Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph Shares Weekly Honor With Heisman Favorite Jeremiah Smith

Wisconsin's QB1 Colton Joseph is coming off his best game in the Cardinal and White.

Though he only passed for a season-low 145 yards, he threw three touchdowns and zero interceptions, also avoiding any turnover-worthy plays and largely keeping the ball out of harm's way.

But Joseph did most of his damage on the ground, rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown, including a 47-yard touchdown scamper right through the teeth of the Michigan State defense that effectively put the game away. At triple zeros on the game clock, he finished with 286 total yards and four touchdowns.

That performance earned him co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors alongside Ohio State superstar wideout Jeremiah Smith, who caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two scores, per a release from the conference.

Joseph snaps a five-year drought

Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin hasn't had a player win Big Ten offensive player of the week, sharing the award or otherwise, since 2021, when tailback Braelon Allen did it. In a 35-7 beatdown over Northwestern, Allen ran for 173 yards and three scores on 25 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per carry and adding a 16 yard reception to boot.

Joseph did something the Badgers haven't done in five years by bringing home Big Ten offensive player of the week hardware, but he also did things Wisconsin quarterbacks haven't done in much longer.

Joseph's 141 rushing yards were the second-most in a game for a Badger quarterback in program history, behind only Tanner McEvoy, who ran for 158 yards against Bowling Green in 2014. HIs 47-yard touchdown run was also the longest touchdown on the ground by a Wisconsin quarterback since 1998, according to the release.

Joseph also joins elite company with his dual threat performance, as he's one of just four Big Ten quarterbacks to notch three touchdowns and run for over 100 yards, again per the Big Ten's press release.

Can Joseph keep it up?

Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was huge to see Wisconsin finally get its money's worth in terms of Joseph's mobility. Even if the gunslinger doesn't run for 140-plus yards each week (spoiler: he won't), even just putting that performance on tape is so huge in keeping defensive coordinators up at night.

But arguably the more encouraging statistic from Joseph's performance against Michigan State? Zero interceptions.

The aforementioned zero turnover-worthy plays is also worth celebrating, especially since it's the first game Joseph has posted a goose egg in that category according to Pro Football Focus. I can think of a few throws that could be arguably considered turnover-worthy, but I digress. Joseph took a big step forward Saturday, running wild against the Spartans while (predominantly) keeping the ball out of harm's way.

Wisconsin has a bye week before it must take on upstart UCLA in Pasadena in Week 7.

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