Badgers see big halftime lead slip away in loss to No. 13 Southern Cal

Wisconsin lived and died by the muffed punt on Saturday afternoon.

Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke (18) throws the ball against Southern California in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sept. 28, 2024. / Kirby Lee / Imagn Images

A muffed punt was the Badgers football team’s big break. Another muffed punt resulted in the Badgers’ demise in a 38-21 loss to No. 13 Southern Cal on Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles. 

Leading 21-10 after the halftime break and fresh off stopping the Trojans on their first possession of the new half, Badgers punt returner Tyrell Henry muffed the punt, and the Trojans recovered at the Wisconsin 30. Nine plays later, Miller Moss found Ja’Kobi Lane for a 6-yard score — the duo’s second touchdown connection of the day — to cut their deficit to 21-17 at 9:18 in the third quarter.

The Trojans (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) were off and running from there. 

They forced a turnover on downs the ensuing Badgers possession before going on a nine-play, 67-yard drive that was capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Moss to Duce Robinson that gave Southern Cal a 24-21 advantage with 1 minute, 33 seconds to play in the third quarter. 

Moss capped a seven-play, 77-yard fourth-quarter drive with a 7-yard touchdown scamper on fourth-and-1 that gave the Trojans a 31-21 lead with 8:22 to play, all but sealing the deal for Southern Cal.

The final nail in the coffin was Mason Cobb's 55-yard pick-6 off Braedyn Locke with 5:04 to play.

All in all, it was 28 unanswered points for the Trojans after the halftime break.

The Badgers (2-2, 0-1) took their first lead of the game in the second quarter after Trojans punt returner Zachariah Branch muffed a punt that Wisconsin recovered at the USC 18-yard line. Tawee Walker ran in for an 18-yard touchdown the next play to give the Badgers a 14-7 advantage. 

On their next possession, the Badgers went on a seven-play, 75-yard drive capped by another Walker touchdown run from 4 yards out that made it a 21-7 game with 6:26 remaining in the quarter. The Badgers eventually took that advantage into the halftime break, but it all fell apart in half No. 2.

The Trojans got on the scoreboard first when Moss hit Lane for a 32-yard touchdown pass on their first drive of the first quarter. Moss was able to put on a show, completing 30-of-45 passes, for 308 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Moss also ran the ball five times for 17 yards and a score.

But the Badgers answered when Locke hit Vinny Anthony II for a 62-yard, game-tying touchdown pass. Locke, making his second straight start in place of the injured Tyler Van Dyke, competed 13-of-26 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The Badgers let an opportunity for an upset slip away after the halftime break and will now have to wait another week to get a crack at their first Big Ten win. They host Purdue next Saturday for an 11 a.m. kickoff.