It’s finally game day as the Wisconsin Badgers will play the No. 13 USC Trojans here in Week 5, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. at the Coliseum.

The Badgers are coming off a bye week that followed a 42-10 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide to close out their non-conference slate, and they face another challenge here this week with a top-15 team the road in front of them is 5.

Wisconsin will be looking to work out a number of issues against USC, and they are now implementing a game plan that revolves around Braedyn Locke at quarterback rather than Tyler Van Dyke, who was sidelined in Week 3 with a torn ACL and will be out for the year.

FanDuel Sportsbook currently lists the Badgers as 14.5-point underdogs, with the overall score at 50.5.

How can the Badgers get the win over USC in Week 5?

Run game

Without offensive success, Wisconsin will have no chance of winning this game. And their biggest source of success right now is on the offensive line and running backs.

Despite the 42-10 loss in Week 3, it seemed like the Badgers were actually moving the ball well on the ground, but the flow of the game and inefficiency in the passing game slowed down the play on the floor.

The Badgers have a glut of talented defenders and it will be interesting to see how they are all used here in Week 5 as Cade Yacamelli has proven he deserves playing time while the true freshmen are waiting in the wings Row.

USC allowed Michigan just 290 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. So the recipe for success is there. This came after LSU ran for 113 yards on 4.5 yards per carry back in Week 1.

But Wisconsin will need to develop a complementary approach to get the running game going, as the Trojans will likely stack the box and challenge the Badgers to throw.

Miller Moss sales

USC quarterback sensation Miller Moss got off to a good start this year, throwing for 890 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in three games this season.

More importantly, Moss has only given up one turnover this year, doing so last week on a pick-six to Michigan’s Will Johnson, arguably a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

On the other hand, the Badgers had difficulty getting turnovers defensively, both due to poor deficits and the players’ lack of options on that front.

That needs to change here in Week 5, as the Badgers need some momentum if they want to pull off an upset as double-digit underdogs.

The best way to create these opportunities? Put some pressure on the quarterback. Moss struggled under duress last week as Michigan won 1-on-1 battles that caused havoc in the backfield. Wisconsin will need to do something similar here in Week 5 if it wants to have a chance.

Win 1v1 games

Head coach Luke Fickell pointed out a few areas that need to change this week, and one of the topics he addressed was gaining 1-on-1 opportunities in multiple spots.

The Badgers have been unable to generate a sufficient pass rush this season, which led to problems in the secondary in Week 3 as quarterback Jalen Milroe had enough time to scan the field and connect with his pass catchers.

Additionally, Wisconsin’s issues defending the run dovetail with some of the problems with 1-on-1 assignments that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later with the Big Ten coming up.

The problem extends to the offense as well, as it becomes even more important for the receivers to win their 1-on-1 battles on Saturday to help quarterback Braedyn Locke, who will once again face a difficult environment with a top-15 team will be pushed this weekend.

Wisconsin will essentially need its playmakers to make plays. The best way to do that? Win these 1v1 games.