The first fifteen minutes of the ball game were exciting for the visiting side.

Then Eastern Michigan took a pie to the face.

Strong defense, an early spark from the offense, and a 7-3 lead for Eastern Michigan (1-3, 1-0 MAC) were moments to behold in the nationally televised game was shown on Peacock (and its YouTube channel). But Wisconsin (2-1) puffed out its chest and broke the game open for a 24-point lead by halftime.

Eastern Michigan ultimately lost at Wisconsin 54-10. The final three quarters looked nothing like the first.

The score was bad enough, but what’s worse for EMU is that it lost three offensive starters to injury during the game. Captain Nick Devereaux, running back Amareon Blue, and offensive lineman Samuel Adjin were all sidelined during Saturday’s contest.

Doesn’t help that EMU was already without two offensive starters (OL Cole Dellinger, WR Harold Mack) and a fifth-year linebacker (LB Barry Manning, for the season) to begin the game.

An initial summary of Saturday’s action at Camp Randall Stadium:

7-0 EMU, 6:32 | 18-YARD CATCH BY WR NICK DEVEREAUX, FROM QB NOAH KIM (RUDY KESSINGER PAT)

Eastern Michigan’s offense has shown glaring issues in its first three games— mainly waking up—but it got on the board after its first drive.

In the first drives of the three previous games, EMU was quieted to three-and-out punts.

7-3 EMU 0:08 | 39-YARD FIELD GOAL BY WISC K GAVIN LAHM

Wisconsin’s offense had a slow start with off-target throws and strong run defense by EMU, and ended its first two drives with a turnover on downs and an interception.

EMU’s pass defense stepped up early, too, with pass breakups and forced incompletions from Joseph, including an overthrown shot to the end zone on third-and-long in EMU territory, and the Badgers settled for a 3-pointer to end its 14-play, 70-yard drive.

10-7 WISC 8:16 | 5-YARD RUN BY WISC QB COLTON JOSEPH (LAHM PAT)

A 30-yard catch-and-run from one of Wisconsin’s tight ends was the first big play Wisconsin could get to turn into a touchdown. The play moved Wisconsin from the 50 to the red zone, and Colton Joseph, from five yards away, kept the football on a read option play and had to jump into a pile of players to get through the goal line.

17-7 WISC, 6:44 | 75-YARD CATCH BY WISC WR CHRIS BROOKS JR., FROM QB JOSEPH (LAHM PAT)

After Wisconsin’s offense needed 14 plays to make a field goal and 11 plays to get its first touchdown, the Badgers got rolling after this big play.

One play was all Joseph needed to find his wide-open receiver, who beat cornerback Jordan Toney from the start of the play and got behind the entire EMU D. Wisconsin’s Chris Brooks Jr. caught the open pass, stayed away from Toney, and made an easy receiving score as heavy rain entered the scene.

24-7 WISC, 2:56 | 10-YARD RUN BY WISC RB DARRION DUPREE (LAHM PAT)

After Noah Kim’s first of two interceptions of the quarter, Wisconsin only needed a 32-yard throw and a 10-yard run from a backup running back to start distancing itself on the scoreboard.

31-7 WISC, 0:49 | 13-YARD CATCH BY WISC WR TYRELL HENRY, FROM QB JOSEPH (LAHM PAT)

One-play drive, two-play drive, and then a four-play drive after another interception by Wisconsin’s defense. Joseph missed on a lot of his throws in the first quarter, but he was able to settle in and make connections the rest of the half.

At first, the throw to his receiver running out to the left was initially ruled out-of-bounds, but officials had a second look at the play and overturned their original call on the field into a touchdown.

38-7 WISC, 14:13 | 16-YARD FUMBLE RETURN BY WISC LB COOPER CATALANO (LAHM PAT)

EMU began the next half with the ball, but Wisconsin’s defense stepped up for a third-straight turnover. On third-and-long, Kim was sacked, and the ball was stripped from his hand right before he hit the ground.

Sebastian Cheeks had the sack and fumble; Cooper Catalano picked up the ball and ran in the score.

41-7 WISC, 5:25 | 41-YARD FIELD GOAL BY WISC K LAHM

Wisconsin reached the red zone on a 12-play, 57-yard drive, but Joseph had to fall on a muffed snap on third-and-short to settle for a field goal.

41-10 WISC, 11:16 | 38-YARD FIELD GOAL BY K KESSINGER

Joey Mattord and Braydon Bennett had some tough runs, and Antonio Floyd had a first-down catch to establish a late drive. At 16 plays, this was the longest drive of the day for either team, but a hold from right guard Dennis Strey put EMU in a third-and-long situation in the low red zone.

Rudy Kessinger took the field for his second field goal try of the season. He missed his first, against Sacramento State, but made his 38-yard try against Wisconsin.

48-10 WISC, 4:49| 7-YARD CATCH BY WISC TE EMMETT BORK, FROM QB JOSEPH

Wisconsin kept rolling with a sixth-straight scoring possession. This one, just like the last drive, was 12 plays long and took over six minutes off the clock.

In its first two drives, EMU limited Wisconsin to 4.9 yards per play.

After that, Wisconsin’s average jumped to 7.6.

54-10 WISC, 0:00 | 70-YARD BLOCKED KICK RETURN BY WISC DONOVAN DUNMORE

EMU chose a sad way to end its game at Wisconsin, and it got a sad return.

Backup quarterback Jace Stuckey relieved Kim on the final drive of the game and managed to move the ball deep into Wisconsin territory. He got EMU to the 19-yard line, Chris Creighton called a timeout, and Stuckey was immediately sacked on third down.

As time wound down to two seconds, Creighton called another timeout for his field goal unit to set up on the field. Kessigner’s attempt was blocked, and the ball was returned all the way for a score with no time remaining.

DEFENSE OPENS WITH TURNOVER ON DOWNS

On Wisconsin’s game-opening drive, Joseph overthrew his receivers on second and third downs in EMU territory. On fourth, his throw over the middle was spot-on, but his receiver dropped it.

EMU’s defense has limited opponents to three-and-out stops to begin the first three games of the season, then wiped Wisconsin’s offense off the field on a fourth-down try to begin its fourth game.

RAYQUAN ADKINS INT

Another big mistake from Wisconsin’s passing game. Early on the Badgers’ second possession, Joseph threw a deep pass toward the right sideline and gravely underthrew his intended receiver. Instead, starting cornerback Rayquan Adkins grabbed the ball before it went out of bounds.

It was the third interception for the defense this year.

OFFENSE SILENT AFTER EARLY made for a moment to behold in the nationally televised game

While EMU started the game on the right foot, nothing else went according to plan for the offense.

For the third game in a row, EMU’s offense was limited to just four possessions in the second half. It had just one offensive drive in the fourth quarter.

SOME STATS

INJURIES

In-game exits: RB Blue, WR Devereaux, RT Adjin

Ruled out: LB Barry Manning, DB Jaivian Norman, OL Cole Dellinger, WR Kozy Isaac, CB Caleb Coley, OL Richardo Wourman, DL Noah Patterson, OL Nily Taylor

Eastern Michigan saw three of its offensive starters go down in this game.

Devereaux, who caught the game’s first touchdown, exited in the second quarter after he was slammed down onto his right shoulder on a sideline hit. Last week, WR Harold Mack exited the Michigan State game to injury and did not play at Wisconsin.

Amareon Blue, the sophomore who has started every game this season, left in the final seconds of the first half as he was hurt on a run play. The Wisconsin defender who tackled Blue dropped him slowly, and Blue briskly walked off the field after trainers tended to him.

In the third quarter, Adjin exited as he suffered an injury as well. Adjin is a 21-year-old true freshman who made his second career start against Wisconsin.

EMU returns home next week to take on FCS-level Lindenwood. Lindenwood has a 1-2 record and was off this weekend with a bye.