Watch the USC vs. Wisconsin Holiday Bowl online: Time, TV schedule, live stream, 3 things to know

The 2015 Holiday Bowl won’t be the first time the USC Trojans and Wisconsin Badgers have met in the postseason. One of the most storied bowl games in Wisconsin’s history was the 1963 Rose Bowl, when the Badgers nearly staged a 20-plus point comeback, but ultimately lost 42-37 to the Trojans.

This time around, Wisconsin is hoping to avoid a four-touchdown deficit in the first place. Despite having one of the best defenses in the country, it may have a tough time stopping USC wideout Juju Smith-Schuster. The Badgers will need to rely on their offense to get some points on the board to give the defense some wiggle room. They’ve had some success with running back Corey Clement, but his inconsistent playing time due to injury could stymie his game production.

While USC’s offense could help the team land a postseason win, the defense has been under scrutiny following the regular season. During the Pac-12 Championship Game, the media heard audible cussing and screaming coming from the Trojans’ coaches box through almost the entirety of the game. Christian McCaffrey broke records and reams in that game, and nearly all of the Trojans’ defensive staff was fired after the loss.

USC has been able to turn a midseason disaster into a reasonable season and is hoping to finish the season with momentum. Wisconsin, on the other hand, is hoping to salvage a season that didn’t end up in a Big Ten Championship run after winning its division last season.

TV: Dec. 30, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Radio: USC | Wisconsin

Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Conquest Chronicles (for USC fans) and Bucky’s 5th Quarter (for Wisconsin fans).

1) Wisconsin’s defense vs. USC’s offense. The Badgers have been able to ensure two shutouts against Miami (OH) and Hawaii while limiting five other teams to 10 or less points. The secondary will be tested all day by Smith-Schuster, who has 1,389 yards on 85 receptions and 10 touchdowns already this season.

2) Wisconsin wide receiver Alex Erickson is going for the school’s single-season receiving record and needs just seven receptions in the Holiday Bowl to set the new mark. Currently at 72 catches on the year for 924 yards and three touchdowns, he bears the majority of the receiving load for the Badgers’ offense and will be a key contributor against the Trojans.

3) This will be the second official game for Clay Helton as the head coach for USC. After taking over as the interim head coach midseason following the departure of Steve Sarkisian, the school decided to hire Helton full-time following the last regular season game. His first game as head coach resulted in a 41-22 loss to Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

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