Billy Edwards Jr. injury update: Report reveals chances Wisconsin QB plays at Alabama

The Wisconsin Badgers lost starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to a sprained knee in their opener against Miami (OH). Now, it’s being reported by On3’s Pete Nakos that he’s unlikely to be able to play against the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend.

Edwards is expected to travel with the team and warm up to test out his knee. However, for the time being, it’s a long shot he’ll be able to play. Officially, he’s considered week-to-week.

The injury occurred during the first half of Wisconsin’s opening game. A non-contact issue, he was able to walk into the locker room under his own power. Still, there were initially some concerns that it could be much worse than it ended up being. There would, eventually, be some hope that he could return for the team’s Week 2 game against Middle Tennessee, but the Badgers held him out of that game as well.

Prior to leaving the game against Miami (OH), he completed 6 of 13 passes for 68 yards. That came in what was, ultimately, a winning effort for Wisconsin.

Danny O’Neil has filled in for Billy Edwards Jr. in the time he’s missed. A transfer from San Diego State, where he spent his freshman season and was twice named Mountain West Freshman of the Week. Assuming that Edwards can’t go against Alabama, it will likely be O’Neil who again gets the start. In the time that Edwards has missed, O’Neil has completed 76.1 percent of his passes for 403 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also has 24 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

Edwards Jr. is in his first season at Wisconsin. He came in as transfer from Maryland and initially began his college career at Wake Forest. Coming out of high school at Lake Braddock in Virginia, he was a three-star recruit from the Class of 2021. He was the 1,497th-ranked prospect overall in that recruiting cycle and the 99th-ranked quarterback.

This season, Wisconsin is trying to bounce back from missing its first bowl game since 2001. It’s now head coach Luke Fickell’s third season with the program, and the Badgers are just 15-13 in his tenure there. That’s a tenure that has included some issues at the quarterback position. That includes losing Tyler Van Dyke to a season-ending injury last season against Alabama.

Wisconsin travels to Tuscaloosa to put its 2-0 record on the line against Alabama on Saturday, September 13th. While nothing is impossible, as of now, the Badgers look like they’ll be without their starting quarterback once again.