Wisconsin heads into Big Ten play with a real test waiting immediately on the other side of nonconference season, and the matchup says plenty about where this team is right now. On Saturday evening in Week 4, the Badgers open conference action on the road against No. 13 Penn State, a tough spot that carries extra weight after the way previous league openers have gone under Luke Fickell.
The last time Wisconsin began Big Ten play away from home, it was at No. 13 USC in the LA Coliseum.
The Badgers had a 21-10 halftime lead and still walked away with a 38-21 loss. Last season’s conference opener was rough in a different way: after being beaten badly on the road by Alabama, Wisconsin returned to Camp Randall Stadium for what looked like its most winnable Big Ten game and then got blown off the field by Maryland, a team that did not win again all year.
With that backdrop, there’s at least one thing that feels clear about this Wisconsin team: the offense is better.
That’s not exactly a towering standard, considering last year’s passing game finished as the worst in the country outside of Northern Illinois and three triple-option teams. But the 2026 version of the Badgers gives defenses more to handle, and quarterback Colton Joseph is the biggest reason why. He has already changed the ceiling of the unit, and he stands as the clearest upgrade on the roster.
Joseph has run for 82 yards and a touchdown through three games, but the number doesn’t capture the impact. Defenses have to account for his legs on every snap, and that alone changes how they play Wisconsin. He hasn’t been perfect throwing the ball, but he has delivered some beautiful passes, and his arm can push the ball vertically.
The help around him is better, too. At running back, Abu Sama brings a burst Wisconsin has been missing, while Darrion Dupree has made a noticeable jump as a junior.
Bryan Jackson and Nate Palmer give the room better depth. On the perimeter, wideout Malachi Coleman and tight end Jacob Harris bring a physical presence Wisconsin has not had much of before.
The drives haven’t always been smooth, but this offense looks far more threatening than it has in years.
The defense, meanwhile, feels like a unit that should keep producing splash plays as the season goes on.
Through two weeks, Wisconsin had not forced a turnover. That was one thing against Notre Dame, but when the drought continued against FCS Western Illinois, the concern grew. The Badgers also failed to record a sack against the Leathernecks, which made it fair to wonder where the big plays were coming from on a defense that looked improved over the offseason.
Then came two interceptions and a strip-sack that turned into a scoop-and-score against Eastern Michigan, which helped calm some of that noise. Mike Tressel’s defense has not traditionally been a huge havoc machine in Madison; last fall, Wisconsin finished tied for last in the country with just six turnovers forced.
Even so, the ingredients for more plays are there. The Badgers are again strong against the run, sitting No. 15 nationally at 86.5 rushing yards allowed per game.
That kind of front can push offenses into third-and-long, and that’s where mistakes become more likely. Outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks already has two forced fumbles and is generating pressure on 25% of his pass-rushing snaps.
If Wisconsin can get even a little more from its edge rushers, the chances for turnovers should keep coming.
The biggest problem so far has been the ground game. Wisconsin is averaging just 92 rushing yards per game, which ranks 116th nationally and simply won’t play in the Big Ten.
One obvious way to help that? Lean harder into Colton Joseph’s mobility.
He’s averaging about eight carries a game, and not all of those are designed runs. The Badgers need more of that element.
Joseph can create yardage himself, keep the offense on schedule, and force defenses to stay honest. Just as important, his threat as a runner makes life harder for opposing fronts and can open more space for Wisconsin’s backs.
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For Wisconsin fans, the upside is easy to see. Allen has nearly 2,000 yards through six games and is on track to top his previous seasons production, which is exactly the sort of trajectory that gets people thinking about future impact at the college level. The one new concern, though, is the same kind of concern that tends to follow a workload like this: how much more can he keep carrying before the wear and tear starts to matter? [Read more 🡒]
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Wisconsin Opens Big Ten Play With A Tough Test Waiting In Happy Valley
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A big part of the challenge will be dealing with Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, who Fickell singled out for his experience and ability to hurt defenses in more than one way. For Wisconsin, this is the kind of opener that can sharpen a teams identity quickly, because the Badgers are not just stepping into conference play, they are stepping into one of the toughest environments on the schedule with a polished opposing quarterback waiting on the other side. [Read more 🡒]