Wisconsin's Luke Fickell Names What Propelled Badgers Upset Over USC Trojans

Here's what Wisconsin Badgers coach Luke Fickell said after his team's 24-7 upset win over the No. 16 USC Trojans on Saturday night.

Oct 17, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 16 USC Trojans returned to an unfortunate reality that they've been accustomed to seeing in their five seasons under coach Lincoln Riley: a road loss in Big Ten play, while entering the game as a favorite.

In what felt like a golden opportunity for the Trojans to improve their College Football Playoff chances after the bye week before one of their most important games of the season against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, the Wisconsin Badgers' defense shut them down, beating USC 24-7.

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) gives the ball to running back King Miller (8) during the game against Wisconsin, Oct. 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While Riley and the Trojans see their CFP hopes dwindle, coach Luke Fickell earns one of his most signature wins as Wisconsin fans stormed the field after their upset win over USC on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium.

Here’s what a victorious Fickell said after the Badgers' upset over the Trojans on Saturday night, including his credit for Wisconsin's defense.

Wisconsin Badgers Performance On Defense 

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell walks onto the field with his team for warmups before the game against the USC Trojans at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“There’s a lot of great performances tonight. I mean, that defense, Coach Tress and those guys on the defensive side of the ball, they played an incredible game, and they kept the pressure on. He [Maiava] was 31 of 50 or something like that. A lot of those might be in the last six minutes of the game. A bunch of them are,” Fickell said. 

“But those guys played relentlessly. They played physical, minus 17 yards rushing. I mean, it’s going to be tough to lose a football game if you can hold somebody under 100 yards rushing. So happy and so proud for these guys, for this whole team and for the whole fanbase, for everybody, this was a night we needed,” Fickell continued. 

Field Storm After Win

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers students and fans rush the field at Camp Randall Stadium after the Badgers victory over the USC Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It’s pretty special. I’m so happy for the guys. Our guys, they work I mean, everybody does in college football but they’ve taken some flak, too. So to have those moments where they can celebrate and act like a college student that they don’t get an opportunity to do a whole lot, I think is really special to them, and so if we were going to hold that locker room talk and celebration for a while, but we had a lot of guys still on the field, I didn’t care,” Fickell said. 

“This is what college football is about. We complain at times that there’s a merry-go-round of college football and a lot of the new of college football, but this is what never changes and what makes college football special. The pageantry, the history, and the fanbases, in particular on campuses, it’s unbelievable,” Fickell continued. 

Bryan Jackson's Performance Against Old Team

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Bryan Jackson II (21) celebrates after a run against the USC Trojans during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“To have his (Bryan Jackson's) opportunities tonight, obviously, in the situation that it is, is pretty special, and sometimes you just got to give guys greater opportunities to see what they really have when the game’s on the line, and he showed us something tonight that we thought maybe he had, but it’s hard sometimes to see because you don’t do a lot of live and there was a pretty good depth of guys in that backfield, but happy for him,” Fickell said. 

“We actually called him up there at the end of the locker room and he still hadn’t made it in from the field yet. I don’t know if he got lost on his way to the locker room or what exactly happened, but I think he was enjoying it as well,” Fickell continued. 

What’s Next For USC Trojans?

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back to pass against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play, winning out with victories over three top-10 ranked teams, the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (Oct. 31), No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers (Nov. 14), and No. 9 UCLA Bruins (Nov. 28), seems like the only logical way the Trojans can still make the CFP in Riley’s fifth season. 

Given Riley’s struggles on the road and two of those three games away from the Coliseum, it feels like the Trojans season will end in disappointment again as USC will fail to reach their CFP goals. 

It could all come to an end on Halloween night against the Buckeyes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The kickoff between the Trojans and Buckeyes is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on NBC.

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