LOS ANGELES – The Wisconsin football team faced challenges in the second half during their game against No. 16 USC on Saturday, ultimately losing 38-21 in their Big Ten opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where 74,118 fans were in attendance.
The Badgers struggled offensively and defensively in the second half, failing to score while allowing 28 unanswered points. Overall, Wisconsin was outgained 469-285 throughout the game, with a particularly difficult second half where they managed only 82 yards compared to USC’s 205.
Sophomore quarterback Braedyn Locke made his first start of the season, completing 13 of 26 passes for 180 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Senior running back Tawee Walker contributed with 55 yards on 12 carries, scoring twice. Junior Vinny Anthony led the team with 70 receiving yards and caught his first collegiate touchdown on a 63-yard pass in the first quarter.
Key takeaways from the game include:
The Badgers struggled to stop third downs, which proved detrimental. Wisconsin’s defense set up numerous third-and-long scenarios but failed to convert these into stops. USC took advantage, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter thanks in part to converting five consecutive third downs, averaging over 14 yards per play.
Despite winning the turnover battle 3-2, Wisconsin could not capitalize on this advantage. Tyrell Henry’s muffed punt created a critical turnover, leading to an easy USC touchdown following a short drive.
Wisconsin found some success by attacking USC’s defense vertically in the first half, with Locke connecting with Anthony for a long touchdown pass and hitting Bryson Green for another crucial completion that set up a touchdown run by Walker.
Punter Atticus Bertrams also played a pivotal role in the game, flipping the field with long punts, including a remarkable 74-yarder that pinned USC deep in their own territory. His efforts led to a recovery by Wisconsin after a muffed punt, allowing the Badgers to score another touchdown.
Wisconsin ended the first half on a strong note by forcing a fumble courtesy of Leon Lowery, thwarting a USC drive that was threatening to reach the red zone and maintaining momentum going into the locker room, though they couldn’t capitalize to score in that possession.
Overall, the second half proved costly for the Badgers as they were unable to sustain their initial momentum against a formidable opponent.