The Wisconsin Badgers are just days away from facing the No. 19 Alabama Crimson Tide, as they’re playing the second game of the home-and-home series.
Ahead of the game, the biggest question for the Badgers is the availability of starting quarterback Billy Edwards, who suffered a knee sprain in the season opener and missed their Week 2 game against Middle Tennessee.
Initial reports suggested that the earliest Edwards could return would be Week 3 against Alabama, but head coach Luke Fickell was non-committal
about his quarterback’s availability on Monday.
“I don’t know a whole lot about Billy,” head coach Luke Fickell said ahead of the week. “It’s a Monday, so we’ll see as we continue to push forward in the week. But, we’ll obviously get prepared either way.”
“He’s throwing the ball around. He is here constantly, getting treatments and things like that. I think it is really how he feels in terms of later in the week. We’re going to have to protect Billy from himself. I know that at some point in time, [he’ll return]. I don’t know when that is, but he’s a guy that’s going to be prepared [and] always wants to go.”
Well, on Thursday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed that Edwards is ‘unlikely’ to play on Saturday against Alabama.
“Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is unlikely to play at No. 19. Alabama on Saturday,” Thamel wrote on Thursday. “Edwards is expected to travel with the team and plans to warm up for the game, per sources, but he still faces long odds to play this week.”
While Edwards likely won’t play this week, the fact that he is expected to travel and warm up ahead of the game suggests that he’s closer to making his return, which now could come in Week 4 when the Badgers face his former team: the Maryland Terrapins.
If Edwards cannot go, it’ll be sophomore Danny O’Neil for the second-straight game. O’Neil shone in his first start with the team last weekend, tossing for 283 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, while completing 23 of 27 passes. His 283 yards were the most by a Badgers quarterback in their first start with the team.
O’Neil was a full-time starter as a true freshman at San Diego State last season, throwing for 2,181 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He faced one ranked team last year, No. 15 Boise State, and threw for 155 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in that game, while completing 46.7 percent of his passes.
Now, he’ll have a big step up in competition as he and the Badgers take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. on ABC at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
