halloween night matchup with Ohio State.
Blackledge acknowledged the oversight of the Wisconsin game and their abilities to move the football.
“This is no gimme, this is not a layup going into Madison this week for this team,” Blackledge said. “Yes, USC should be favored. Yes, they are a better team on paper, but, again, this is a physical and gritty defense that typically does not give up a lot of big plays. They make you earn it.”
The Badgers defense held the Bruins to just 17 points a week ago. They also managed to stifle UCLA’s running game, primarily running back Wayne Knight. Wisconsin allowed Knight to rush for just 23 yards and one trip to the endzone.
Blackledge also pointed to USC performances on the road under coach Lincoln Riley. Earlier in the year, USC played a tight game with a struggling Rutgers team on the road. It took all 60 minutes, but the Trojans managed to scrape by a 42-35 win.
“On the road this year they did not play well against Rutgers. They played very well on the road against Penn State and now, they are going to have to play very well on the road again in Madison,” Blackledge said.
Stopping Wisconsin Quarterback Colton Joseph
Much of Wisconsin’s offensive threat lies in quarterback Colton Joseph. The Old Dominion transfer is an avid mobile quarterback who enjoyed his final season with the Monarchs rushing for just over one thousand yards.
“I think if the game is close, then that run threat and that run ability of Colton Joseph is for real,” Blackledge said of the Badgers quarterback. “It’s not just getting him out of the pocket, a lot of what they do with the run game is by design for the quarterback.”
Joseph has already rushed for 333 yards this year and three rushing touchdowns. Against Michigan State he scored on a season-long 47-yard touchdown run. Last week in Pasadena, he rushed for 71 yards and scored the Badgers only touchdown.
Saturday’s game will be a tough test for Riley and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson’s defense and their ability to contain Joseph’s running ability. The crowd noise from Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium will also be a major factor to overcome.
Despite having a capacity of over 75,000, the Badgers’ home is still among the rowdiest and loudest environments for visiting opponents. This will be Trojans' first visit to Madison since 1965 but a good fast start, like they did against Penn State, will be the first step for a victory. USC vs. Wisconsin will kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday on NBC.
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