Staff Predictions: Can Wisconsin Ride Home Crowd to Win vs. No. 16 USC?

Wisconsin missed out on a big opportunity to knock off its second top-15 team on the road last week, letting a winnable game at then-No. 12 UCLA slip through its fingers.

The Badgers have a chance to right the ship and topple a team perched just outside the top-15 with the No. 16 USC Trojans coming to town.

This is an absolutely enormous game for both coaches/programs in terms of what the expectations were ahead of each team's season. The noise at both schools would get significantly louder with a loss, their respective coaches' seats would get hotter.

Ahead of the primetime showdown with USC, Badgers On SI's staff offers up roundtable predictions for the Week 8 clash:

Seamus Rohrer, Editor

Wisconsin's defense, which ranks No. 16 nationally allowing just 286.7 yards per game, gives them a chance against most teams. Whether or not that's a legitimate, fighting chance depends on what happens when they're on the sideline and quarterback Colton Joseph and the offense have the ball.

I do expect the Badgers to be able to limit the Trojans' ground game. It's going to come down to whether or not Wisconsin can get off the field against one of the best third-down offenses in the country after it allowed a backup quarterback to pass for 150 yards on third down alone in Pasadena.

When Joseph and company have the ball, what matters is how much Wisconsin can take advantage of a porous USC secondary, as well as how its struggling offensive front can hold up against some talented front seven players on the Trojans' defense, namely true freshman defensive end Luke Wafle.

Ultimately, can the Badgers' offense keep pace with the high-flying Trojans? They haven't given me real reason to believe they can.

Prediction: USC 27, Wisconsin 17

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Drew Gentile, Staff Writer

Last week, I believed in Wisconsin, and like the rest of the fanbase, was disappointed in the result. I'm not under the impression that it was a back-breaking loss, but it certainly diminished my confidence to a certain extent.

All that said, UCLA is one of the best defenses in the country, while USC has been shaky on that side of the ball. For that reason, I think the offense bounces back, at least a little bit. My primary concern, however, is Jayden Maiava. Ty Dieffenbach had his way with Wisconsin's soft zone last week, and Maiava is in another stratosphere.

Ultimately, I think this is a game the Badgers could win, but until I see a quality effort offensively, including success from Joseph through the air, I'm not betting on Wisconsin to keep up offensively for four quarters.

Prediction: USC 24, Wisconsin 16

Jeremy Schneider, Staff Writer

The UCLA loss last week stings, but it doesn’t mean Wisconsin can’t win this one. USC has struggled on the road since joining the Big Ten, and its defense is far from a reliable unit.

That said, the Trojans can light up the scoreboard behind star quarterback Jayden Maiava. Wisconsin’s defense, particularly against the run, has been solid, but defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s overreliance on soft zone coverage remains a concern. Ty Dieffenbach picked apart the zone to keep the chains moving last week. If a quarterback making his first FBS start can do that, what might a star like Maiava accomplish? Factor in Javan Robinson’s questionable status, and I’m concerned.

Moving the ball should be easier against USC’s defense, but Colton Joseph still has plenty to prove with his arm against a higher-caliber opponent. This is a winnable game for Wisconsin, but I ultimately expect the Trojans to pull away late.

Prediction: USC 28, Wisconsin 20

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph (1) hands off to running back Abu Sama III (3). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Benjamin Worgull, Staff Writer

There's a lot of truth to the old adage that "offense scores points, but defense wins championships." Wisconsin has a defense that has shown to be title worthy, allowing a Big Ten best 13.3 points per game and 284.0 yards per game during conference play.

The problem is that UW's offense hasn't risen to that title level yet. While there was a blip of hope with its 31-point performance against Michigan State, UW slogged its way to a 213-yard evening against the Bruins, complete with a paltry 66 passing yards on six completions from Colton Joseph. Those numbers aren't going to beat anybody, especially a USC team that might be the best collection of individual talent the Badgers will see this season.

The Trojans' defense isn't great (350 ypg, 63rd FBS) but they have shown the ability to slow the run (111 ypg, 32nd FBS). A one-dimensional offense rarely yields results, especially when the UW offense has a quarterback that hasn't truly found a groove yet.

I feel like we were slightly duped by UW's four-game winning streak, which includes two Big Ten wins over two current winless conference teams. These next two games are huge opportunities for Fickell to show how his program is progressing, although I have a feeling they aren't going to be pretty.

Prediction: USC 34, Wisconsin 21

Christian Borman, Staff Writer

The Wisconsin offense's struggles last week at UCLA were definitely concerning. Things felt disjointed, and most of the production fell on Colton Joseph to keep things moving. The offensive line is still a work in progress, making problems of it's own.

If this offense continues to be a problem and cannot sustain drives, the success of the game will land squarely on the shoulders of the defense. While I think the Badgers have a good defense, even the best defenses will wear down if they are always on the field.

With the way the Trojans' offense can put up points, Wisconsin's best chance at winning this game will be taking the air out of the ball and dominating the time of possession. They need to get the running game going, whether it's with the running backs or Colton Joseph, and have long drives that end in points. The less Jayden Maiava is on the field, the better.

But after last week at UCLA, there isn't a whole lot of evidence that shows me the Wisconsin offense is capable of doing that.

Prediction: USC 28, Wisconsin 20

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