The Wisconsin Badgers have a chance to virtually guarantee themselves bowl eligibility this weekend against the No. 15 USC Trojans.
With a win, Luke Fickell’s side will be pushed to 5-2, with the season’s most challenging games largely out of the way.
However, standing in the way of a 5-2 record is one of the nation’s most prolific offenses who average 462.4 yards per game.
The Trojans are 6-1, with one loss coming against the Oregon Ducks in a high-scoring 41-27 affair.
ESPN's Bill Connelly’s SP+ metric is one of the most widely accepted measures in all of college football, and unfortunately for Wisconsin fans, the Badgers are projected to lose 28-23.
What will be the deciding factor?
The biggest storyline going into this will be one of the nation’s best offenses (USC) vs. one of the best defenses (Wisconsin).
While each team will have its fair share of plays to cancel one another out on that side, this will be a game that will be decided by whether Wisconsin’s offense can put together its best performance of the season. With the Badgers averaging just 341 yards per game, until they prove otherwise, there is little reason to think this offense will turn things around this weekend.
Connelly's full prediction
- USC's projected margin of victory: 4.5 points
- Wisconsin's win probability: 39%
- Final score: USC 28, Wisconsin 23
- Spread: USC -2.5
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: ESPN predicts the final score of Wisconsin football vs. USC in Week 8