Badgers news: Hear Luke Fickell’s comments after 38-21 loss to USC

The Wisconsin Badgers lost their second game of the season in a tough 38-21 loss to the USC Trojans on Saturday, dropping their first conference game of the year.

Whereas Wisconsin’s 42-10 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 3 was rough from the start, the Badgers had their best half of football in the first half, getting out to a 21-10 lead.

But, things faltered from there, as USC outscored Wisconsin 28-0 in the second half, capitalizing on mistakes from the Badgers and great offensive execution to complete the comeback victory.

Offensively, Wisconsin got some explosives early on, with Vinny Anthony catching a 63-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive by beating his 1-on-1 matchup. Braedyn Locke also got a 35-yard pass off to Bryson Green, who was 1-on-1 in that scenario as well. Additionally, the run game saw success, with Tawee Walker rushing for 55 yards and two scores, while the Badgers collectively got 105 yards on the ground on 4.4 yards per carry.

Defensively, the Badgers held up early, forcing an interception on Miller Moss, while allowing just 10 points, despite USC dominating the time of possession and consistently driving down the field. However, third downs led to their demise, as the Trojans converted 11/17 in those situations, while connecting on both of their fourth downs as well.

Speaking to reporters following the game, head coach Luke Fickell pointed out the underlying factors of the game, saying that the team had the first half they were looking for, but needs to find a way to stay the course and make plays throughout the game.

Listen to Fickell’s entire introductory statement after the Badgers’ 38-21 loss to the USC Trojans earlier today.

If you missed it, here is our instant reaction to the game, with Rohan Chakravarthi providing his analysis of Wisconsin’s 38-21 loss to USC.

Stay tuned for all the Badgers postgame coverage coming soon!

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