The USC football staff -- which no longer contains Alex Grinch -- is focused on Michigan, the Trojans' next opponent. That Michigan game will be USC's first Big Ten football conference game, the official start of a new era for the Trojans. Preparations for the Wolverines have been unfolding over the past week, with Lincoln Riley and D'Anton Lynn having two full weeks to prepare for the Maize and Blue on Sept. 21 in Ann Arbor. Trojans Wire will be on site at the Big House for that massive showdown. Next week, Michigan is front and center in the USC football universe. The outcome of that game will greatly shape USC's season and what is possible for the Trojans.

USC has been busy installing and teaching the game plan for Michigan, but with the Trojans not playing a football game in Week 3 on Saturday, Sept. 14, the whole Trojan coaching staff has an opportunity to scout other Big Ten teams coming up on the schedule. USC will look at Michigan against Arkansas State for sure. Another possibility is Wisconsin. The Badgers play USC one week after the Trojans face Michigan. Wisconsin comes to the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sept. 28. Alex Grinch returns to USC, this time as an opponent. When Wisconsin hosts Alabama on Saturday, USC can see how the Badgers fare against an elite opponent. Film study should unearth a lot of observations on Wisconsin's strengths and weaknesses. Let's offer you some stories from both Badgers Wire and Roll Tide Wire to set up Saturday's game, along with other notes you might find relevant about Wisconsin two weeks before the Badgers come to Los Angeles: