Lincoln Riley faces mounting pressure at USC following a 24-7 road defeat to Wisconsin on October 24, 2026, dropping the Trojans to 6-2 overall and sparking conversations about his future in Los Angeles.
Saturday evening inside Camp Randall Stadium delivered the kind of performance that moves a major college football program off its axis. USC arrived in Madison holding a 6-1 record and eyeing a clear path through the Big Ten, only to be physically dismantled by a Wisconsin team that entered the night fresh off a loss to UCLA. The 24-7 rout left the Trojans searching for answers as their offensive operation ground to a complete halt.
Revisiting my Three Keys to Victory following #USC's horrific effort against Wisconsin. Hint: The Trojans didn't hit any of them. https://t.co/TVPZevbjmo pic.twitter.com/kEd3RMQhAt
With a contract buyout estimated at roughly $70 million, according to CBS Sports, the conversation surrounding Riley’s tenure has moved from whether the university will consider a change to when and how such a decision might unfold. The defeat dropped USC out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, marking a swift descent from the optimism generated just two weeks prior following a road victory against Penn State.
USC Suffers Historic Rushing Drought in Madison
USC managed minus-17 rushing yards on the evening, the program’s lowest ground total since an October game against Arizona in 1999. Starter King Miller gained just eight yards on 11 carries, neutralized by a Badger front seven.
Pressure is mounting on Lincoln Riley after USC's loss to Wisconsin, and Trojans legend Keyshawn Johnson has a blunt message: “Do the math.” https://t.co/afkw8L8Zx3
Quarterback Jayden Maiava endured a difficult night under heavy duress, finishing 31-of-50 for 258 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Wisconsin’s defense recorded nine tackles for loss, keeping the visitors uncomfortable from the opening whistle. Special teams compounded the misery with two missed field goal attempts, including one short after a delay of game penalty.
The seven points scored by USC represented a season low and established a career low for any team coached by Riley. The offensive line proved unable to protect the backfield or generate push against a defense led by fifth-year outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks, who notched 2.5 sacks.
One week before hosting Ohio State, USC suffers a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin.The Trojans finished tonight’s game with -17 rushing yards: https://t.co/3D6SEqPkrcLuke Fickell’s Badgers improve to 5-2 with their second win over a ranked opponent this season.
We had some big penalties at times that obviously you know hindered us on all sides of the ball. So just not good enough.
Wisconsin Secures Win Through Gritty Execution
Abu Sama III rushed for 72 yards to anchor a 142-yard team effort on the ground as the Badgers relied on a running game orchestrated by running back Bryan Jackson, alongside Sama and quarterback Colton Joseph.
For Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, the victory provided a needed turning point. Fickell praised his defense for maintaining pressure throughout the contest, holding the opposition without a rushing game. The victory sent the student section rushing onto the turf at Camp Randall Stadium as the final seconds ticked away, celebrating a result that reshapes the upper tier of the Big Ten standings.
Gritty ain’t pretty. We just played a harder football game and brought it to them. They couldn’t really do nothing with us.
New Tunnel Vision episode with @RJAbeytiaSports & @rileysagertv talking about #USC's disastrous effort in Madison, the future of the program and lots more! Watch/listen here: https://t.co/E5Uk8pZqB8 pic.twitter.com/syWMjbFn7N
USC Prepares for October 31 Clash With Ohio State
With a record of 6-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play, USC faces a closing stretch featuring top-10 opponents and traditional rivals. The path to the College Football Playoff, once viewed as an attainable goal for a program entering its fifth year under the current staff, now looks narrow.
The immediate challenge arrives on October 31, 2026, when No. 2 Ohio State visits the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Additional matchups against Indiana and UCLA mean the Trojans have little time to digest their offensive failures in Wisconsin before confronting another elite opponent.
More on Lincoln Riley
RILEY OWNS THE LOSS: Following #USC’s disappointing 24–7 loss to Wisconsin, head coach Lincoln Riley acknowledged that the Trojans fell well short of expectations and took responsibility for the team’s performance.“Just not good enough. I take responsibility for it. We did not… pic.twitter.com/7IvVoyiwXa