MADISON — USC football had its lowest-scoring first half of the season despite seeing two key offensive linemen return to the lineup in Saturday’s game against Wisconsin.
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The Trojans scored one touchdown on a pass from Jayden Maiava to tight end Taniela Tupou for the freshman’s first career touchdown.
The offense struggled to get going in the first half despite having a healthier offensive line. The Trojans finished the game with 241 yards of offense and Maiava threw two interceptions to bring his turnover total to five this season. Maiava was also sacked five times.
The run game ended with minus-17 yards. Wisconsin outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks wreaked havoc and collected five tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
“They brought some max pressures against us a couple times, and they decided to come after us, and they caught us in some calls that we didn’t love there,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “So give them credit. We lost some in one-on-ones, which we knew they got some talented pass rushers, and that was going to be important.”
USC regained two offensive linemen in left guard Hayden Treter and left tackle Elijah Paige. Treter missed two games due to injury, and Paige was a game-time decision for the Oct. 10 game against Penn State, but ended up not playing.
The coaching staff chose to start Kaylon Miller at left guard, then brought in Treter toward the end of the second half.
The Trojans were down a tight end again, with Mark Bowman on the sidelines in his jersey and sweatpants for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin for the third straight game.
Bowman, a Mater Dei product, has been dealing with an undisclosed injury and was USC’s best tight end prior to his exit, hauling in 21 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
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Defensive tackles Jide Abasiri and Jahkeem Stewart each played after being listed as “probable” on the game day availability report.
Stewart had been dealing with a foot injury and at one point left the game for roughly 10 minutes in the second quarter before returning to play.
Former Trojan scores
Running back Bryan Jackson scored the Wisconsin’s first touchdown of the game to give the Badgers a 10-3 lead with 1:51 remaining before halftime.
Jackson transferred to Wisconsin prior to this season after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at USC. He rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown in his first season, then collected 124 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore.
Traveler collection
USC debuted new, all-white football accessories featuring Traveler for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin. Players wore gloves, sweatbands, towels, muffs and skull caps featuring a graphic of the live horse mascot rearing with his rider yielding the Trojan sword.
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None of the Andalusian horses made the trip to Madison for the game, meaning all three were on the West Coast awaiting their duties at the Coliseum and beyond.
USC is celebrating 65 years of Traveler and is debuting its latest Traveler horse this season, Traveler XI.