LOS ANGELES – The magic was gone for the Wisconsin soccer group within the second half Saturday.
Unable to generate a lot offense or make vital stops throughout the third and fourth quarters, the Badgers’ likelihood of upsetting No. 16 USC of their Large Ten opener fell by the wayside in entrance of 74,118 on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
UW misplaced, 38-21, permitting 28 unanswered factors within the second half.
The Badgers have been outgained 469-285 for the sport. The numbers have been 205-82 within the second half.
Sophomore Braedyn Locke accomplished 13 of 26 passes for 180 yards, one landing and one interception in his first begin of the season. Senior working again Tawee Walker ran for 55 yards on 12 carries and scored twice. Junior Vinny Anthony had a team-high 70 yards and caught his first collegiate landing on a 63-yard play within the first quarter.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the sport.
The Badgers’ incapability to make third down stops proved pricey
Wisconsin’s protection arrange the third-and-long conditions that normally assist a unit wreck havoc on offenses. The Badgers, nevertheless, couldn’t end the job.
USC scored two third quarter touchdows. Its success on third down was crucial to getting these factors. The Trojans transformed 5 straight third downs when the averaged wanted for a primary down was 8.4 yards.
USC gained a median of 14 yards on these performs. That included a 32-yard achieve from quarterback Miller Moss to Duce Robinson on third and seven to arrange a primary down on the 11 and touchdowns of 6 yards to Ja’Kobi Lane and eight yards to Robinson.
That success helped USC flip a 21-10 deficit on the half right into a 24-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Replay:Wisconsin vs USC soccer rating, dwell recreation updates, highlights
Badgers’ margin for error too slim to beat turnover
Wisconsin received the turnover battle, 3-2. It seems the Badgers couldn’t even afford that one.
Tyrell Henry’s muffed punt got here after the Badgers compelled USC to go three and out on the primary possession of the second half and gave the Trojans a primary down on the Badgers’ 30.
USC turned the quick area right into a nine-play, 30-yard drive that ended with Miller’s landing cross to Lane.
Extra:Wisconsin-USC soccer historical past: All-times sequence report between Badgers, Trojans
Testing Trojans protection performs dividends
Attacking a protection vertically doesn’t all the time repay, however UW confirmed the worth of it towards the Trojans.
The Badgers have been aggressive twice throughout the first half. The primary time resulted in a 63-yard landing cross from Locke to Anthony.
Within the second quarter Locke discovered Bryson Inexperienced blanketed by DeCarlos Nicholson however managed to finish a 35-yard reception that led to a 4-yard landing run by Walker that gave the Badgers a 21-10 edge with 6:29 left within the first half.
Atticus Bertrams flips the sector
One of many MVPs of the primary half was sophomore punter Atticus Bertrams, who punted 3 times for 150 yards throughout the first two quarters. Twice he flipped the sector.
Within the first quarter his 74-yard punt pinned USC at its 1-yard line. The shift in area place compelled the Trojans to drive the size of the sector and the Badgers in the end ended the risk with an interception by Preston Zachman on the UW 25.
And early within the second quarter, Bertrams hit a 39-yard punt that took a depraved bounce and was muffed by Zachariah Department. Anthony recovered the ball on the USC 18. On the following play Walker scored on an 18-yard run that following the additional level gave the Badgers a 14-7 edge with 14:44 to go within the half.
Wisconsin closes first half sturdy
We noticed within the Alabama recreation how the complexion of a recreation can flip throughout the ultimate minutes of the half when the Crimson Tide accomplished two lengthy performs to attain a landing that gave it a 14-3 edge.
This week UW received the ultimate 4 minutes of the half when Leon Lowery’s strain triggered Moss to fumble. Badger Ben Barten recovered the ball to finish a Trojans drive that was on the verge of reaching the pink zone.
As an alternative, the Badgers took over with 3 ½ minutes left within the half. They didn’t rating, however took 2:19 off the clock earlier than Bertrams hit a 32-yard punt that was honest caught on the 7.
USC had 71 seconds to work with earlier than the half however couldn’t previous 36-yard-line earlier than time ran out. Lowery’s compelled fumble was certainly one of three turnovers compelled by Wisconsin within the first half. It had simply two throughout the first three video games.