USC football faces mounting questions about head coach Lincoln Riley’s future after a stunning 24-7 road loss to Wisconsin on October 24, 2026, at Camp Randall Stadium. The defeat dropped the Trojans to 6-2 and severely damaged their College Football Playoff aspirations.
The Wisconsin Badgers secured a dominant 24-7 victory over the visiting Trojans on Saturday night, bringing a dramatic halt to USC’s momentum just two weeks after a win in State College. Playing before an electric home crowd in Madison that ultimately stormed the field, Wisconsin held USC to a single second-quarter touchdown while clamping down completely on the ground.
Wisconsin Defense Holds USC to Minus-17 Rushing Yards
The defining statistic of the evening unfolded in the trenches, where Wisconsin’s rushing attack out-toughed a bewildered USC front. The Trojans finished the game with minus-17 rushing yards on 25 carries, a total that included sacks against quarterback Jayden Maiava. It marked the lowest single-game rushing output for USC since a 1999 contest against Arizona.
"Gritty ain't pretty but that's who we are."Luke Fickell chats with Kathryn Tappen after a HUGE Wisconsin victory! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/jEfdOpUxwY
USC’s usual backfield options found no room to operate. King Miller was limited to eight yards on 11 carries, while freshman Shahn Alston led the team with 28 yards. Maiava completed 31 of 50 passes for 258 yards, but he threw two costly interceptions—one to Wisconsin cornerback Bryce West—and was sacked five times by a relentless Badgers defense.
I’m disappointed.
Lincoln Riley, USC head coach, via Los Angeles Times
Riley also shouldered the blame for special teams errors, including a missed career-long field goal attempt by Caden Chittenden in the fourth quarter.
The #Badgers appear to be five minutes away from another ranked win.Ryan Schwendeman's one-yard rushing TD pushes UW's lead to 24-7. Maybe even more importantly, the drive ran eight-plus minutes off the clock.https://t.co/2tWPIcgJ4i
Fresh off a bye week and a win against Penn State, the Trojans traveled to Madison prepared to build upon their standing. Instead, the visiting side encountered a complete defensive shutdown that limited them to seven points, setting a new low watermark for points scored under the current coaching tenure.
Bryan Jackson Scores Touchdown in Wisconsin Victory
For Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten), the victory provided a massive statement under head coach Luke Fickell, bouncing back from a previous loss to UCLA. Running back Bryan Jackson, a former Trojan, made his former team pay by rushing for 38 yards on seven carries, including a 5-yard touchdown just before halftime.
Gritty ain’t pretty.
Bryan Jackson, Wisconsin running back, via Pasadena Star News
Quarterback Colton Joseph managed the game efficiently through the air, completing 12 of 14 passes for 58 yards and delivering a 16-yard touchdown screen to Chris Brooks Jr. on fourth-and-2 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 17-7. Wisconsin’s defense recorded nine tackles for loss, five sacks—led by Sebastian Cheeks—and forced two turnovers to seal the upset.
The defensive unit executed their assignments precisely under the guidance of the coaching staff, mixing personnel packages effectively on the back end to frustrate the opposing passing attack.
One week before hosting Ohio State, USC suffers a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin.The Trojans finished tonight’s game with -17 rushing yards: https://t.co/3D6SEqPkrcLuke Fickell’s Badgers improve to 5-2 with their second win over a ranked opponent this season.
Pressure Mounts on Lincoln Riley in Los Angeles
With the defeat, USC falls to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play, dropping out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The program’s path forward grows exceptionally steep with games remaining against No. 2 Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA.
Public scrutiny surrounding Riley has intensified following the dominant road loss, with analysts and fans questioning the trajectory of a program backed by elite recruiting classes and substantial resources. The financial implications of a potential coaching change feature an estimated buyout around $70 million, putting athletic department leadership under direct examination as the Trojans prepare to host the Buckeyes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
New Tunnel Vision episode with @RJAbeytiaSports & @rileysagertv talking about #USC's disastrous effort in Madison, the future of the program and lots more! Watch/listen here: https://t.co/E5Uk8pZqB8 pic.twitter.com/syWMjbFn7N
More on Lincoln Riley
Revisiting my Three Keys to Victory following #USC's horrific effort against Wisconsin. Hint: The Trojans didn't hit any of them. https://t.co/TVPZevbjmo pic.twitter.com/kEd3RMQhAt
