Wisconsin Stuns No. 16 USC 24–7: Minus-17 Rushing Yards Tell the Story of a Defensive Upset

Final — October 24, 2026 | Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin turned a tight first half into a 24–7 upset of No. 16 USC at Camp Randall Stadium, holding the Trojans to minus-17 net rushing yards and forcing two interceptions. It was the Badgers’ first regular-season win against USC, according to Wisconsin Athletics, and a statement about how decisively defensive pressure can change a game even when the winning offense produces relatively modest yardage.

The turning points

USC briefly led 7–3 after Jayden Maiava found Taniela Tupou for a four-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Wisconsin responded with a sustained 75-yard drive capped by a five-yard run from Bryan Jackson II—a former USC running back—taking a 10–7 lead into halftime. The Badgers then stretched the margin on a fourth-and-two play in the third quarter: Colton Joseph found Chris Brooks Jr. for a 16-yard touchdown. Ryan Schwendeman completed the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

Wisconsin also blocked a USC field-goal attempt late in the third quarter. The Trojans did not score after halftime, despite producing more passing yardage than the hosts. Cornerback Bryce West and safety Cairo Skanes recorded the two Wisconsin interceptions, according to the university’s postgame report.

Why the minus-17 matters more than the passing total

The official box score records 241 total yards for USC, comprising 258 passing yards and minus-17 rushing yards. The negative ground total reflects the cost of lost yardage, including sacks, and captures the problem for the Trojans: the offense could not establish a reliable rushing threat to ease the pressure on its passing game. Wisconsin registered five sacks for 57 lost yards, while USC finished with one touchdown from three red-zone opportunities.

The other striking figure is Wisconsin’s own 200 total yards. This was not an offensive shootout. Joseph completed 12 of 14 passes for 58 yards, and Abu Sama III led the Badgers with 71 rushing yards. Instead of chasing explosive totals, Wisconsin converted its most valuable possessions: two 75-yard touchdown drives and a 59-yard fourth-quarter scoring march. That is the clearest tactical lesson from the result—sustained drives, takeaways and field position outweighed the visitors’ passing-yard advantage.

What it changes

The win lifted Wisconsin to 5–2 overall and 3–1 in Big Ten play, while USC fell to 6–2 and 3–2. Wisconsin Athletics called it the program’s highest-ranked victory since defeating No. 15 Nebraska in November 2021. The result is significant beyond the upset label: Wisconsin demonstrated it can dictate the style of a game against a ranked opponent and force a normally productive passing attack into difficult situations.

The next tests come quickly. Wisconsin visits Iowa on October 31, while USC hosts Ohio State. Neither matchup has been played at the time of this report. For more Big Ten coverage, read how Minnesota’s late kick beat Iowa on October 24.

Sources and verification

• Wisconsin Athletics: official October 24 game report.
• USC Athletics: final box score, scoring sequence and team statistics.
• NBC Sports: October 24 exact-event extended highlights.

Featured image: Archival, illustrative American football photograph by Tim Mossholder / Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License. The photograph does not depict the Wisconsin–USC game.

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