Before Wisconsin gets to Penn State, there’s one more chance to answer a simple question: what does this team need to show against Eastern Michigan to make people feel better about what’s coming next?
That question has been floating around because the 2026 Badgers still haven’t given fans a game that makes them think, “We can win with this squad.” There’s been enough to notice, but not enough to fully trust. And that’s what makes Saturday matter.
Here are the four things that would go a long way toward easing nerves.
The biggest one is offense. Wisconsin has flashed explosive plays, broken off big runs, and even kept the quarterback clean up front.
But the whole operation still hasn’t shown it can string together drives with any consistency. The best teams don’t need to do it every possession, but they do it often enough that it becomes part of their identity.
Wisconsin hasn’t reached that point yet.
That leads straight to Colton Joseph. Through two weeks, Joseph called his own play “mediocre.”
That’s probably the kindest way to put it after what he showed against Western Illinois. He wasn’t good, and the fact that the opponent was an FCS team kept it from becoming a bigger issue in the standings.
That won’t last forever. Joseph doesn’t need to turn into something he’s not, but he does need to play the role Wisconsin needs from him - move the chains, use his legs when it’s there, and find open receivers when they present themselves.
Wisconsin also has to show it can finish a game. Right now, the Badgers might be the best team in the country for the first eight minutes.
Against Notre Dame, they looked like a CFP team going punch for punch with another CFP team. Against Western Illinois, they were up 17-0 almost immediately.
Then both times, the level dropped. For 60 minutes on Saturday, the expectation is much bigger than a hot start.
Wisconsin needs to start, sustain, and close.
And then there’s the defense. Watching a “bend but don’t break” approach against an FCS opponent is a tough watch, especially when Western Illinois kept finding ways to move the ball and extend possessions.
Wisconsin didn’t get burned every time, but it was still draining to see the Leathernecks dink and dunk their way down the field. The Badgers need to get off the field, and that starts with more turnovers and more sacks.
So far, Wisconsin hasn’t had any turnovers, and the sack total has barely shown up.
Eastern Michigan won’t answer every question Wisconsin has. But it can answer enough of them to tell us whether this team is actually trending toward Penn State, or just limping toward it.
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 🡒]