Wisconsin Badgers secure first win of 2026 season over Western Illinois

The Wisconsin Badgers secured their first win of the 2026 season with a victory over Western Illinois in Week 2. Despite the win, the performance drew scrutiny from fans due to offensive inconsistencies and struggles in the passing game.

Quarterback Colton Joseph faced criticism for his accuracy and struggles through the air, though analysts suggest the performance may be an outlier rather than a definitive indicator of the season's trajectory. Defensive lapses in man coverage also contributed to Western Illinois gaining significant passing yards.

On the defensive side, the Badgers utilized increased rotation among their defensive linemen, with DeNigel Cooper, Hammond Russell IV, and Junior Poyser among the leaders in snap counts. Sebastian Cheeks and Tyreese Fearbry remained prominent at outside linebacker, while the inside linebacker rotation saw increased involvement from Thomas Heiberger due to injuries in the unit.