USC gets first win in the Big 10 after beating Wisconsin 38-21
USC Trojans #7 Miller Moss (QB) looking downfield for an open receiver. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1
LOS ANGELES, CA - The USC Trojans (3-1, Big 10, 1-1) showed grit and scored 28 points in the second half to come from behind to beat the Wisconsin Badgers (2-2, Big 10, 1-1) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 38-21 to get their first win in the Big 10 Conference.
USC quarterback Millier Moss threw for 308 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception and ran in from 7 yards for a touchdown to give him a total of four.
"We knew we could compete in this conference, but now you've got to win, and you've got to play well," USC coach Lincoln Riley said. "After the way that last week finished ... and have the first half go the way it did, (but) come back and play that well, it just says a lot about the character of the guys in this room. They're going to battle. They're not going anywhere. We don't panic."
His top playmaker was wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane, with ten catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns, and Duce Robinson with one touchdown.
On their first possession, USC drove down the field 75 yards, and Miller Moss threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Kobi Lane to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
It didn't take Wisconsin long to respond when Braedyn Locke threw a 63-yard touchdown to his wide receiver Vinny Anthony II to tie the score 7-7.
The Badger's defense, with the first turnover in the quarter after Moss's pass attempt for Lane, was picked off by free safety Preston Zachman at their 25-yard line.
Wisconsin Badgers #3 Tawee Walker (RB) powering into the endzone for a touchdown. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1
Wisconsin would take a 14-7 lead in the second quarter after USC's Zachariah Branch muffed the punt and recovered at their 18-yard line by Leon Lowery, and moments later, Tawee Walker scored on an 18-yard touchdown run.
The Trojans had 4th and one at the Badgers' 22-yard line, but Alani Noa (G) was called for a false start and had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Michael Lantz with 9:43 left before halftime.
The Badgers increased their lead to eleven points, 21-10, after Locke took their offense down the field, capped off by a 4-yard touchdown run by Walker.
Moss hit from behind, and the football came loose and recovered by Wisconsin at their 24-yard line by Ben Bartin (DL) for their third turnover.
USC's specials team in the third quarter came up with a turnover by Wisconsin when Zachman muffed the punt and recovered by the Trojans' long-snapper Hank Pepper at their 26-yard line.
USC Trojans #8 Ja'Kobi Lane (WR) had ten catches for 105-yards and two touchdowns. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
USC turned the turnover into points after Moss threw a 6-yard touchdown to Lane to trail 21-17. The defense for the Trojans stepped up by stopping Walker for the Badgers on 4th and one for no gain and took over on downs at their 33-yard line.
Duce Robinson made a big play by catching a 32-yard pass from Moss at Wisconsin's 11-yard line. Moss rewarded Robinson with his catch a few plays earlier by throwing him an 8-yard touchdown to give USC the lead 24-21 with 1:28 left in the quarter.
Lincoln Riley called one of the guttiest plays on 4th and one at Wisconsin's 7-yard line, put the ball in Moss's hands, and ran in for a 7-yard touchdown to give USC a ten-point lead, 31-21, with 8:22 left in the game.
The Trojans would seal the deal on defense when Mason Cobb (WILL) intercepted Locke's pass and took it to the house as their sideline was cheering him on for a 55-yard touchdown return to make the final score 38-21.
Locke finished the game by completing 13 of his 26 passes for 180 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Walker had 12 carries for 55 yards and two touchdowns, and Vinny Anthony had three catches for 70 yards and one touchdown.