3 Storylines I'm Following in Wisconsin's Matchup Versus Eastern Illinois

What do the Badgers have in store in the final test before conference play?

Sep 12, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the team onto the field for warmups prior to the game against the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s week three and Wisconsin has one more chance to handle an inferior opponent. Technically, it dominated Western Illinois, but if you surveyed the fanbase, the overwhelming consensus would be that the performance left much to be desired. 

I love MAC-tion, and I think there’s plenty of good football in that conference, but Wisconsin is out of time for a scare that you can chalk up to a fluke. Here’s three storylines I’ll have an eye on come Saturday afternoon when Eastern Michigan comes to town.

Can the Badgers dominate an inferior opponent?

Until Wisconsin does so, I’m going to sound like a broken record in these weekly storyline pieces. When Big Ten play rolls around, my expectation for dominance will be lowered greatly, but against Eastern Michigan? There’s no excuse. 

The Badgers came out of the gates on fire last Saturday, but couldn’t sustain it beyond the opening minutes. In the afternoon window last week, the Eagles had a date with Michigan State which did not go well. The Spartans trounced the MAC foe 35-7.

There wasn’t a lot that Eastern Michigan did in the game to suggest it can give Wisconsin fits. Given the status of the program in East Lansing, in year one of a total rebuild under Pat Fitzgerald, if it can dominate the Eagles for 60 minutes with relative ease, the Badgers being unable to do so would only heighten the concerns that already exist.

With Penn State looming, this is essentially Wisconsin’s last chance to “get right”, because once Big Ten play starts, Luke Fickell’s job is really on the line.

Colton Joseph’s accuracy

Sep 12, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph (1) looks to throw a pass under pressure from Western Illinois Leathernecks defensive back Aa'zoriyon Bonner (3) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The quarterback is always going to have a spotlight and so far, Joseph has seemed a bit rattled by it. In his defense, outside of the disastrous interception versus Notre Dame, I don’t think he’s throwing into harm’s way too often. Accuracy has been the biggest issue and I’m not promising he’s going to flip a switch and all of a sudden, but accuracy is fixable, the inability to read a defense isn’t a quick fix.

Fickell mentioned that he’d been dinged up and didn’t have a full week of prep for Western Illinois, but even then, it was a lackluster performance and he left points on the board. As I said last week, in an ideal world, Joseph doesn’t need to play the entire game, but in order to do that, he has to play well.

Obviously, I’d love to see him push the ball downfield, but more importantly, I need to see connections to move the sticks and keep his receivers out of danger.  His receivers were available in good spots last week and I expect them to be again, he just needs to be more on the mark.

I was hoping we’d be waiting to have the growing pain conversations about Joseph until the Big Ten schedule, but this week is an opportunity for him to shake off a rough week and head into conference play with positive momentum.

Defense in need of a bounce back

It feels a little strange to write that the defense needs to bounce back after a week where it allowed zero touchdowns and just nine points, but it’s true. In what was the epitome of bend don’t break, Mike Tressel’s defense picked things up when the Leathernecks reached the red zone, but allowing drives to get that far was problematic. 

Western Illinois didn’t threaten the Wisconsin secondary, but running the quarterback and controlling possession kept the Badgers’ on their heels. It felt a little flukey after the way the defense performed against Notre Dame, albeit only for a half.

Wisconsin linebacker Cooper Catalano (44) chases Western Illinois running back Josh Robinson (6) during the third quarter of their game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Noah Kim has Big Ten experience at quarterback for Eastern Michigan, but the Eagles looked completely overmatched. If Wisconsin’s defense can’t have the same effect, last week being flukey is a less compelling argument and there may be real conversations to have about the defense. 

At the end of the day, the defense was subpar against an FCS opponent and has received its share of criticism, so I’m hoping that the leaders on that side of the ball will have it ready to come out motivated to dominate Eastern Michigan.