The Wisconsin Badgers received another devastating blow just before their game against Alabama this weekend.
The Badgers announce that Bill Edwards Jr. will unlikely start against the Tide this weekend, according to Alabama beat reporter Nick Kelly.
This confirms reports from earlier this week from ESPN’s Pete Thamel that they would be without him.
“He’ll travel with the team and plans to warm up, but he faces long odds to play this week,” Thamel tweeted Thursday. “He sprained his knee against Miami University in the opener and is week-to-week.”
Edwards is a transfer student from Maryland who played in seven games for the Terps in 2022, passing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.
Danny O’Neil is expected to start for the Badgers. O’Neil is a transfer from San Diego State.
As a freshman, O’Neil threw for 403 yards and four touchdowns with only two interceptions.
The Badgers struggled in the first half last week in their game against Middle Tennessee State, but once O’Neil entered the game, things began to pick up for them.
This will not be an easy task for either O’Neil or the Alabama defense. O’Neil will have to face an Alabama defense that played inspired last week after being embarrassed at Florida State. Although it was Louisiana Monroe, it was a much-needed boost, and O’Neil will be playing in the heat in an SEC stadium where they will be hostile.
The Alabama defense, on the other hand, doesn’t want to take for granted how good O’Neil may be. They have no idea what kind of player he is, and that could be an issue. It’s easier to prepare for a known element than an unknown, and that’s what the Tide is facing Saturday.
It will be interesting to see who wins this battle Saturday morning in Tuscaloosa.