“Miller Moss and Ja’Kobi Lane ‘Show Fight’ in First Big Ten Win”

USC Trojans vs. Wisconsin Badgers, a Big Ten conference game in September, is an unfamiliar sight for everyone. Well into the college football season, the matchups are still a little strange and, in some cases, even funny. Welcome to the world of college football conference realignment.

This game was full of storylines, and while other top matchups might have grabbed the national spotlight, this game was still highly anticipated. USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans were faced with a simple question: How would they react after a demoralizing road loss at Michigan?

After the game, Riley praised the fight his team showed against the Badgers.

“(Quarterback Miller Moss) really put on an exhibition,” Riley said on the broadcast. “The whole team did it. We played a great second half. We didn’t play Trojan football with untypical turnovers in the first half. But we came together in two games in a row. We have to figure out how to play better in the first half. “But we have a resilient group.”

To make the game even more exciting, former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, with whom USC parted ways less than a year ago, returned to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as co-defensive coordinator of the Wisconsin Badgers.

The first half of the game was characterized by unusual turnovers by the Trojans. Standout quarterback Miller Moss completed 17 of his 23 passes in the first half for 173 yards and a touchdown. He was also sacked, which led to the Badger defense making a mistake and making a handful of other pass attempts.

Star wide receiver and returner Zachariah Branch had three catches for 44 yards and one rushing attempt for 15 yards. Branch’s mishap occurred on a botched punt that resulted in a Wisconsin touchdown after a sudden short-yardage switch. The Trojans also took four penalties, which isn’t the worst, but the timing was brutal and helped stop their drives and extend drives for Wisconsin.

The defense once again had trouble stopping the run early, as the Badgers carried the ball 5.3 yards per attempt while giving up two rushing touchdowns. The normally solid defensive back group also allowed some explosive plays, including a 63-yard touchdown reception and a 35-yard reception. After a defensive effort late in the first half, the Trojans trailed 21-10.

A deficit of 11 at home isn’t ideal, but it certainly wasn’t an insurmountable level either. The second half started off great and the Trojans got some help right away with a weakened punt from the Badgers. The game’s hero, wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, made a great catch to hold a drive alone, then made another ridiculous catch for a touchdown to bring the Trojans within four points, 21-17.

The Trojan defense began to contribute, helping to further shift the momentum and energy with a fourth-and-1 stop on their own territory. This is where Miller Moss and the Trojan offense began to go into full swing. The Trojans’ offense scored 14 unanswered points, including a Moss pass and a rushing touchdown.

As always after a win, the result is irrelevant. There were no moral victories last week, and neither is anyone who doesn’t care about the score distribution? The Trojans were favorites by 15.5 points and found themselves in a familiar position with a double-digit deficit. This time they found a way to respond AND complete the task. That’s it. That’s the story. There is a lot to do. Lots to clean up. Lots to criticize.

Not tonight, though. The culture is improved. The defense reacts. The Trojans improve to 3-1 and pick up their first Big Ten win. This is a good day at the office.