Dec 30, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers place kicker Rafael Gaglianone (10) makes a field goal against the USC Trojans during the fourth quarter in the 2015 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — Rafael Gaglianone kicked three field goals, including the game-winning 29-yarder with 2:27 remaining, and Wisconsin rallied to beat Southern California 23-21 in the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday night.
The Badgers (10-3) defeated the Trojans (8-6) for the first time in seven meetings.
Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave threw for 217 yards and a touchdown while completing 18 of 27 attempts.
USC quarterback Cody Kessler was 18 of 31 for 221 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception.
Kessler’s pick came in the final two minutes, when he was hit from behind by linebacker Jack Cichy. That caused an erratic pass, which was intercepted by cornerback Sojourn Shelton.
The Trojans seized their first lead of the game, 21-20, with 10 minutes remaining when Kessler clicked with wide receiver Darreus Rogers on a 7-yard touchdown pass. Kessler was flushed from the pocket and extended the play before spotting Rogers streaking across the end zone.
USC running back Justin Davis’ second touchdown run, this one from 4 yards in the third quarter, sliced the Trojans’ deficit to 20-14.
The Trojans then forced a three-and-out and took over at midfield. However, Cichy had three consecutive sacks to derail USC’s momentum.
The Badgers took the second half’s opening possession and marched 64 yards, capped by a 4-yard scoring pass from Stave to tight end Austin Traylor. That pushed Wisconsin ahead, 20-7.
Gaglianone’s 33-yard field goal in the half’s closing minute gave Wisconsin a 13-7 advantage.
The Trojans pulled to within 10-7 with five minutes left in the half on Davis’ 1-yard plunge on fourth down. It was the second fourth down the Trojans converted on the 55-yard drive.
Running back Corey Clement pushed the Badgers’ lead to 10-0 when he rushed over from 6 yards midway through the second quarter. Clement’s fifth touchdown of the season came when the original call was overturned, after Clement was ruled down at the 1. On the drive, Stave had completions of 11, 18 and 26 yards.
The Badgers scored early in the second quarter on Gaglianone’s 27-yard field goal to go ahead 3-0. Wisconsin nearly had a touchdown on the nine-play drive, but Stave’s third-down, 8-yard pass to Alex Erickson went off the wide receiver’s hands in the end zone. The possession’s key play was a one-handed catch by wide receiver Robert Wheelwright for 21 yards.
NOTES: USC and Wisconsin met in a third bowl game, but for the first time, it wasn’t in Pasadena. The Trojans beat the Badgers in the 1953 and 1963 Rose Bowls. … Wisconsin’s Holiday Bowl appearance was its 14th consecutive bowl game. That is the longest streak in the Big 10 and seventh-best in the nation. … Chargers RB Melvin Gordon, a Heisman Trophy finalist last season at Wisconsin, was on the Badgers’ sideline. … This was the second time USC had played a 14-game season. In 2013, the Trojans were 10-4.
