Wisconsin spent the first part of Saturday shaking off a slow start, then buried Eastern Michigan 54-10 to move to 2-1 and finish non-conference play. With Penn State waiting in Week 4, the Badgers got a few clear answers out of the win - some encouraging, some less so - as Big Ten play approaches.
The biggest surge belonged to wide receiver Henry. He had already been climbing after posting four catches for 91 yards against Western Illinois, but his showing against Eastern Michigan pushed him into another gear. After an early fourth-down drop on the opening drive, the fifth-year receiver answered with 14 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown, setting a new school record for catches in a game.
Henry did most of his damage from the slot, where he isn’t exactly stretching the field vertically. That didn’t matter much on Saturday.
He kept chains moving, forced four missed tackles, and eight of his catches went for first downs. Considering he entered 2026 with only six career receptions, the rise has been hard to miss.
Three games in, he’s become Colton Joseph’s go-to target and a central piece of Wisconsin’s passing game.
Tight end Harris also took a step forward after a rougher run in the previous stock report. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Bowling Green transfer delivered one of Wisconsin’s better receiving lines of the day, finishing with three catches for 89 yards on four targets. His best moment came on a 32-yard grab in the second quarter, a play that showed off the kind of body control and toughness Wisconsin was hoping to get.
Harris added 40 yards after the catch, flashed strong hands, and held up as a run blocker too, earning a 75.9 PFF run-blocking grade. The target volume probably won’t spike dramatically, but he gives Colton Joseph a sizable target who can do damage when the ball is placed where it needs to be.
Safety Jung, meanwhile, turned in a much-needed bounce-back. After an uneven first two games, the Neenah native made a huge play in coverage against Eastern Michigan tight end Joshua Long, coming away with an interception in the second quarter. He also added a pass deflection and finished with an elite 90.5 overall PFF grade.
That said, the tackling issue still hasn’t gone away. Jung missed another tackle, giving him at least one missed tackle in all three Wisconsin games this season.
That kind of lapse may be manageable against lesser opponents, but it becomes a bigger concern once the schedule tightens. Even so, his coverage performance in Week 3 offered a real reason for confidence in his ability to hold down a starting role.
On the other side of the ledger, cornerback Robinson had a rough afternoon. The Arizona State transfer, who was brought in to be a steady outside presence, was beaten for an 18-yard touchdown by Nick Devereaux in the first quarter - Eastern Michigan’s only score of the day. Robinson also missed a tackle and finished with a 59.5 PFF grade.
One bad game in a blowout doesn’t trigger panic, but it does leave a mark. Robinson has been effective in Wisconsin’s other two games, and now the challenge is simple: erase this one and show up against Penn State. He’s already had success in previous matchups against head coach Matt Campbell and quarterback Rocco Becht from their Iowa State days, and Wisconsin would love to see that version of him again in Happy Valley.
Burks had a quieter, less damaging day than Robinson, but it still wasn’t clean. The senior safety was flagged for an avoidable facemask penalty in the second quarter, and while he did log a pass deflection and three tackles, two solo, he was also charged with a missed tackle for the third straight week.
The Missouri transfer hasn’t been a bust, but he also hasn’t made the kind of impact Wisconsin likely expected when it brought him in as one of its top portal additions. He’s been solid enough as a starter, with an SEC track record that suggests more is there. For this defense to hit its ceiling and stay in the mix with the Big Ten’s best, though, Burks needs to become a much bigger factor.
In Other News...
Trech Kekahunas Transfer Is Already Looking Rough For Wisconsins Ex-WR
Trech Kekahunas move from Wisconsin to North Carolina was supposed to bring a fresh start, especially after following quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to Chapel Hill. Instead, the former Badgers receiver has had a quiet beginning with his new team, seeing limited usage through three games and managing just six catches for 71 yards without reaching the end zone.
Back in Madison, Kekahuna had been one of Wisconsins most productive playmakers, leading the team in receiving and all-purpose yardage before his departure. The Badgers have not exactly missed a beat at receiver either, with players like Tyrell Henry stepping into bigger roles and turning in strong performances in Kekahunas absence, which only sharpens the contrast between the two situations. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Homecoming Just Got A Start Time Fans Will Debate
Wisconsins homecoming weekend now has a clock attached to it, and not everyone in Madison will love the answer. The Badgers announced that their Oct. 3 game against Michigan State will kick off at 11:30 a.m. CT on Big Ten Network, slotting the matchup into a full week of campus festivities built around the annual homecoming celebration.
It will be the first homecoming for new athletic director Shawn Eichorst, and the schedule around it has the usual mix of pageantry and tradition. Parade, block party, pep rally and the schools annual Fill the Hill fundraiser are all part of the week, but the early start time changes the feel of the biggest day and gives fans plenty to debate before the Spartans arrive in Madison. [Read more 🡒]
Top In-State Tight End Saw Something In Madison Wisconsin Fans Will Love
Hank Doyles trip to Madison gave Wisconsin another look from one of the states most promising 2029 tight end prospects, and it came at a time when the Badgers are trying to keep local talent close to home. The Grafton product spent time on campus, took in a game, and left with a scholarship offer from coach Nate Letton, while also coming away impressed with the facilities and the way the staff operated around him.
For Wisconsin fans, the broader appeal is easy to see. The Badgers have shown a recent willingness to involve tight ends in the offense, and that kind of usage matters when a high-end in-state recruit is weighing his options this early in the process. Doyles visit did not just put Wisconsin in the conversation, it gave the program a chance to make an impression that could matter much later. [Read more 🡒]