The Big Ten brings us another high-profile matchup when the Wisconsin Badgers (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) take on the #13 USC Trojans (2-1, 0-1 Big Ten). This is their first meeting since 2015 as this is USC's first year in the conference. Wisconsin is coming off a tough loss to #4 Alabama, going down 42-10 at home and failing to cover the 15.5-point spread as dogs. USC just played their first-ever Big Ten game, losing in the Big House against #18 Michigan 27-24 as 4.5-point favorites. USC is currently listed as a 16-point home favorite in this one. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 EST from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and can be found nationally on CBS.
Don’t get sacked this football season! Try ourCollege Football Picks!
Slow Start for Wisconsin
Sixteen points is a big spread for two traditional powers, but the Wisconsin Badgers have gotten off to a slow start. They picked up wins in their first two games, but neither was overly impressive as they failed to cover the spread against Western Michigan and South Dakota. Next, they failed their biggest test of the season, failing to cover in a 32-point home loss against Alabama. One loss is nothing to panic about, and this team still has talent and time to turn this around as conference play begins. In the Alabama game, receiver Will Pauling had nine catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
Tyler Van Dyke was the starting quarterback for the Badgers, that is until he tore his ACL in the game against Alabama. The Badgers will now turn to 6'0 sophomore Braedyn Locke to lead the team, he does have experience as he was thrown in the lineup for a few games last year due to injury. Last season he threw for 777 yards with a 50.0% completion percentage and a 5-1 TD-INT ratio. Locke will benefit from the additional first-team reps in practice. The Badgers may want to rely a little heavier on the ground game, their top back is Chez Mellusi, who has 200 yards and three touchdowns through three games. Will Paulding has been by far their top wideout, he had the big game against Bama, and now has 19 catches for 191 yards with a touchdown as a 5'10 junior.
Wisconsin's leading tackler has been senior safety Hunter Wohler, the 6'2 senior was a full-time starter last season and has 17 tackles and two pass deflections on the season. The Badgers have six sacks on the year, with two each from edge rusher Elijah Hills and linebacker Christian Alliegro. The defense only has one interception on the year, coming from cornerback Xavier Lucas against Western Michigan.
The best way to maximize your profits is to choose the strongestCollege Football Cappers!
Trojans Drop Big Ten Opener
The USC Trojans were riding high before league play began in the Big Ten. They defeated #13 LSU, winning outright as 3.5-point underdogs, and then they destroyed Utah State 48-0. There was a lot of hype surrounding their Big Ten debut, but they got a rude welcome from the defending National Champs, as Michigan dominated the ground game on their way to a three-point win in the Big House. Miller Moss had 51 pass attempts in the game, but connected on 28 of them for 283 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the loss.
Miller Moss waited patiently behind Caleb Williams for his time to shine in Los Angeles. He backed up the 2024 number-one pick for two seasons before earning the starting spot. He is averaging 296.7 passing yards per game, and completing 65.0% with five touchdowns to just one interception. His biggest game came in the opener against LSU where he threw for 378 yards in the win. Four pass catchers have over 100 receiving yards through just three games, the leader is 5'10 sophomore Zachariah Branch with 173 yards on 14 receptions. Lake McRee is a big target as a 6'4, 250-pound tight end, he has 12 grabs for 134 yards. Woody Marks is their top threat out of the backfield, he transferred over after four seasons with Mississippi State and has 271 yards and three touchdowns on the year.
Their leading tackler is linebacker Eric Gentry, he is 6'6 and 215 pounds, has great speed across the middle, and has 26 tackles and two sacks on the year. The Trojans' defense has five sacks through three games and two interceptions. Both picks have come from linebackers, with Easton Mascarenas-Arnold grabbing one to add to his 20 tackles.
Check out some of the most amazing sports betting opportunities andbest sports betting promos.
Saturday's Top Plays
Mark Ruelle - 10-0 CFB Run - Snatch Up Mark’s Saturday CFB Game Of the Day for just $20 - CLICK HERE
Jackie Mack - 11-3 CFB Premium Run - Grab Jackie’s SEC Game Of the Month for just $25 - CLICK HERE
ASA Sports - 10-1 WNBA Run - Snag ASA Sports’ WNBA Game Of the Week for just $45 - CLICK HERE
Uncle Steve- 5-1 CFB Run - Pick Up Uncle Steve’s Three Pack Of CFB Best Bets for just $35 - CLICK HERE
Nick Parsons- 15-7 CFB Run - Pick Up Nick's SEC Total Of The Month for just $45 - CLICK HERE
Best Bets for Wisconsin vs. Southern California (USC)
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Rating:
This number has climbed far too high for this Big Ten battle. A concern of all the Pac-12 teams coming to the Big Ten was that they would not be big enough to battle on the inside, as the West Coast teams focus more on passing and skill position play. This was proven in USC's opener, Michigan was listed as the underdog, but completely pushed around USC on the line. Michigan ran for 290 yards, while USC only finished with 96 rushing yards. The line of scrimmage was dominated by the Wolverines, and the Badgers will follow the same game plan. Wisconsin is on to their backup quarterback, but that might not be a bad thing. Van Dyke was a transfer from Miami, but Braedyn Locke started multiple games for the Badgers last season, and is more mobile than Van Dyke, adding another element to the run game. This line is an overreaction to the Alabama game for Wisconsin, they still have strong line play and will want to keep this ball on the ground, limit scoring from both teams and keep it within striking distance late. Too many points to ignore here.
Take Wisconsin plus the points.
Prediction: Wisconsin +16
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
Rating:
Wisconsin has gone under in two out of three games, they only went over when Alabama put up 42. Similarly, USC has gone under in two of three games, just narrowly going over in the back-and-forth contest with Michigan. Wisconsin will want to follow the precedent that Michigan set, keep the ball on the ground, control the line of scrimmage, and keep the ball out of Miller Moss' hands. Moss threw for 378 against LSU, but was held under 300 in the loss to Michigan. USC wants to air it out, but they will have fewer opportunities if Wisconsin can sustain long drives. Locke is a mobile quarterback for Wisconsin, and they have two reliable backs in Mellusi (200 yards) and Yacamelli (147 yards). Wisconsin will not enter this game looking for the deep ball, and will surely be dropping safeties on defense, forcing USC to try to utilize the run. All of this adds up to an under on Saturday.
Take the under.
Prediction: Under 51
Author Profile
Paul Biagioli , "Paul Biagioli"
Paul has been a sports fan his entire life, and was an All-Conference basketball player at The University of Scranton. He is currently a high school basketball coach and a mathematics teacher with a Master’s in Business Administration. This unique combination gives Paul the ability to find mismatches from a coach’s perspective while having the ability to analyze statistical data to spot advantages. Paul will provide you with an array of statistics, trends, and analytics to prepare for any match-up. Follow Paul for up-to-date analysis and all your betting needs. We are thrilled to have Paul on our team.