Wisconsin finally got a full-on Colton Joseph showcase, and the result was enough to put him alongside one of the Big Ten’s brightest stars.
Joseph shared co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors with Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith after a huge outing against Michigan State, per a release from the conference. Smith hauled in 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns, while Joseph did his damage in a much different way.
The Wisconsin quarterback threw for a season-low 145 yards, but he made those throws count. Joseph found the end zone three times through the air, didn’t throw an interception, and avoided any turnover-worthy plays while keeping the ball largely under control. Then he turned loose as a runner.
Joseph piled up 141 rushing yards and a touchdown, capped by a 47-yard scoring burst straight through the Michigan State defense that effectively slammed the door on the game. By the time the clock hit all zeros, he had 286 total yards and four touchdowns.
The award also marked a notable drought-buster for Wisconsin. The Badgers had not had a player win Big Ten offensive player of the week - shared or solo - since 2021, when Braelon Allen took it after rushing for 173 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in a 35-7 win over Northwestern. Allen also added a 16-yard catch in that game, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.
Joseph’s day stood out even more in Wisconsin quarterback history. His 141 rushing yards were the second-most ever by a Badger quarterback, trailing only Tanner McEvoy’s 158-yard performance against Bowling Green in 2014. His 47-yard touchdown run was also the longest touchdown run by a Wisconsin quarterback since 1998, according to the release.
The Big Ten said Joseph is also one of only four conference quarterbacks to throw three touchdowns and rush for more than 100 yards in the same game.
For Wisconsin, the most encouraging part may have been the clean sheet in the turnover column. Joseph’s zero interceptions mattered, and so did the fact that Pro Football Focus graded him with no turnover-worthy plays for the first time, according to the source. He may not be ripping off 140-plus rushing yards every week, but the performance gave Wisconsin a version of his mobility that opposing coordinators now have to account for.
Wisconsin now heads into a bye week before traveling to Pasadena to face UCLA in Week 7.
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For Luke Fickell, that shift matters because it gives Wisconsin a clearer sense of where it stands in a conference that has been anything but static. The Badgers are no longer just trying to keep pace with expectations from the outside. They are trying to turn this stretch into something more lasting, even as the leagues next round of games threatens to reshuffle the order again. [Read more 🡒]