Playing in front of 66,545 fans at Camp Randall Stadium, the Eastern Michigan University football team jumped out to an early lead before falling 54-10 to the University of Wisconsin on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Despite a sharp opening drive and early defensive takeaways, an explosive middle-game surge by the Badgers proved too much for the Eagles to contain.
Wisconsin outscored the Eagles 28-0 in the second quarter and added 13 fourth-quarter points to secure the 54-10 victory. Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph anchored the Badgers' offense with 362 passing yards and 46 rushing yards, while receiver Tyrell Henry accumulated 160 receiving yards. For Eastern Michigan, quarterback Noah Kim logged 140 passing yards, Joey Mattord led the ground attack with 36 rushing yards, and Nick Devereaux posted 38 receiving yards.
Fast start silences Camp Randall
Eastern Michigan began the contest with high energy after winning the coin toss and deferring to defend the north end zone. Wisconsin’s opening possession moved to the EMU 33-yard line before the Eagles' defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth-and-four to turn the ball over on downs.
Capitalizing immediately on the defensive stand, EMU’s offense marched 67 yards downfield on an eight-play scoring drive. Kim completed a 13-yard pass to Devereaux and a 23-yard throw to Tanner Lemaster to advance deep into Wisconsin territory. The drive culminated in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kim to Devereaux, followed by a successful extra-point kick from Rudy Kessinger to give Eastern Michigan a 7-0 lead.
The Eagles' defense delivered another major play shortly after when cornerback Rayquan Adkins intercepted a Joseph pass at the EMU 40-yard line. Wisconsin eventually got on the scoreboard late in the opening quarter with a 39-yard field goal from Gavin Lahm, giving EMU a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Second-Quarter avalanche shifts momentum
The game swung dramatically in the second quarter as Wisconsin erupted for 28 unanswered points. The Badgers took their first lead on an 11-play, 74-yard drive capped by a four-yard touchdown run from Joseph to take a 10-7 lead.
On Wisconsin’s next possession, Joseph needed just one play to extend the margin, connecting on a 75-yard touchdown pass to Chris Brooks Jr. to make it 17-7. The Badgers continued to capitalize late in the half, adding a 10-yard touchdown run by Darrion Dupree and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Joseph to Henry. By halftime, the Badgers held a 31-7 lead over the Eagles
Second-half battles and final result
Wisconsin maintained its momentum early in the third quarter when linebacker Sebastian Cheeks sacked Kim for a 16-yard loss and forced a fumble. Cooper Catalano recovered the fumble and returned it 10 yards for a defensive touchdown to increase the lead to 38-7. Lahm later added a 41-yard field goal to stretch Wisconsin's margin to 41-7.
Showing resilience, Eastern Michigan responded with a 16-play, 70-yard drive that consumed 9:01 of game clock. Kessinger capped the possession by converting a 38-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 41-10 early in the fourth quarter. Wisconsin then added 13 unanswered points in the final period to complete the 54-10 finish.
Stat breakdown and looking ahead
Despite the final 54-10 score, Eastern Michigan maintained 28:43 in time of possession compared to Wisconsin's 31:1. The Eagles were also effective on high-leverage downs, converting both of their fourth-down attempts (2-for-2). However, EMU managed to convert just 3-of-12 third downs, while Wisconsin converted on 8-of-12 third-down opportunities.
In individual totals, Noah Kim threw for 140 passing yards for Eastern Michigan, while Joey Mattord led the ground game with 36 rushing yards. Nick Devereaux hauled in a team-best 38 receiving yards alongside the Eagles' lone touchdown. For the Badgers, quarterback Colton Joseph posted 362 passing yards and 46 rushing yards, with receiver Tyrell Henry pulling in 160 receiving yards.
EMU mounted one final 11-play, 35-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that advanced to the Wisconsin 30-yard line before ending in a missed field goal attempt as time expired. Moving forward, the Eagles will look to refine their execution, protect the football and build on their early momentum in their game against Lindenwood University.
