Badgers are 14.5-point underdog against No. 13 Southern Cal

It'll up an uphill battle for Wisconsin on Saturday.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is shown during the first quarter of their game against Alabama at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Sept. 14, 2024. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After losing big to Alabama, the Badgers football team is a 14.5-point underdog for its Big Ten opener on Saturday against No. 13 Southern Cal at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. 

FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Trojans and 80.35% chance to beat the Badgers and has them favored by 14.5 points despite coming off a loss last week to No. 12 Michigan. The overall spread for the game, which is a 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Los Angeles, is set at 50.5 points. 

It will be an uphill climb for the 2-1 Badgers, who opened the season with a pair of wins over Western Michigan and South Dakota. They’re now without starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who has been ruled out for the season due to a torn ACL. While backup Braedyn Locke made three starts last season, the loss of Van Dyke likely changes the trajectory of the season. 

The Trojans are also 2-1 with wins over No. 14 LSU and Utah State before suffering their first loss last week to the Wolverines. Leading the way for Southern Cal are quarterback Miller Moss, who’s thrown for 890 yards, five touchdowns and just one pick through three games and running back Woody Marks, who has 271 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. 

The Badgers will be fighting an uphill battle when they look to upset the Trojans on their home turf in Big Ten action on Saturday.