Wisconsin got the win it needed against Eastern Michigan, but the Badgers’ ground game looked different without Abu Sama in the mix.
Sama, who ripped off a 72-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage last week, dressed and warmed up before Week 3 but never took a snap. The result was a rushing attack that never quite found its usual pop. Wisconsin finished with 117 rushing yards on 3.9 yards per carry, and only three runs went for 10 yards or more.
Quarterback Colton Joseph led the team on the ground again, piling up 46 yards on nine carries. Darrion Dupree and Nate Palmer each added 29, while Bryan Jackson also got work in the rotation. Wisconsin’s tailbacks finished with 75 yards on 20 carries, good for 3.75 yards per attempt.
After the game, Luke Fickell explained why Sama stayed on the sideline.
“He practiced most of the week, he wasn't able to hit the whole week. They cleared him to play, and I said ‘I’m not sure he’s ready,'" head coach Luke Fickell said after the game.
"We made a game-time decision. He warmed up, went through everything, and just kinda said look, I don't know if it's smart for us.
The weather, the way it's gonna be, taking care of the football is gonna be big. I think we've got a stable of guys, that's probably not what we needed to do today."
Wisconsin leaned on Joseph more than usual, and the Badgers handed it off only 21 times while Joseph attempted 33 passes. The offense still did enough, but the running game clearly missed Sama’s burst.
That absence also puts more attention on the backs behind him. Dupree got the start, and if Sama is forced to miss more time, he looks like the lead option.
Jackson’s status remains worth watching after he was seen with his ankles taped on the sideline early in the third quarter. If the Badgers are without Sama going forward, Dupree and Jackson would be the pair to carry the load.
In Other News...
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
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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 🡒]
Wisconsin Gets One More Chance To Fix What Showed Up Last Week
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The bigger question for Wisconsin is not whether it can win, but what the Badgers look like while doing it. A lopsided result would be the cleanest way to move past the frustration from a week ago and get some traction before the schedule tightens, with Wisconsins 2026 slate already part of the broader picture around the program. For now, though, this matchup offers one more chance to show that last week was an outlier and not a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]