PFF Grades and Notes from the Badgers Huge Upset Over No. 16 USC

The Badgers bounced back from a lifeless performance in Pasadena against UCLA with a physically dominant, resounding 24-7 win over No. 16 USC on Saturday night in Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin controlled the trenches on both sides of the ball and forced Trojans' quarterback Jayden Maiava into a handful of uncharacteristic mistakes. Despite only passing for 58 yards and gaining just 200 yards of total offense, that was more than enough for the Badgers to manhandle USC in all three phases.

As we continue to unpack Wisconsin's huge win over USC and look ahead to Halloween night against Iowa, Badgers On SI takes a look at a handful of key Pro Football Focus grades and numbers from the monumental Week 8 win:

OFFENSE

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Best Offensive Grade: OG Barrett Nelson (72.1)

Worst Offensive Grade: OL PJ Wilkins (52.1)

Other notable grades:

- The best overall grade on Wisconsin’s offense was OL Emerson Mandell’s 84.3 pass-blocking grade, while the worst grade was Colin Cubberly’s uncharacteristically poor 16.2 pass-blocking grade.
- WR Jaylon Domingeaux had the team’s highest run-blocking grade at 75.8.
- Tailback Abu Sama had the second-highest pass blocking grade of 78.0.

Miscellaneous offensive notes:

- QB Colton Joseph was pressured on 7-of-17 drop-backs.
- Joseph, unsurprisingly, had zero “big-time throws” but also avoided any “turnover-worthy plays.”
- USC blitzed Colton Joseph seven times, as opposed to the 16 blitzes he saw last week at the Rose Bowl.
- WR Eugene Hilton Jr and TE Jacob Harris led the way with three targets apiece.
- RB Abu Sama forced five missed tackles, while WR Chris Brooks Jr forced one on his 16-yard touchdown catch-and-run.
- 49 of Sama’s 71 rushing yards came after contact.
- Nelson and Cubberly each surrendered two pressures, while Stylz Blackmon was credited with one.

DEFENSE

Wisconsin Badgers safety Cairo Skanes. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Best defensive grade: Safety Matt Jung (81.2)

Worst defensive grade: DL Charles Perkins (50.2)

Other notable grades:

- The Badgers had a handful of stellar tackling grades on defense. The best? Jung’s 87.7, safety Cairo Skanes’ 83.9 and linebacker Mason Posa’s 81.7.
- There were also some poor tackling grades, with Nick Clayton (19.3), Justus Boone (28.2) and Charles Perkins (28.8) among the culprits.
- Linebacker Cooper Catalano notched a stellar tackling grade of 87.6.

Miscellaneous defensive notes:

- Wisconsin harassed Maiava all night, racking up 17 pressures (on 55 USC drop-backs). Sebastian Cheeks led the way with six, while Posa added three. Catalano, Junior Poyser and Hammond Russell IV notched two each.
- The Badgers missed 10 tackles, which is certainly more than they’d like. However, USC ran 75 offensive plays to Wisconsin 57, despite Wisconsin winning time of possession by about five minutes. Cornerbacks Jai’mier Scott and Bryce West each missed two.
- Wisconsin notched 20 “stops,” or plays that constitute a failure for the offense. Catalano led the way with five, with Cheeks (4), West (3) and Fearbry (2) behind him.
- Jung was targeted eight times and only allowed three catches.

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