3 Matchups that Will Decide the Game Between Wisconsin and Western Illinois

Which battles will I follow in what should be a blowout win at Camp Randall?

Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph (1) makes an adjustment at the line during the first quarter of their game against Notre Dame Sunday, September 6, 2026 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

To say Wisconsin’s season-opener against Notre Dame was a tale of two halves would be an understatement. On Saturday night at Camp Randall, if the Badgers can’t flip that script and dominate for 60 minutes, any hope of a successful season will go out the window. 

Taking on FCS Western Illinois, Wisconsin should have every opportunity to pick up its first victory, with reserves ideally having every opportunity to play in the second half.

Coming off a week where it was the underdog at essentially every position, Luke Fickell’s group has the upper hand on paper across the board. Still, there’s a few positional matchups I’ll be paying close attention to this week.

Interior defensive line versus Western Illinois run game

After holding Notre Dame to just over a yard-per-carry in the first half, the Irish’s offensive line took over in the second. CJ Carr is the headliner on that offense, but the run game looked dominant in the second half. 

Sebastian Cheeks had a big game, but outside of the veteran outside linebacker, there wasn’t a true standout along the defensive line for the Badgers. Notre Dame was clearly attempting to play fast to prevent Wisconsin from rotating linemen frequently, and it became apparent very quickly that it was working. 

Wisconsin defensive lineman DeNigel Cooper (93) rushes Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Notre Dame won the game, 41-13. Tork Mason/Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Still, I think this can be a serviceable defensive line. On Saturday, I’ll be following the interior linemen especially, as guys like Charles Perkins and Hammond Russell have another opportunity to dominate an opposing run game. 

Simply put, this is a game where the defensive line, especially the interior guys, need to get push on every rep and completely stifle any opportunity for the Leathernecks to get something going offensively.

Colton Joseph versus linebackers

Aside from the pick-six which proved detrimental at Lambeau, I thought Joseph had an okay game. He made some throws that recent quarterbacks simply weren’t making, and even though he didn’t get it going on the ground, it was clear Notre Dame viewed him as a threat to do so. 

I want to see Joseph throw everywhere on the field, especially downfield, as much as the next person. Equally as important to me, however, is that he gets things going with his legs. Luckily for him, there won’t be future NFL players coming off the edge or tracking him as middle linebackers this week.

He’ll have his opportunities to throw I imagine, but it will be the first opportunity for Badger fans to see Joseph getting out of the pocket and making teams pay in the run game. Sure, he’ll need to make good decisions throwing into the secondary, but the battle between him and Western Illinois’ linebackers to establish himself as a runner is what intrigues me most.

Run blockers versus Western Illinois front seven

Wisconsin offensive lineman Colin Cubberly (78) is shown during the fourth quarter of their game against Notre Dame Sunday, September 6, 2026 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For stretches, it seemed like Wisconsin’s offensive line was creating space for Abu Sama. In retrospect, most of Sama’s damage came after contact, and even when the line created a hole, it seemed that there was a linebacker waiting for him every time. 

Similar to the aforementioned interior defensive linemen, this game is a grand opportunity for Eric Mateos’ group, as well as the tight ends, to begin creating a physical identity. As I mentioned earlier, if this isn’t a dominant effort from top-to-bottom, this season may be a lost cause. 

Everybody wants to see Jeff Grimes air it out this weekend, and I hope he does, but none of that matters through the Big Ten season if the offense can’t produce on the ground and keep Joseph’s jersey clean.

Illinois State hung 41 points on this Western Illinois team last week, including 239 yards on the ground. I don’t need to see a specific number on the ground because if Grimes wants to throw a ton, that number could be misleading. What I do need to see to feel good about this rushing attack moving forward is consistent holes and running backs getting to the second level untouched.