LOS ANGELES — Miller Moss threw two of his three touchdown passes to Ja’Kobi Lane, and No. 13 Southern California rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half for a 38-21 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday in the Trojans' first Big Ten home game.
One week after narrowly losing its Big Ten debut at Michigan, USC trailed 21-10 at halftime and received a few boos from its home crowd after committing three turnovers in the first half. The Trojans (3-1, 1-1) responded superbly, outscoring Wisconsin 28-0 in the second half of their school's first Big Ten victory.
Lane caught 10 passes for 105 yards, while Duce Robinson scored the Trojans' go-ahead touchdown with 1:28 left in the third quarter on another sharp throw from Moss, who passed for 308 yards.
Moss was evaluated for a concussion after he hit the ground awkwardly while rushing for a 7-yard touchdown on a fourth-down keeper with 8:22 to play, but he stayed in.
USC linebacker Mason Cobb then returned an interception 55 yards for a TD with 5:04 to play to seal it.
Vinny Anthony caught an early 63-yard TD pass from Braedyn Locke for the Badgers (2-2, 0-1), who have lost two straight.
Tawee Walker rushed for two touchdowns, but Wisconsin faded badly in the second half of its first game at the Coliseum since 1966. The Badgers have lost 13 of their last 15 games against ranked teams, going 0-4 under coach Luke Fickell.
Locke went 13 of 26 for 180 yards in his first start of the season after Tyler Van Dyke tore a knee ligament early in the Badgers' blowout loss to Alabama two weeks ago.
Lane capped USC's opening drive by barely staying inbounds on an exceptional 32-yard TD pass by Moss into a minuscule window. Wisconsin responded with Locke's perfect long throw to Anthony, who beat Jacobe Covington down the USC sideline on a rare explosive play by the Badgers' offense.
USC speedster Zachariah Branch muffed a punt on the first snap of the second quarter, and Walker rushed 18 yards for a TD on the next snap. After Wisconsin added a 75-yard TD drive capped by Walker's second touchdown, Moss fumbled while getting hit deep in Badgers territory.
The Coliseum booed when the Trojans left the field at halftime down 21-10 — but USC recovered a muffed punt early in the third quarter, and Lane eventually caught a 6-yard TD pass.
Robinson then caught two huge passes during the Trojans' go-ahead scoring drive, including an 8-yard TD throw delivered by Moss over an all-out blitz.
Moss then capped a 77-yard drive by keeping the ball on fourth down and scoring while spinning and flying from a Badgers hit. Moss got up slowly after the hit and went to the medical tent, but was cleared to return.
The takeaway
Wisconsin: The first half was encouraging, but Fickell and his players couldn't match the Trojans' halftime adjustments. Big Ten title contention seems unlikely for the Badgers this year unless they can generate more explosiveness on both sides of the ball. The Badgers finished with only 286 yards of offense.
USC: The Trojans were both bad and unlucky in the first half, but this team is miles ahead of last season's group, and their second-half surge was perhaps their most impressive effort of the past two years under coach Lincoln Riley. Moss is growing into his role, and the USC defense again showed tenacity.
Poll implications
The Trojans only slipped two spots after losing to Michigan, and they should stay in the same range after rallying past the Badgers.
Up next
Wisconsin: Host Purdue on Saturday, Oct. 5.
USC: At Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 5.