Wisconsin has yet to play well for 60 minutes. Both weeks, Wisconsin has had a great start to their games but then fizzled out as the game went along. While that cost them severely against Notre Dame, it was of no real consequence against Western Illinois. The feeling was the same, though: a lackluster effort and a frustrated fanbase.
Besides "having a complete game," which is much too vague, here's how things need to look better for the Badgers on Sunday. We have cooked up a recipe for success by fixing these three things from Week 2 (and really Week 1).
1. Colton Joseph has to be more accurate especially on short throws
It was hard to watch last week when Joseph was missing open receivers. It absolutely stymied the offense and led to some frustrating short or ineffective drives. The run game was humming, but the passing game was miserable. Joseph ended with only 173 passing yards. He went 12/22 and simply missed a lot of easy throws. His QBR at the end of the game was 28.7... that's not ideal against an FCS opponent.
While the excuse was mostly that Joseph was banged up and rusty, he simply has to be better against Eastern Michigan. If he can get things going in the passing game, it will only open the run game up even more.
Related: EMU head coach knows how dangerous Colton Joseph is even if Wisconsin fans have doubts
2. Sacks, Sacks, Sacks
The fanbase was also frustrated watching the defense execute a "bend but don't break" defense against an FCS opponent. A lot of blame was being tossed at the defensive backs, but the reality is that if the defensive line and linebackers can't get sacks, it's a long day for defensive backs.
The Leathernecks weren't scared to put quarterback Kennedy McGill in harm's way, and he was able to get out of some trouble, but Wisconsin ended the day with ZERO sacks. We don't even need to say how frustrating that is; Wisconsin fans feel it.
The recipe for Eastern Michigan is finding a way to get pressure on the quarterback. Michigan State got to EMU's quarterback, Noah Kim, four times, and that helped immensely in the Spartans' 35-7 win.
Related: Wisconsin vs Eastern Michigan Week 3: How to watch, weather, injuries, odds, and more
3. Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers
Wisconsin still doesn't have a turnover on the season. Another way to have a long day on defense is to not get any turnovers. It's not that Wisconsin didn't get any against Western Illinois; they haven't gotten one at all this season. That has to change if the Badgers want to be a more complete defense. Getting turnovers is the great eraser in football. It changes momentum, helps steal an extra possession, and sometimes even leads to a defensive touchdown.
Sacks and turnovers often go hand-in-hand, so adding one will help the other, either way. A major fix for this Wisconsin team is finding a way to rip the ball out, snatch it from the air, or pounce on it on the ground.
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