The Wisconsin Badgers are set to take on the UCLA Bruins on Saturday evening, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. local time on NBC.
The Badgers are coming off their bye week, allowing players to get fresh and healthier, and will hopefully enter this game with some reinforcements. Some of the key injury situations dating back to Week 5 involved running back Abu Sama, who dressed but didn’t play against Michigan State, and center Austin Kawecki, who left the game with an injury.
What did Luke Fickell have
to say about both players?
“I would expect that Abu is good,” Fickell said this week. “I would have expected Abu to be good last week and the week before. So as of right now, I would hope and believe that he’ll be okay. Austin, I don’t really know yet. He’ll have a club on his hand right now. But as the week goes, we’ll see what else he can, he can do and how much he can be able to do.”
In Wisconsin’s first availability report of the week on Wednesday, the Badgers listed running back Nate Palmer as doubtful, Kawecki as questionable, and wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux and Sama as probable for the game.
Sama’s return will be key, but it’s also a good sign that the Badgers could have Domingeaux make his season debut for the Badgers. Domingeaux, a transfer from SE Louisiana, got regular playing time with the top offense during fall camp before suffering a hand injury that has kept him out for half the season. He should join the rotation of receivers with Chris Brooks, Tyrell Henry, Eugene Hilton, Malachi Coleman, and Shamar Rigby if healthy.
Additionally, the Badgers don’t have linemen Kevin Heywood or Emerson Mandell on the injury report anymore. With Mandell fully back, we’ll see how the right tackle split plays out in Week 7. Back in Week 5, Mandell split reps with benched left tackle PJ Wilkins in his first start at right tackle this season.
Kawecki seems to be the main question mark. If he can’t go, it’ll be Ryan Cory making the start. While Cory was up and down in relief last season, he had a very solid start against Michigan State in Week 5.
