Dalton Kincaid, the current Buffalo Bills tight end and former Utah Ute, was the guest picker on ESPN’s “College Gameday” Saturday morning.
During the picks segment, Kincaid made his feelings clear on USC.
“There’s a few schools I really dislike; USC is one of those schools.”
You can see the full clip here:
https://x.com/CollegeGameDay/status/2114024610538619185
He elaborated as the panel discussed the USC-Wisconsin matchup.
“A few years ago, we had a similar blackout game, in which we beat them 43-42,” he said while picking the Badgers over the Trojans. “And I don’t think they’ve recovered since that moment.”
Looking back at 2022
Kincaid has good reason to look back fondly on that Oct. 15, 2022 showdown. The tight end hauled in 16 catches for 234 yards and one touchdown. The Trojans, led by quarterback Caleb Williams, were ranked No.7 in the country and undefeated entering the matchup. Williams also had a massive day, throwing for 381 yards and five touchdowns in the loss.
Utah and USC met again later that season in the Pac-12 championship game, with the Utes emerging victorious again, this time by a final score of 47-24. Kincaid went 3-1 against USC during his college career, with his only loss coming in 2020.
Kincaid starred for the Utes from 2020-2022, with a breakout senior season that saw him score 8 touchdowns on 70 receptions and 890 yards in 12 games. That production propelled him into the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, where he was taken 25th overall by the Buffalo Bills. Through six games with the Bills this season, Kincaid has caught 23 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown.
A Tough Road Ahead for the Trojans
The “College Gameday” panel was split on Saturday’s matchup. Desmond Howard and Nick Saban both picked the Trojans to come out on top, while Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit sided with Kincaid in picking the Badgers.
USC, ranked No.17 in the country, is a 3-point favorite heading into Camp Randall Stadium. The Trojans have been heavily scrutinized for their road performances since joining the Big Ten, but have gotten off to a good start this season with away victories at Rutgers and Penn State.
Saturday’s kickoff marks the toughest stretch of the season for the Trojans, with three of their next five opponents currently ranked inside the top 10. USC hosts No.3 Ohio State next Saturday before traveling to Bloomington to take on the No.6 Hoosiers, later finishing the regular season on the road against No.9 UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
If the Trojans plan to crash the Big Ten title party, it begins on Saturday in the hostile environment of Madison. Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1) is coming off a 17-7 loss on the road to UCLA, and is looking to avoid two straight losses to the Southern California contingent of the Big Ten.
With the conference favorites currently in flux, riddled with injuries and inconsistent play, USC controls its own destiny. A statement victory on Saturday would not only spoil Kincaid’s prediction, but also give the Trojans momentum and confidence heading into a Halloween battle against an Ohio State squad led by a backup quarterback.
‘College Gameday’ guest picker rips Trojans: “I don’t think they’ve recovered since that moment”