Wisconsin’s meeting with Eastern Michigan does not look like a game that will be decided by one dramatic swing. On paper, the Badgers have the advantage across the board, and Saturday feels more like a checkpoint than a true test. That’s exactly why this one matters: Wisconsin needs to look the part before heading to Happy Valley for Penn State.
Still, there are a few spots worth watching closely, and they start with whether Wisconsin’s defense can finally create a takeaway. Eastern Michigan quarterback Kim has thrown only one interception through three games, so he has avoided becoming a turnover machine.
Even so, Mike Tressel’s group needs to change that at Camp Randall. The staff spent the offseason stressing turnovers, and it believes this defense has the personnel to produce them.
The problem is simple: Wisconsin has not forced one in 2026.
That turnover could come from anywhere. Sebastian Cheeks could come off the edge for a strip sack.
Mason Posa or Cooper Catalano could punch the ball loose on a run play. The secondary could also step up, though that’s less certain based on what has shown up so far.
Javan Robinson was highly touted in the portal, and Matt Jung has shown he can fly around and make tackles, so one of them may be the one to make a play on the ball. However it happens, Wisconsin needs one.
The other side of that same coin is Billy Edwards Jr. simply needing a clean, productive day. His performance against Western Illinois, even while banged up, is not the kind of outing that will hold up once Big Ten play begins.
This is his last chance to settle in against a defense that looks vulnerable. Eastern Michigan’s Dobbs leads the country in pass deflections with five, although he was quiet against Michigan State while the Spartans rolled up points on the Eagles.
Dobbs is clearly the top defensive back Wisconsin has to account for, but the expectation here is that receivers will be available. The bigger question is whether Edwards can put the ball on them.
He does not need a huge stat line, but he does need to show he can hit the easy throws, the out route near the sticks, and the tight end up the seam. Accuracy was a concern entering the season, and that remains a key thing to watch before Wisconsin takes on a top-15 opponent on the road.
The third matchup is in the trenches and on the ground, where Darrion Dupree becomes the focal point against Mowchan. Mowchan has piled up 30 total tackles in 2026, which ties him for the nation’s lead, and he’s added three pass breakups.
Even with Eastern Michigan already having played three games, that still works out to 10 tackles per game. He’s been around the ball constantly and has the look of a difference-maker.
Dupree’s first two carries last week went for more than 100 yards, but he settled down after that. Wisconsin’s offense needs the run game to define it, and Dupree is the lead back.
The Badgers’ offensive line should open some space for him to reach the second level, and that’s where Mowchan will be waiting. Dupree can break tackles, but to really make this a big day, he may also have to make Mowchan miss.
That’s a tall ask.
The same idea applies to the rest of Wisconsin’s backfield, which should again see multiple runners get touches. But Dupree is the starter, and if the ground game stalls, he’s the one who will wear 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 🡒]