Player Previews: Can QB Colton Joseph Resurrect Wisconsin's Offense?

The Badgers' undisputed QB1 is the most talented gunslinger we've seen in the Luke Fickell era.

Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman.

Over the course of the summer leading up to Big Ten Media Days and fall camp, Badgers On SI will extensively preview Wisconsin football's roster with a write-up for each player expected to be remotely involved in 2026.

We begin the series with the Badgers' undisputed QB1, Colton Joseph.

2025 Stats

2,624 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 10 interceptions | 1,007 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns | 59.7 percent completion (173-of-290) | 1 reception, five yards

Overview

Joseph is the main beacon of hope for a Wisconsin offense that's been one of the most dreadful in the country for the better part of the last three seasons. The Old Dominion transfer, who spent three years in Norfolk (two as the starting quarterback), is generally regarded as one of the most electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks in the sport.

Questions remain about Joseph's ability to translate his dynamic arm/legs combination to the Big Ten, and some of those are certainly warranted. However, there's no question his talent is on par with the sport's elite — last season, he gashed the eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers' defense with a 75-yard touchdown run and a 78-yard touchdown run in the same game.

Joseph got off to a slow start at spring practice, by all accounts, but began to settle into offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' offense, who loves leaning into his quarterback's mobility and improvisation.

Best-Case Scenario

Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin has been in quarterback purgatory for three seasons. Head coach Luke Fickell hasn't had his starter available for the vast majority of his tenure in Madison — the first and main priority for Joseph, and I think Badger fans would agree, is to stay healthy.

Because if the former Monarch can give Wisconsin a full season or close to it, there's no telling how the Newport Beach, California native could perform in the Cardinal and White.

In a perfect world for Wisconsin, Joseph continues to grow tremendously throughout fall camp and waltzes into Lambeau Field for the opener against Notre Dame with a comprehensive grasp on the Badgers' offense. Wisconsin's offensive staff helps him cut down on his turnovers and mistakes, and the quarterback keeps defensive coordinators up at night with his ability to keep practically any play alive and consistently turn broken plays into five, six yard gains – or much, much more.

In this scenario, Joseph becomes one of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks, and whether or not he spends his final year of eligibility at Wisconsin in 2027 becomes a serious talking point.

Worst-Case Scenario

It almost feels blasphemous to write, but Wisconsin fans already know exactly what the worst-case scenario is for Joseph — he sustains a non-contact, season-ending knee injury eight plays into the season, just like the Badgers' previous starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

But if Joseph does manage to avoid the freak injuries that've plagued his predecessors, the next most-likely negative outcome for Wisconsin is that he simply flounders in the Big Ten.

In this scenario, the flaws in Joseph's game (turnovers, erratic accuracy) are exposed by bigger, stronger, faster Big Ten defenses. He suffers from an unimpressive group of pass-catchers, and feeling he needs to make every play himself, lets his mobility actually hinder his game.

Prediction for 2026

Former Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph (1) runs for a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Wisconsin's offense hasn't given outsiders many reasons to bet on it recently, but Joseph's talent is pretty hard to bet against. I could see him needing time to acclimate; the opener against Notre Dame and their stout defense loaded with NFL talent could be ugly.

But after a few buy games against Eastern Michigan and FCS Western Illinois, I'd imagine Joseph settles in and reminds the Badgers why they made him their top priority at quarterback this offseason.

I doubt Joseph replicates his gaudy numbers from last season, particularly his rushing numbers. But I also see him facilitating the Badgers' most proficient offense in years. Joseph may not be the quarterback that takes Wisconsin's offense all the way back to its glory years, but I certainly envision him getting it back on track.