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Wisconsin’s 24-7 victory over No. 16 USC in Madison wasn’t built on offensive fireworks. Instead, a dominant defensive performance and a steady ground game did the heavy lifting — and have raised new questions about what this Badgers team really is.
Defense set the tone
USC finished the game with a startling minus-17 rushing yards, a total that immediately drew attention. Wisconsin recorded five sacks — a factor in that negative rushing figure because sacks count against rushing statistics in college football — and the pressure rarely let up.
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The Badgers also forced two interceptions of USC quarterback Jayden Maiava and held the Trojans to 241 total yards on 75 plays. Time and again when USC looked poised to move, Wisconsin’s defense provided an answer. That consistency turned a close-looking contest into a comfortable win.
Colton Joseph’s efficient outing
Quarterback Colton Joseph finished with just 58 passing yards, but the box score undersells his contribution. He completed 12 of 14 attempts, threw a touchdown, committed no turnovers and added 32 yards on the ground.
With the defense creating pressure and the run game controlling the clock, there was little reason for Joseph to force throws. He kept the offense error-free and let Wisconsin play to its strengths.
Wisconsin’s identity: run, protect, repeat
The Badgers ran the ball 43 times and finished with 142 rushing yards. Abu Sama III had 71 yards on 17 carries, Bryan Jackson II contributed 38 yards and a touchdown, and Joseph chipped in with his rushing yardage. The team held the ball for just over 32 minutes.
What stood out was persistence more than explosion: Wisconsin didn’t abandon the run when it wasn’t producing big gains. Instead they kept pounding away, controlled possession and relied on their defense to keep USC from forcing the issue.
Offense still leaves questions
Wisconsin finished the night with roughly 200 yards of offense and averaged about 3.5 yards per play. That’s enough when the defense is that dominant, but it’s not a sustainable blueprint for every opponent.
There will likely be games where the Badgers fall behind and need their passing game to carry them. If an opponent can blunt the run and force Joseph to throw 25–30 times, this offense will be tested in ways it wasn’t Saturday.
Next test: a familiar roadblock
Wisconsin travels to Iowa Saturday, a matchup that should reveal a lot. The Hawkeyes have won four straight against the Badgers — including a 37-0 result last season — so a single signature win over USC doesn’t erase lingering concerns.
Still, the performance in Madison changed the narrative a bit. The defense has grabbed attention, the running game showed patience, and Joseph proved effective in a game script that didn’t demand heroics. That combination makes Wisconsin more interesting to watch moving forward.
