Wisconsin’s start against Eastern Michigan had all the makings of a rough afternoon for Badgers fans. The first drive stalled on downs, the Eagles grabbed a 7-0 lead, and then Colton Joseph threw an interception on the next possession. For a moment, the tension inside Camp Randall Stadium was real.
That feeling didn’t last.
By the end of Wisconsin’s 54-10 win on Sept. 19, the pitchforks were back in the shed and the mood had flipped completely. Fans were dancing and singing in the rain, and social media had turned into a celebration of a game that quickly got away from Eastern Michigan.
The Badgers took over in every phase after that uneasy opening stretch. They scored 41 straight points from the end of the first quarter through the end of the third, and the second quarter was the stretch that broke things open. Wisconsin found the end zone on all four of its possessions in that period, and the final two touchdowns came right after interceptions by the defense.
Joseph settled in and helped the offense hit its stride, too. He finished with 362 passing yards on 23 of 33 passing with three touchdowns, and he added 46 rushing yards plus a rushing score. His first-quarter touchdown run capped an 11-play, 74-yard drive that ate up nearly six minutes, and then Wisconsin needed just one play and 10 seconds on the next series to score again when Joseph connected with Chris Brooks Jr. on a 75-yard bomb.
The avalanche kept rolling in the second half. Wisconsin added a defensive touchdown on a scoop and score in the third quarter, and then put the finishing touch on the afternoon with a special teams touchdown after Eastern Michigan called timeout and tried a field goal as time expired. The Badgers blocked the kick and returned it for a touchdown.
Wisconsin didn’t punt all game and scored on its final seven offensive possessions, a full 60-minute effort against an overmatched opponent in the team’s final nonconference game. The bigger test comes next week with a Big Ten opener at Penn State, but for one rainy day, Badgers fans had plenty to laugh about.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans Have A New Abu Sama Question After Week 3
Wisconsins backfield took on a different look in Week 3 against Eastern Michigan, and not in a way the Badgers probably wanted. Abu Sama was cleared to play, but the coaching staff held him out in a game-time decision, leaving the team to piece together its ground game without the star tailback. The result was a rushing effort that never really got untracked, with quarterback Colton Joseph leading the way on the ground and the tailbacks combining for only modest production.
Luke Fickell said the call came down to Samas readiness and the conditions surrounding the game, which only adds to the intrigue around what comes next. For a Wisconsin offense that leans on the run, the question now is less about why Sama sat out on this particular afternoon and more about how the staff plans to handle him moving forward if the Badgers want a more reliable answer in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fans Just Got Another Reason To Debate The Quarterback Choice
Billy Edwards Jr. and Colton Joseph gave Wisconsin fans plenty to chew on after a recent game, with the two quarterbacks producing very different nights. Edwards finished 13 of 30 for one touchdown and one interception, and his late pick helped seal North Carolina's loss to Clemson, while Joseph was much sharper in Wisconsin's own attack, going 23 of 33 with three touchdown passes and 46 rushing yards.
For a fan base already willing to debate the position, the contrast was hard to miss. Joseph kept the Badgers moving with multiple touchdown drives, while Edwards' uneven showing added more fuel to the conversation about consistency and decision-making under pressure, the kind of comparison that tends to linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Finally Got The Response It Needed From Colton Joseph
After a sluggish opening, Wisconsin found its footing in a hurry Saturday and turned a one-sided afternoon into a 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan. The Badgers shook off the slow start by taking control in the second quarter, and the defense helped set the tone with turnovers that swung the game firmly in their favor, including interceptions by Mason Posa and Matt Jung along with a fumble recovery by Cooper Catalano.
For Colton Joseph, it was the kind of response Wisconsin had been waiting to see. After an uneven beginning, the quarterback settled in and finished with 363 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception, giving the offense the spark it needed as the Badgers pulled away. It was not a perfect performance, but it was a steadier one, and for a team looking to build confidence, that mattered just as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]