Wisconsin’s trip to Happy Valley arrives with the Big Ten season about to hit hard and fast, and Saturday night at Beaver Stadium is a rough place to start. The Badgers open conference play against No.
13 Penn State, then move into a stretch that includes homecoming against Michigan State, a road game against undefeated UCLA, a home date with No. 12 USC and a Halloween-night trip to No.
17 Iowa.
That makes this week more than just another test. It’s the front edge of a run that could shape the rest of Wisconsin’s season.
The biggest spotlight still belongs to quarterback Joseph, who answered plenty of questions last week with a huge finish through the air and a physical edge on the ground. After a rough opening in terms of accuracy and decision-making, he caught fire and threw for 302 yards in the first half alone. He ended up with 362 passing yards and three touchdowns, then added 46 rushing yards and a score - his best running output in the Cardinal and White.
His touchdown run told the whole story. On a zone read, he kept it himself and launched into the end zone, flying through the air to break the plane.
“The thing I continue to challenge him for is, ‘look, when you run, you’ve gotta run to score. Run to win. Not just run to find some space and get some yards,'" head coach Luke Fickell said this week.
That kind of edge matters here because Penn State has been stingy against the pass. The Nittany Lions rank No. 2 nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 90.0, and neither Temple nor Buffalo managed to reach 60 passing yards against them in their last two games. If Wisconsin is going to keep Penn State honest, Joseph’s legs may be every bit as important as his arm.
"Where that balance is, I don’t know, but we can’t play scared. He can’t play worried about certain things.
And I think that’s where he’s different. Of all the guys we’ve had here, go back to Tanner Mordecai who could run the ball really well too.
I think he’s younger, he’s got a different mindset when it comes to that, and I think we do as well," Fickell said.
Penn State’s offense brings its own challenge, and it starts with quarterback Rocco Becht. The Iowa State transfer has been terrific through three weeks, piling up 751 passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 70.3% of his throws.
According to Pro Football Focus, he hasn’t produced a single turnover-worthy play and has seven “big-time throws.” He has been sacked in every game, though, and that matters because Penn State has only faced Group of Six opponents so far.
For comparison, Wisconsin didn’t allow a sack against FCS Western Illinois or MAC foe Eastern Michigan.
"Rocco is a guy that’s obviously very experienced, whether it’s in this league or another league. He gives them a lot of options in a lot of different things. He’s a dual threat guy who hasn’t had to use his feet a ton, and I think that’s because of his development as a passer and as a manager of the game," Fickell said.
Penn State still hasn’t seen a defense close to Wisconsin’s level of talent, but Becht has been close to spotless. That makes pressure up front a priority for the Badgers if they want to slow the Nittany Lions down.
Wisconsin’s offense could also use help from the injury front. Running back Abu Sama was held out of the Week 3 win even though he had been cleared to play, while wide receiver Malachi Coleman also missed the blowout despite being on the sideline.
"Hopefully he's a lot further along this week without playing last week, without taking some shots. But we won't know right away. We'll figure that thing out soon," Fickell said about Sama.
Sama’s status seems more straightforward, since he was already cleared for Week 3 and could be cleared again for Week 4. The decision may come down to how the staff feels about using him in such a big spot versus protecting him for the rest of the season.
Coleman is a little murkier. He may be dealing with concussion-like symptoms after hitting his head hard on the turf against Western Illinois, though that remains speculation.
“The good news is, he was back out with us on the field. I knew they were a little concerned right off the bat.
I look up and he’s the guy screaming and hollering in the huddle. I’m like, ‘Okay, maybe he doesn’t have a headache or whatever comes along with hitting your head or face on the turf,'" Fickell said ahead of Week 3.
Even getting one of them back would matter for Wisconsin’s offense. Getting both would be a major lift.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Is Suddenly In The Hunt For An Elite Defender
Wisconsin has quickly gone from an outsider to a serious player in the recruitment of elite edge defender Jalanie George. The five-star prospect from Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Arizona, trimmed his list to four schools, with the Badgers joined by Washington, Miami and Auburn as he moves toward a 2028 commitment decision.
The timing makes this one worth watching closely for Wisconsin, which recently landed a game-day visit from George and has clearly made up ground after not appearing on his first group of finalists. George is set to announce his commitment on Oct. 1, and the Badgers now have a real chance to keep themselves in the mix until the finish. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Has A Few Rising Stars And One Big Concern Before Penn State
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Penn State is next, and that is where the more uncomfortable part of the evaluation begins. Cornerback Robinson had a rougher outing after being beaten for a touchdown and missing a tackle, and safety Burks mixed active playmaking with a facemask penalty and a missed tackle of his own. Wisconsin has momentum and a few rising contributors, but the upcoming matchup will be the first real test of whether those gains hold up when the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Penn State Test Gets Tougher With Two Huge Matchups
Wisconsin finished its non-conference slate at 2-1 and now turns to the Big Ten grind with a trip into a Penn State matchup that already looks like an early measuring stick. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 and ranked No. 13, so the Badgers are walking straight into a game that should tell plenty about where they stand after the first month of the season.
A big part of the challenge is Penn States balance, starting with quarterback Drew Becht and a passing attack that can change shape depending on the health of wide receiver Jahan Howard, who is listed as questionable. The other key piece is linebacker Kalen Rojas, back from injury and giving the defense a boost at the right time, which only adds to the feel that Wisconsin is about to get tested on both sides of the ball in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]