Badgers starting cornerback will miss Week 1 vs Miami (OH) awaiting court ruling

Nyzier Fourqurean is waiting on a judge to rule on his eligibility for the 2025 season, and he won't get an answer in time for the Wisconsin Badgers' season-opener against Miami (OH).

Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean (3) runs a drill during football practice, July 30, 2025, at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium in Platteville, Wisconsin. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers are hoping a court will rule in Nyzier Fourqurean's favor so the starting cornerback can return to Luke Fickell's defense.

It won't happen in time for Week 1 against Miami (OH).

Fourqurean is involved in a legal battle with the NCAA as he seeks eligibility for this upcoming season.

His latest effort involves seeing a preliminary injunction from federal judge Willam Conley to grant him temporary eligibility while the larger case works through the court system.

On Monday, the judge said he is giving the NCAA until Friday to respond to why Fourqurean shouldn't be granted temporary eligibility while awaiting trial.

Fourqurean update -- Judge Conley has issued an order where he:

- Denied the NCAA's motion to dismiss as to the adequacy of the antitrust claim (while reserving ruling on the rest);
- Reserved ruling on the injunction while giving the NCAA until Friday to respond further. https://t.co/rJ4Hic9zPQ pic.twitter.com/NeZvojLweJ

— Sam C. Ehrlich (@samcehrlich) August 25, 2025

That means it will be Friday at the earliest until Fourqurean gets a ruling on his preliminary injunction, so he won't have any shot at eligibility in time for Wisconsin's first game against the Redhawks on Thursday.

Redshirt freshman Omillio Agard and transfer senior D'Yoni Hill are listed as co-starters on the Badgers' unofficial Week 1 depth chart opposite starter Ricardo Hallman.

Wisconsin can afford to get by without Fourqurean for its first two non-conference games against Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee State, but they'll need him in the lineup if they want any chance of being able to upset Alabama in Week 3.

That game will be played on Sept. 13. That leaves about two weeks for the judge to decide on the injunction and the temporary eligibility, ahead of Fourqurean's trial date set for Oct. 20.

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