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The Badgers failed to win the West Division of the Big Ten this season following a straight-up 6-2 record in conference play, but they finished the regular season on a strong note with a 31-21 victory against Minnesota as one-point road favorites. The total went OVER 44 in that game and it has now gone OVER in three of their last four games. Overall, Wisconsin was 9-3 SU, but it fell to 4-5 against the spread.
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Wisconsin relied on its time-tested strategy of running the ball on offense and shutting teams down on defense to post another solid campaign. While the Badgers only averaged 148.1 rushing yards a game, they have a solid duo of backs in Dare Ogunbowale and Taiwan Deal. Joel Stave was steady at quarterback with 2,470 passing yards and 10 touchdown throws on 343 attempts, but he was also picked-off 11 times. The real strength of this team was a shutdown defense that was ranked first in the nation in points allowed (13.1).
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It was a wild ride for USC this season from the low point of losing to the Washington Huskies 17-12 on Oct. 8 as a heavy 17-point home favorite to the high of beating the rival UCLA Bruins 40-21 as a three-point favorite at home to lock-up a spot in the Pac-12 title game. When you add it all up, the Trojans went 6-3 SU in conference play as part of an 8-5 record overall. They are 6-7 ATS after failing to cover in four of their last five games.
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Southern Cal also had to work through a coaching change when Clay Helton took over the reins from Steve Sarkisian on an interim basis just three days after that bad loss to the Huskies. The season-ending victory over the Bruins helped earn Helton the permanent spot as head coach and he is hoping his team responds with another strong effort in this game. Much of the Trojans' chances to get that Holiday Bowl win rest on the arm of quarterback Cody Kessler. He injured his wrist in the lopsided 41-22 loss to Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game, but all reports point towards him being ready to go. Kessler ended the season with 3,315 passing yards and 28 touchdown throws.
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Wisconsin Badgers vs. USC Trojans Game Betting Trends
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The Badgers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games played at a neutral site and they are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU win. The total has gone OVER in five of their last six December games.
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The Trojans are 5-2 ATS in their last seven bowl games and they are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games against a team from the Big Ten. The total has gone OVER in six of their last nine bowl games.
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This will be the first meeting between these teams in recent memory.
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