USC football opposing player scouting report- Colton Joseph, Wisconsin

USC football will play the Wisconsin Badgers this season. ESPN has more on a Badger who will demand the Trojans‘ attention: Colton Joseph.

“The Badgers languished at the sport’s most important position last year. Four different Wisconsin quarterbacks threw a pass, yet none threw for more than 664 yards in 2025, and its offense ranked last in total yards per game. Joseph, an Old Dominion transfer, immediately raises the bar for the quarterback room.

“A true dual-threat, Joseph was one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country last season, throwing for 2,624 yards and running for 1,007. Joseph has the arm talent to hit receivers in stride with anticipation, but there’s room to improve his 59.7% completion rate from 2025. He’s a dynamic runner who had multiple 100-yard games and even ripped off his season-long run (78 yards) against Indiana. He should raise the floor of a Badgers offense that endured its fair share of struggles.”

USC’s five biggest games in this 2026 Big Ten football season are Oregon, Washington, Penn State, Ohio State, and Indiana. Wisconsin is not on that list. That said, USC can’t take Wisconsin for granted. The Trojans have lost a number of Big Ten road trips they figured they would handle. They have to be focused against Wisconsin. The Trojans’ defense needs to make sure Colton Joseph doesn’t beat them as a runner. Dual-threat quarterbacks need to be sealed in the pocket and not allowed to roam freely.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football needs to contain Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph