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Jayden Maiava had an uncharacteristic first quarter against Wisconsin.
The USC quarterback threw two interceptions on the first two of three Trojans possessions to start the game. The defense limited the damage as the first pick resulted in a Wisconsin field goal and the second ended in a field-goal miss by the Badgers.
Through seven games this season, Maiava had thrown three interceptions. On Saturday, he almost matched his season tally in the first quarter alone.
The Trojans trailed by only a field goal entering the second quarter. He bounced back by throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to give USC the lead, 7-3.
Maiava has been one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the country, completing 67.9% of his passes with a QBR of 86.6 (which ranks fourth in the nation). The senior signal-caller ranked third in passing yards entering Saturday’s game.
The matchup for No. 16 USC is important for their College Football Playoff hopes because their next two games feature No. 3 Ohio State and No. 6 Indiana, making a win over the unranked Badgers pivotal.
Head coach Lincoln Riley’s future remains uncertain with the program, especially after USC’s rocky start to the 2026 season. Riley is in the midst of his fifth year with the Trojans, but has yet to meet expectations.
There’s still plenty of time for Maiava to bounce back in Saturday’s matchup and the Trojans will need their starting quarterback to do so in order to secure a win over Wisconsin.