Wisconsin has spent two weeks giving fans the same uneasy feeling: the Badgers come out fast, then the whole thing starts to wobble. Against Notre Dame, that kind of fade hurt badly.
Against Western Illinois, it was more irritating than damaging. Either way, the message was clear - Wisconsin still hasn’t put together a full 60-minute performance.
That’s the hurdle heading into Sunday against Eastern Michigan. And beyond the vague idea of “playing a complete game,” the Badgers need real fixes in three specific areas.
The first one starts with Colton Joseph and the passing game. Last week was rough to watch because Joseph kept missing open receivers, and those misses kept the offense from ever settling in.
The run game did its part, but the passing attack never got going. Joseph finished with 173 passing yards, completed 12 of 22 attempts, and simply left too many easy throws on the field.
His QBR ended at 28.7, which is not where Wisconsin wants to be, especially against an FCS opponent. The explanation was that he was banged up and rusty, but that doesn’t change the need for sharper throws against Eastern Michigan.
If Joseph can get the passing game moving, the run game should have even more room to breathe.
The second issue is getting to the quarterback. Wisconsin’s defense leaned on a bend-but-don’t-break approach against Western Illinois, and that didn’t sit well with the fanbase.
Some of the heat went to the defensive backs, but the bigger problem was up front: if the line and linebackers aren’t creating sacks, the secondary is left to survive for too long. Western Illinois wasn’t shy about putting quarterback Kennedy McGill in difficult spots, and he escaped some of them, but Wisconsin still finished with zero sacks.
That’s a number the Badgers can’t keep staring at. Eastern Michigan offers another test there, and Michigan State showed the blueprint by sacking EMU quarterback Noah Kim four times in a 35-7 win.
The third fix is turnovers, or more accurately, the lack of them. Wisconsin still hasn’t forced one this season, and that’s a problem for a defense trying to become more complete.
A turnover can flip a drive, swing momentum, buy the offense another possession, and sometimes turn into points the other way. Right now, the Badgers haven’t had that kind of swing play at all.
If they want to look more like a finished product, that has to change.
In Other News...
Jalen Browns Sudden Move Has Wisconsin Fans Watching One Thing
Wisconsin basketball recruit Jalen Brown is taking a different path for his senior season, leaving Wauwatosa West High School to attend Sequoia Prep in Arizona. The move is being framed as a chance for Brown to test himself against stronger competition and speed up his development, a route plenty of high-level prospects have taken as they try to sharpen their games before college.
For Badgers fans, the key detail is what is not changing: there is no current indication Brown is reconsidering his commitment to Wisconsin. His coach confirmed the transfer and said Brown remains eligible under WIAA rules because he is not too old, so the focus now shifts to how the new setting shapes his final prep season and what kind of player Wisconsin will eventually bring into the program. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins 2027 Schedule Just Took An Unexpected Early-Season Turn
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UMass is expected to step into the vacated spot, giving Wisconsin another piece to slot into an early-season calendar that is still taking shape. For a program that already knows it will be traveling overseas to begin the season and then leaning into conference play, the swap is the latest reminder that even far-off schedules can keep changing long before kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Faces A Week 3 Threat Fans Should Not Overlook
Wisconsins start has already offered a little of everything, with one loss and one win in the opening two weeks, and the next test brings a nonconference opponent that should not be brushed aside. Eastern Michigan arrives with a 1-2 record, but the Eagles have enough veteran pieces to make this a tricky Week 3 matchup for the Badgers if Wisconsin is not sharp from the start.
The concern begins with quarterback Kim, who gives Eastern Michigan a steady hand, and extends to a backfield featuring Blue and Bennett, both capable of adding stress to a defense that cannot afford lapses. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Mowchan has been a notable presence as well, giving the Eagles experience at a spot where disruption can change the feel of a game quickly. For Wisconsin, it is the kind of opponent that can look manageable on paper and still demand full attention for four quarters. [Read more 🡒]