The Wisconsin Badgers finally had a game that everyone was looking for. While it started rough, it ended up being a blowout. It took three games, but the Badgers put a team away and then never stopped scoring or succeeding.
Ahead of the game, the big question was: what are the things that you want to see from Wisconsin before Big Ten play? Here's what we identified as the biggest needs versus Eastern Michigan: Sustaining drives, Colton Joseph looking good, finishing a game, and a defense that gets off the field. All of that happened, literally...all of it.
Here are the four things that make us feel like the Badgers may actually be ready for Big Ten play. Sure, the level of play is going to be harder as soon as the conference games start, but the point of these games is to see improvement and get your sea legs before sailing. Here are the four areas that Wisconsin finally executed in game three:
1. Negative yards for the defense
Related: Wisconsin's Eric Mateos holds nothing back after Badgers stomp Eastern Michigan in style
Wisconsin was not getting sacks or tackles for loss up to this point. Against Eastern Michigan, there were seven total tackles for loss and two sacks. The box score doesn't even tell the whole story; the EMU quarterback Noah Kim was feeling pressure all day long. Sebastian Cheeks especially was a wrecking ball. He only had one sack and one tackle for loss, but he was all over the place.
2. Forced turnovers
Wisconsin, through two games, didn't have any forced turnovers. That's just not going to win them games in the Big Ten. You have to win the turnover battle, and most of the time, you can't just hope the ball lands in your lap; you have to force turnovers. Wisconsin won the turnover battle against Eastern Michigan 3-1.
3. Sustained offensive drives
We were hoping for sustained offensive drives, and we got them. Besides the start of the game, Colton Joseph was able to lead the Badger offense down the field over and over again. The Badgers had drives of 7, 2 (interception), 14, 11, 1 (touchdown), 2 (touchdown), 4 (touchdown), 12, and 12. (I indicated the under-5-play drives to show why they were short. Yet, it's the 14, 11, 12, and 12 that do it for me.
Those are the drives that Wisconsin will need in the Big Ten. There will be opportunities for explosive three-play drives, but the 10+ drives are going to be the money-makers all season.
4. Finish the game strong
Read also: 3 winners and 1 loser from Wisconsin's dominant win over Eastern Michigan
Wisconsin had two games where they started strong but ended miserably. For Notre Dame, it cost the Badgers the game, but for Western Illinois it was just watching a flat performance. Truly, through two games, the best way to describe the Badger offense was "hard to watch." Now, the Badgers can finally look back on a game and be proud of how it finished.
Not just the final play (which was a blocked field goal for a touchdown), but the Badgers played a complete and complementary game from quarters 2-4.
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