Eastern Michigan Eagles at Wisconsin Badgers

Henry sets receptions record and Joseph has big day as Wisconsin pounds Eastern Michigan 54-10

Henry’s 14 catches included a 13-yard touchdown and totaled a career-high 160 yards. He did all that despite dislocating a finger in Wisconsin's opening drive, according to Badgers coach Luke Fickell.

After catching 24 passes for Michigan State in 2023, Henry totaled six receptions for Wisconsin from 2024-25. He already has 22 catches for 293 yards this season.

“I always knew I could do it," Henry said. "It was just having the opportunity, which they've given me. They trust me to come do it.”

Matt Nyquist previously owned Wisconsin's single-game record with 13 receptions in a 33-20 loss to Iowa in 1995.

Joseph’s 362 yards passing rank seventh in school history. Joseph went 23 of 33 with three touchdowns and an interception, and he also rushed for a team-high 46 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. His 408 total yards matched Wisconsin's third-highest, single-game total.

Wisconsin (2-1) erased an early 7-0 deficit by scoring 41 straight points. The Badgers got 35 of those amid a steady rain during a nine-minute span that ended in the first minute of the third quarter.

“Our mentality for the game was to let it loose, let it fly,” Joseph said.

Three of Wisconsin’s five touchdowns during that stretch resulted from the Badgers’ first three takeaways of the season. Cooper Catalano capped that spurt by scoring on a 10-yard fumble return after a Sebastian Cheeks strip sack, giving Wisconsin a 38-7 lead.

Joseph started the onslaught by scoring on a 4-yard keeper on third-and-goal. Joseph also threw a 75-yard touchdown completion to Chris Brooks Jr. and a 13-yarder to Henry that sandwiched a 10-yard scoring run from Darrion Dupree.

Dupree’s touchdown came after a 24-yard interception return from Mason Posa gave Wisconsin the ball at Eastern Michigan’s 42-yard line. Matt Jung picked off a Noah Kim pass at midfield to set up Henry’s score.

“Everything we'd been working on this offseason finally paid off,” Jung said. “When we practice, the way we practice, we're always attacking the ball. It showed today.”

Eastern Michigan (1-3) had taken a 7-0 lead after Kim threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nick Devereaux to cap the Eagles’ opening drive. Devereaux left the game with his arm in a sling later in the first half.

Kim went 16 of 28 for 140 yards with two interceptions and a fumble to go along with that touchdown.

“I thought we had a decent start and then a horrible second quarter," Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. "And then obviously the second half, we didn’t get off to the start that we wanted to. They’re a good football team, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Playing without Sama Wisconsin didn't play Abu Sama III, whose 107 yards rushing in a 36-9 victory over Western Illinois last week included a 72-yard touchdown. The Badgers gained 117 yards on 30 carries.

“He had practiced most of the week,” Fickell said. “He wasn't able to hit the whole week. They kind of cleared him to be able to play. We kind of just said, ‘I’m not sure that he's really ready.' We kind of made a decision, a game-time decision.”

The takeaway Eastern Michigan: After getting a 67-yard touchdown drive on its opening possession, its offense wouldn't cross midfield again until the final minute of the third quarter.

Wisconsin: The Badgers need this kind of big-play defense to be competitive in Big Ten competition. Last season, Wisconsin had just six takeaways to match the lowest total of any Bowl Subdivision team. Wisconsin's defense recovered just one fumble the entire 2025 season. Before Saturday, Wisconsin was one of only nine FBS teams without a takeaway.

“I definitely think it will lead to more, for sure,” Posa said. “I definitely think this team has more ball awareness than ever.”

The Badgers nearly had a fourth takeaway, but an offside penalty wiped out a 70-yard pick-6 from Eric Fletcher Jr. to start the fourth. Fletcher did block a 48-yard field-goal attempt on the game's final play, and Donovan Dunmore returned it for a 55-yard touchdown.

Up next Eastern Michigan: Hosts Championship Subdivision program Lindenwood next Saturday.

Wisconsin: Opens its Big Ten schedule at No. 14 Penn State next Saturday.

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