Wisconsin Badgers hope injured center Jake Renfro is back for Week 3 at Alabama

Head coach Luke Fickell sounded optimistic that another week of recovery time could have Wisconsin Badgers center Jake Renfro ready to return on the road at Alabama in Week 3.

Wisconsin offensive lineman Jake Renfro (57) is shown during the fourth quarter of their game Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Nebraska 24-17 in overtime. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Wisconsin Badgers were a little surprised when center Jake Renfro wasn't able to play in Week 2 against Middle Tennessee State.

Head coach Luke Fickell said after the game that he thought the veteran lineman would be ready to roll after the injury popped up early in the week.

"I don't think anybody probably knew that until game time," Fickell said. "That was something that kind of came up on a Monday practice that was a little bit of a surprise to us."

Luke Fickell on center Jake Renfro: "I thought that was something that kind of came up on a Monday practice that was a little bit of a surprise to us. I don’t think anybody probably knew that until gametime. We were hoping by late in the week he’d be OK."

— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) September 6, 2025

Given the unexpected recovery time, he wasn't able to give a concrete update on Renfro's status for Week 3.

But Fickell sounded optimistic that another week of preparation time could have him ready to return on the road at Alabama.

"You hope that, in some ways, with the week he didn't practice, that he'll be okay next week," Fickell said. "We don't really have any update on that."

He was similarly short on details about quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.'s status.

That could be some gamesmanship, not wanting to give the Crimson Tide a clear answer about who the Badgers will have under center on Saturday.

With the way that backup Danny O'Neil played against Middle Tennessee State, the injury at quarterback might not be as disruptive as the injury at center.

Renfro's backup Kerry Kodanko struggled agains the Blue Raiders, and Wisconsin will desperately need a full-strength offensive line against the Crimson Tide.

That snap was... less than ideal. Kerry Kodanko is having some issues at center against Middle Tennessee.

— Dillon Graff (@DillonGraff) September 6, 2025

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