LOS ANGELES – The magic was gone for the Wisconsin football team in the second half Saturday.
Unable to generate much offense or make significant stops during the third and fourth quarters, the Badgers‘ chance of upsetting No. 16 USC in their Big Ten opener fell by the wayside in front of 74,118 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
UW lost, 38-21, allowing 28 unanswered points in the second half.
The Badgers were outgained 469-285 for the game. The numbers were 205-82 in the second half.
Sophomore Braedyn Locke completed 13 of 26 passes for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his first start of the season. Senior running back Tawee Walker ran for 55 yards on 12 carries and scored twice. Junior Vinny Anthony had a team-high 70 yards and caught his first collegiate touchdown on a 63-yard play in the first quarter.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
The Badgers’ inability to make third down stops proved costly
Wisconsin’s defense set up the third-and-long situations that usually help a unit wreck havoc on offenses. The Badgers, however, couldn’t finish the job.
USC scored two third quarter touchdows. Its success on third down was critical to getting those points. The Trojans converted five straight third downs when the averaged needed for a first down was 8.4 yards.
USC gained an average of 14 yards on those plays. That included a 32-yard gain from quarterback Miller Moss to Duce Robinson on third and 7 to set up a first down at the 11 and touchdowns of 6 yards to Ja’Kobi Lane and 8 yards to Robinson.
That success helped USC turn a 21-10 deficit at the half into a 24-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Badgers’ margin for error too slim to overcome turnover
Wisconsin won the turnover battle, 3-2. It turns out the Badgers couldn’t even afford that one.
Tyrell Henry’s muffed punt came after the Badgers forced USC to go three and out on the first possession of the second half and gave the Trojans a first down at the Badgers’ 30.
