Wisconsin’s upset of No. 16 USC came with a box score that looked almost surreal: the Badgers rolled to a win while their quarterback managed only 58 passing yards.
That kind of number usually triggers alarm bells. In this case, it shouldn’t.
The most eye-catching stat from the game was USC finishing with -17 rushing yards, and that was the headline for a reason. Wisconsin’s defense suffocated the Trojans from start to finish, piling up five sacks, nine tackles for loss and two takeaways. That level of control let the Badgers play the kind of game they wanted to play, and they won it.
Colton Joseph’s passing line was still a tough sell on the surface. He went 12-of-14 for 58 yards and threw a touchdown on a 4th-down. Over his last two games, he has 124 passing yards on 18-of-30 throwing with one touchdown, while adding 103 rushing yards and a score.
There’s no sugarcoating what happened a week earlier at UCLA. Joseph was 6-of-16 for 66 yards in Week 7, and he missed some throws while making several bad decisions. He also didn’t get much help from his offensive line, which struggled both in pass protection and in creating rushing lanes that could have eased some of the pressure on his arm.
But the USC game was a different picture even if the raw numbers barely changed. Joseph was far more efficient, completing 86% of his throws and keeping the ball out of harm’s way.
If the passing game felt cautious, that’s a fair reaction. But the plan was to pound USC into submission, and Wisconsin did exactly that.
And the Badgers did take their shots. Not every productive throw showed up in the final stat sheet, but there were several plays downfield that mattered.
One came to tight end Jacob Harris, a throw that drew a pass interference call and moved Wisconsin inside the 10-yard line. Another came on the opening drive, when Joseph went deep to Jaylon Domingeaux and drew a pass interference penalty there as well.
That’s why the passing game deserves a closer look than the box score alone suggests. It still isn’t where it needs to be, and there are too many snaps that stall immediately or seem dead on arrival.
Against Iowa, that matters even more. With Iowa’s run defense looming, Joseph is going to have to make plays through the air, especially on the critical third-and-long situations waiting for Wisconsin at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
The Badgers don’t need style points. They can live with ugly wins. But the passing game has to be at least functional, and against USC it was just barely there.
What it is not, though, is a reason to panic or to start pushing true freshman Ryan Hopkins into the conversation. Joseph’s recent output has been modest, but that’s not because Wisconsin is asking him to light up secondaries every week. That isn’t his game, and it isn’t this offense’s game either.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Just Proved Its National Pull Is Still Very Real
Wisconsins recent television numbers have given a clearer picture of what the program can still draw on a national stage. The prime-time matchup with UCLA pulled 2.2 million viewers, and the game against USC still brought in 1.9 million even with the World Series in the mix, a reminder that the Badgers remain a brand people will stop to watch when the schedule puts them in a spotlight.
Camp Randall has backed that up in person, too, with more than 70,000 in the stands for the USC game. Because some of Wisconsins earlier games were carried on networks not tracked by Nielsen, these newer ratings offer a better read on the true size of the audience, and they suggest the Badgers appeal is still very much national even in a season of changing optics. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Trade Buzz Is Suddenly Worth Watching For Badgers Fans
Jonathan Taylors name is back in the trade conversation, and for Wisconsin fans, that alone is enough to make the situation worth tracking. The former Badgers star has been one of the NFLs most productive backs this season for Indianapolis, leading the league in rushing touchdowns while sitting near the top in carries and rushing yards, which only adds to the intrigue around any possible deadline deal.
USA TODAY recently pointed to six teams that could get involved if the Colts decide to move him, including the Vikings, Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, Giants and Commanders. Whether anything actually materializes is another matter, but the mere fact that Taylor is being discussed in a potential fire sale gives the deadline a little extra weight for a player Badgers fans know well. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Frontcourt Is Already Facing A Tough Early Test
Wisconsins frontcourt is dealing with an early hiccup before the games start to count, with sophomore forward Will Garlock sidelined after a practice injury and listed as day-to-day. He missed the exhibition win over Oklahoma State, and with the season opener against Denver looming on Nov. 2, the Badgers are already having to sort out how much they can ask from a group still taking shape.
If Garlock is unavailable, the workload in the post could shift quickly to Hofstra transfer Victory Onuetu and freshman Isaac Riddle, both of whom are in line to factor into the rotation. For a team still trying to settle roles this early in the year, Garlocks status is worth watching because it could determine how much Wisconsin leans on its depth right away. [Read more 🡒]