In a landscape where college football is increasingly competitive, less than a month after reaffirming their commitment to investment in the sport, the Wisconsin Badgers have made a significant move by securing their top quarterback target for the 2026 season. This development signals not just a pivotal step for the program but also a shift towards addressing longstanding challenges in consistent quarterback performance.
The Badgers recently signed Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph, a player who projects to be Wisconsin’s starting quarterback next season. Joseph comes off an impressive run at ODU, where he finished eighth in the nation in total offense, amassing an average of 302.6 yards per game. His dual-threat capabilities are especially noteworthy—he rushed for 1,007 yards while throwing for 2,624, rounding out his season with 21 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Looking at his statistics from 2024, Joseph accounted for 22 touchdowns over just nine games, demonstrating a balanced skill set with 11 touchdowns each through the air and on the ground. This versatility is crucial for a Wisconsin team that has struggled to find a reliable quarterback in recent seasons, particularly under head coach Luke Fickell.
In the past three years of Fickell’s tenure, the Badgers have faced a series of unfortunate quarterback injuries. For instance, in the 2023 season, projected starter Billy Edwards Jr. suffered an injury in the season opener and only participated in two games. The following year, Tanner Mordecai experienced a broken hand that sidelined him for 3.5 games. Most notably, Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL early in the season, compounding the team’s quarterback woes.
This string of injuries has had a tangible impact on Wisconsin’s offensive capabilities, as evidenced by their last-place ranking in scoring among FBS programs last year, averaging a meager 12.8 points per game. However, towards the end of the 2024 season, the Badgers found a glimmer of hope, pulling off upset victories against prominent teams such as Washington and Illinois in November.
Joseph’s signing represents a breath of fresh air for the program, especially given his outstanding achievements at ODU, where he earned the Sun Belt’s offensive player of the year accolade. He played a key role in leading the Monarchs to what was only their second winning season in the program’s history. Under his leadership, Old Dominion recorded an impressive average of 32 points per game, ranking 29th nationally in scoring offense and 16th in total offense.
The highlight of Joseph’s season can be pinpointed to a remarkable performance against Virginia Tech, where he showcased his abilities by throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another in a comprehensive 45-26 win. His efforts were instrumental in securing the victory, as he finished with 276 passing yards and 63 rushing yards, leading the Monarchs to a solid lead early in the game.
Joseph’s addition aligns with Wisconsin’s broader strategy, as articulated by athletic director Chris McIntosh, who emphasized the program’s commitment to enhanced investment in both infrastructure and player recruitment. In a recent conversation, McIntosh stated, “We are aligned on significantly elevating investment in our program to compete at the highest level.” With a focus on retaining and recruiting top talent in the ever-evolving landscape of college football, especially in the realms of revenue-sharing and NIL, Wisconsin is poised to enter a new era.