Wisconsin Badgers football delivered one of its biggest wins of the season Saturday night, defeating No. 15 USC 24-7.
UW's 17-point win at Camp Randall Stadium wasn't only their second-ranked victory of the season, but it was also a historic defeat for Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.
The Badgers' defense set the tone, holding USC to just seven points, which is the fewest ever scored by a Riley-coached team. Wisconsin also limited the Trojans to minus-17 rushing yards, recorded five sacks, and two first-quarter interceptions.
After taking a 10-7 lead into halftime, Wisconsin pulled away in the second half. Quarterback Colton Joseph connected with Chris Brooks Jr. for a touchdown on fourth down to extend the lead to 17-7 in the third quarter. Ryan Schwendeman added a rushing touchdown in the fourth to seal the victory.
Joseph finished 12-of-14 passing with a touchdown, while Bryan Jackson II also found the end zone on the ground. Defensively, Bryce West and Cairo Skanes each intercepted USC quarterback Jayden Maiava.
Take a moment to digest. Lincoln Riley has NEVER put up just 7 points in a game as a head coach.
— Ira Gorawara (@IraGorawara) October 25, 2026
Luke Fickell's Wisconsin thoroughly dismantled Lincoln Riley's USC. What a massive, awful, shocking loss. https://t.co/MdqXsuyCbI
The victory improved Wisconsin to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play, pushing the Badgers into the AP Top 25 for the first time in over three years.
For Wisconsin, the win offered a significant response after its 17-7 loss to UCLA the previous week. For Riley and the Trojans, the result marked a new low offensively, with the Badgers' defense delivering a performance that will be remembered well beyond Madison.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: How Wisconsin football handed Lincoln Riley his worst loss at USC