Wisconsin gets another non-conference test Saturday morning against Eastern Michigan, and the expectations from the beat writers are clear: this is a game the Badgers should control if they clean up the same kinds of issues that showed up earlier in the season.
John Steppe sees Wisconsin responding after a mixed showing in Week 2. He wrote that the Badgers should “do a better job of finishing drives” and that the defense can “cause some problems with its pass rush.” His prediction: Wisconsin 38, Eastern Michigan 10.
Mark Stewart also likes Wisconsin in a more comfortable result, but he pointed back to the Western Illinois game as a reminder that a fast start does not guarantee a clean finish. Stewart said Eastern Michigan is another opponent Wisconsin should beat handily, though he noted that if the Badgers get better play from Colton Joseph and stay healthy, those would be major positives before a bigger Week 4 matchup with No.
15 Penn State. His pick: Wisconsin 34, Eastern Michigan 13.
The betting market is firmly on Wisconsin’s side as well. According to BetMGM odds from the morning of Sept. 19, the Badgers are 23.5-point favorites. The over/under is 44.5, and Wisconsin is listed at -2500 on the moneyline, while Eastern Michigan sits at +1350.
The Badgers enter the game at 1-1 after opening the season with a 41-13 loss to No. 5 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and then beating Western Illinois 36-9. Saturday’s game against Eastern Michigan is set for 11:30 a.m. on Peacock.
After that, Wisconsin heads into a tougher stretch that includes a Sept. 26 trip to Penn State, followed by Michigan State, UCLA, USC, Iowa, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue and Minnesota.
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 🡒]