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Transfer QB target emerges for Wisconsin Badgers as dual-threat star enters portal

If the Wisconsin Badgers want to swing big for a quarterback in the transfer portal, one of the most intriguing options just officially became available.
Lorin Cox|
Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph announced that he plans to enter the transfer portal. He could be a top target for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph announced that he plans to enter the transfer portal. He could be a top target for the Wisconsin Badgers. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

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If the Wisconsin Badgers want to swing big for a quarterback in the transfer portal, one of the most intriguing options just officially became available.

Badgers fans had already identified Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph as a top option this offseason, and on Tuesday, he officially declared his intent to enter the transfer portal.

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He led the Monarchs to a 9-3 record this season, including a 6-2 record in Sun Belt Conference play.

His team picked up a Power Four conference victory over Virginia Tech in Week 3, though Joseph lost his one Big Ten matchup this season against Indiana in the season-opener.

He finished the season with 2,629 passing yards on a 59.5 completion percentage with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also added 1,097 yards rushing and 13 scores on the ground this year.

That dual-threat ability would make him an exciting potential fit in offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' Wisconsin offense that found creative ways to use the mobility of Danny O'Neil and Carter Smith this season.

Related: Luke Fickell plans to solidify Wisconsin Badgers QB issues in offseason: 'It's not fair'

Joseph's 80.3 overall PFF grade ranked 43rd among FBS quarterbacks this season, one spot below Miami's Carson Beck and one spot ahead of South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers.

The redshirt sophomore will have two years of eligibility left for whatever team he transfers to.

The Badgers will lose quarterback Hunter Simmons to graduation, and it's unclear what the future holds for this season's intended starter Billy Edwards Jr.

He will seek a medical waiver from the NCAA for another year of eligibility, but he could re-enter the transfer portal and finish his college career elsewhere in 2026.

Joseph won't be the only intriguing quarterback option in the portal this winter, and Wisconsin will be far from the only team interested in his services.

He's the first big name to enter the mix, and it will be fascinating to watch how Luke Fickell approaches the position when the portal officially opens in January.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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