Following the Wisconsin Badgers’ Week One loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a lot of fans were left up in arms. The second-half collapse felt all too familiar to the issues we were promised would be fixed, and all the questions that fans were hoping to have answered after an offseason of optimism arose once again.
One of the many questions that popped up – which may be unjustified – was that of the stability at starting quarterback with Colton Joseph. The Old Dominion transfer was touted as the Badgers’ saving grace, expectations that were likely too high, and weren’t exactly met in Week One.
Joseph had an OK performance, completing 19 of his 30 throws for 217 yards, one touchdown and one pick. Along with that, he ran for just three yards on 12 attempts – 15 yards if you don’t include the two sacks he took – and overall left a bit to be desired.
I think the #Badgers should get Colton Joseph out of the pocket more — sprint-outs, bootlegs, whatever.
— Seamus (@seamus_rohrer) September 7, 2026
He just looks like a different QB when he’s on the move. pic.twitter.com/BeCDx9LTou
Some of his advanced statistics, such as his 69.9 QBR and 128.2 passer rating, suggest that he was better than the base box score suggests. But on that same notion, his PFF grade of 57.1, although not perfect, seems to be a bit more encompassing of the night he had.
With that said, hope is by no means lost, and Joseph could easily reassert himself in the fans’ good graces with a good showing against a lesser Western Illinois team. One of the many complaints of the Luke Fickell era has been Wisconsin’s lack of dominance against these kinds of opponents, creating a perfect opportunity for Joseph to prove this year is different.
Finding his Groove
In an ideal world, he won’t be playing late into the game, as a strong two or three quarters could be enough to create a lead that allows the second string to get some work in. What that means is that in the snaps Joseph does take, he needs to be efficient and effective.
What that looks like, ideally, is north of a 65% completion percentage, over 250 total yards of offense created by him and two or three touchdowns, depending on how much the run game is leaned on. That may seem like a bit of a lofty expectation to place upon a guy who struggled as much as he did in Week One, but when you consider all the factors at play, that stat line is more than reasonable.
On their very first play of the season, Indiana allowed a 75-yard rushing touchdown to Old Dominion’s quarterback, Colton Joseph.
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 5, 2026
Fast-forward 4 months, Old Dominion ended up being a 10-win team and Joseph just transferred to Wisconsin where he’ll be in the same conference as IU… pic.twitter.com/1PEOIfYTZs
So long as Joseph can lead a steady attack and not turn the ball over, he should happen into that kind of production, given what he has already proven in years of the past against higher levels of competition with a lesser supporting cast.
Sometimes, all it takes is one week to get back in good graces, and what a perfect chance to do so this very weekend.
Add us as a preferred source on Google