Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego at 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN and WatchESPN (Spanish broadcast)
Badger to Watch: Senior LB Joe SchobertWisconsin boasts the No. 1 scoring defense in the country, holding opponents to 13.1 points per game. Schobert is the senior leader at the heart of everything for the Badgers. The former walk-on leads the team with 18.5 tackles for loss (10th in the nation) and 9.5 sacks (14th in the nation) en route to being named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. Wisconsin does not have a dynamic offense like the Trojans, so the Badgers will need Schobert and company to make plays on defense to change the game.
(Photo by Aaron Gash/AP)
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3 Keys
Back to the Blueprint
For the first time under Clay Helton, the Trojans were outgained on the ground by an opponent, which led directly to the loss in the Pac-12 Championship Game. While Wisconsin does not have the same personnel as Stanford, the Badgers have a similar game plan. They will run at the Trojans and make no secret of it, and USC intends to push right back. Junior RB Justin Davis has had the hot hand, averaging 108 rush yards per game over the last five. Win the battle at the line of scrimmage to win the war of the Holiday Bowl.
Fresh and Easy
Helton gave the Trojans a two-week break after the season to revitalize his bruised roster. USC returned refreshed and revitalized, which could pay big dividends on the outside. The Badgers cannot match the Trojans playmaker-for-playmaker, so if JuJu Smith-Schuster and Adoree' Jackson are at top speed, expect Helton to dial up some vertical passes in the play-action game. A year ago, Jackson stole the show at the Holiday Bowl by scoring two long touchdowns and flipping into the end zone.
Culmination or Springboard?
Is this the end of one season or the beginning of the next? Bowl games mean different things to different teams. The Holiday Bowl provides the Trojan Family one last look at players like Cody Kessler and Su'a Cravens in the Cardinal and Gold, but a win could also build momentum going into the first offseason under head coach Clay Helton. National Signing Day is just over a month away and the 2016 season opener against Alabama will be here before we know it. A big 2016 lies ahead, so no better way to ring in the new year than a celebration in San Diego.
