Road To Week 1: Simulating Week 5 of the Badgers 2024 Season in CFB 25

Week 5: Wisconsin (1-2) at No. 18 USC (2-1)

Wisconsin faced the Trojans at an opportune time, with starting QB Miller Moss recovering from a partially torn PCL, leaving sophomore Cade Fox at the helm.

After trading punts to start the game, sophomore wideout Zachariah Brach gave USC some momentum, returning an Atticus Bertrams punt 16 yards to the USC 44. From there, Fox completed short throw after short throw, taking what the Badgers' defense gave him before the drive ultimately stalled just outside of the redzone.

A 42-yard field goal from Denis Lynch went through the uprights, giving USC a 3-0 lead with six minutes left in the first period.

The Badgers wasted no time responding to the Trojan score, ripping off a 19-yard completion to Will Pauling and a 20-yard rush by Chez Mellusi before a 24-yard touchdown run by Van Dyke capped off the drive with six points.

A pair of incompletions and a negative run later, the ball was back in the hands of Van Dyke.

Still hot, Van Dyke finished off an eight-play, 55-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Nate White, putting Wisconsin ahead 14-3 with 9:53 left in the half.

On first down of the ensuing drive, Ben Barten broke through the Trojan's offensive line for a sack. On second down, Barten found himself in the backfield once again, this time taking down ballcarrier Treyvion O'Neal for a three-yard loss.

A 61-yard punt by Eddie Czaplicki pushed the Badgers to their own 22 yard line, and the offense couldn't mount a third consecutive touchdown drive, punting it away with six minutes to play in the second period.

After largely dominating the line of scrimmage, the Wisconsin front seven showed signs of fatigue late in the half. Eight consecutive USC runs took the Trojans into Badger territory. However, they couldn't come away with points after Jake Chaney jarred loose a would-be third down conversion at the Badgers' 40 yard line and forced the punt.

With no points scored in the two-minute drill, Wisconsin entered halftime ahead 14-3.

Neither team got anything going with their first drive of the third quarter. On their second drive, the Badgers would score the only points of the period, finishing off a near-seven minute drive with a 35-yard field goal from Nathaniel Vakos.

As the scoreboard flipped from the third quarter to the fourth, USC had the ball near midfield and were driving. After a tumultuous first half, Fox had seemingly settled in, finding Kyron Hudson and Kyle Ford for chunk gains before finding Lake McRee in the endzone for the Trojans' first touchdown.

Now a one-score game at 17-10, Wisconsin gave the ball right back to USC following a three-and-out, but pinned the Trojans inside the 20.

After three straight runs, USC were forced to punt with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth.

The Badgers looked to deliver the final blow, relying on the run game and marching into USC territory. On 3rd and 3 at the USC 31, Van Dyke missed an open Riley Nowakowski, with the ball luckily hitting right off the chest of a USC defender and onto the turf.

Having already hit a 35-yarder, Vakos stepped onto the field a drilled a 48-yard field goal to put Wisconsin ahead 20-10.

All the Badgers needed was one stop to sure up their first conference victory. Instead, a 17-yard pass, a 29-yard run, a nine-yard pass and another 17-yard TD completion put the Trojans right back in the contest with six minutes still to play.

The ensuing Badgers drive chewed up clock, but stalled out near midfield, giving USC a chance to tie or take the lead down 20-17 with 2:14 left.

A first down sack by John Pius started off the Trojan drive. From there, it was Fox picking apart the Badger secondary, leading the Trojans into the redzone and forcing Wisconsin to use all three timeouts before settling for a 36-yard field goal.

After falling short in the two minute drill against Western Michigan in Week 1, Van Dyke had 70 seconds to avenge the defeat and leave the Los Angeles Coliseum a hero.

He wasted no time getting the drive started, finding Bryson Green on a crosser for a 12-yard gain. On the very next play, he found Tucker Ashcraft for a 20-yard chunk, placing Wisconsin in plus-territory.

After a seven yard pass to Mellusi and an incompletion. Van Dyke was faced with a 3rd and 3 from the USC 37 with 39 seconds. From there, it would be a 54-yarder for Vakos.

Van Dyke didn't need Vakos, answering the challenge with a 15-yard completion to Vinny Anthony, then a 16-yard screen pass to Mellusi, giving Wisconsin 1st and Goal from the six.

Still, Wisconsin wasn't ready to settle for three, handing it off to Mellusi, who pushed out wide and won the footrace to the pylon, diving into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown.

Van Dyke finished the game 18-for-25 with 190 passing yards and a score while adding 35 yards and a TD on the ground. Mellusi led the backfield with 71 yards and a TD on 13 carries. Green racked up 54 receiving yards on four receptions.

FINAL: Wisconsin 27, No. 18 USC 20

Stat Leaders After Five Weeks

Passing - Van Dyke: 63/92 for 719 yards and 9/0

Rushing - Mellusi: 70 rushes for 320 yards (4.6 ypc) and 1 TD

Receiving - Anthony: 18 receptions for 261 yards and 3 TD

Tackles - Jaheim Thomas, Jake Chaney: 37

Sacks - Pius: 5.5

Interceptions - RJ Delancy: 2