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GameDay crew gives Wisconsin fans extra hope to take down USC in crucial Week 8 battle

An interesting turn in the USC vs. Wisconsin discussion.
ByMark Knight
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Oct 3, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the team onto the field for warmups prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the team onto the field for warmups prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin is only an underdog by 2.5 points to the USC Trojans, and it's a game that has a lot of head-scratching moments on paper. How it plays out will be very telling for both teams. It's Wisconsin's second-ranked game in a row, and USC had a bye week to prepare, but that doesn't mean that the Badgers aren't getting picked to pull off the upset.

The College GameDay crew picked the game tonight, and three out of five picked the Badgers to upset the Trojans. There's a dose of hope injected into the fanbase after seeing the GameDay crew favor the Badgers. Yet, it's more than that; it's not really an easy pick, even though the Trojans are ranked No. 16 in the country.

Why Wisconsin can beat USC at Camp Randall tonight

Related: 4 Wisconsin players who will be key to beating the No. 16 USC Trojans

The reality is, this game actually does look different for the Badgers than last week's game at UCLA. Not just because the Badgers are at home, but because of how these two teams match up. The Badgers' biggest strength this season has been their pass defense. While you'd love to see them shut down teams all the way, they limited Notre Dame for most of that first game; same with UCLA (until it was too late). If Wisconsin could give their defense more rest, things might be different there.

Until the UCLA game, it was among the top in the Big Ten. The fact that Wisconsin's offense couldn't stay on the field and the defense couldn't get off the field dropped them a lot. But it's still a really good pass defense.

USC's only real strength is through the air. They are second in the Big Ten in passing yards per game. They can balance it with rushing, but they've yet to wow anyone on the ground.

USC's big weakness is their pass defense. They are third from the bottom in the Big Ten in defending the air attack. This is a moment for Wisconsin to get Colton Joseph back on track and get things going. Their overall defense isn't great. USC depends on outscoring their opponents to win. That could play into Wisconsin's hands.

The Trojans have also yet to be impressive. They haven't beaten anyone. Every win they have is in the weak non-conference schedule or against the bottom of the Big Ten: Penn State, Rutgers, and Washington. So, there's some imposter syndrome happening here. It doesn't mean they aren't good, but it doesn't mean they are either.

If there's a stat to worry about, it's the fact that they are one of the most efficient third-down offenses in the country. They convert over 50% of their attempts on third-down. Considering the Badgers struggled mightily with that last week against UCLA, that doesn't bode well.

Ultimately, though, there is some hope in the air that Wisconsin can pull off the upset and walk away with a Big Ten victory when they need it most. Luke Fickell has prepared his team all week to get this win, and if Wisconsin can pull it off, it puts them in a great place to win eight or nine games this season.

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