Wisconsin Badgers at Alabama: Billy Edwards, Jake Renfro injury status

A pair of key Wisconsin Badgers starters are game-time decisions this week. As the Wisconsin football team put the finishing touches on its preparation for a marquee non-conference matchup, it filed its required availability report.

Wisconsin is in Tuscaloosa today, completing a return trip as part of its home-and-home series with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama knocked off Wisconsin in Madison, 42-10, last season, giving head coach Kalen DeBoer his first win over a power conference opponent at his new job. Now, Luke Fickell is hoping to get his own marquee win, which would be his first as the head coach of the Badgers over a ranked team.

As a significant underdog, pulling off the upset would be easier with his preferred starters at quarterback and center.

Wisconsin Badgers still awaiting final word on Edwards and Renfro

No final word as of yet on QB Billy Edwards Jr. or C Jake Renfro today. Both listed as questionable on the #Badgers availability report.

DL Charles Perkins also pops up as questionable. pic.twitter.com/9p3DWMlfzs
— Kedrick Stumbris (@KedrickStumbris) September 13, 2025

When Wisconsin submitted its pre-game availability report, two hours before kickoff, whether Edwards or Renfro would play was still up in the air. The pair, along with defensive lineman Charles Perkins, were questionable to play.

Both Edwards and Renfro went through parts of warmups, with different results. Edwards remains sidelined. Renfro did start against Alabama.

Edwards suffered a lower-body injury in Week 1. His timetable to return remains unclear.

Backup quarterback Danny O'Neil remains the expected starter as long as Edwards is unable to play. O'Neil, a San Diego State Aztecs transfer, led the Badgers to a win over the Miami RedHawks, taking over in relief of the injured Edwards, and set a program passing record in his starting debut for Wisconsin in a win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

Reserve interior lineman Kerry Kodanko would have been expected to start in place of the injured Renfro. The graduate student stepped in against Middle Tennessee after Renfro was ruled out in what Fickell called a "gametime" decision. Including Kodanko, four of Wisconsin's five offensive linemen played in different roles compared to Week 1. Kodanko struggled with accurate snaps throughout the day, highlighted by a snap over O'Neil's head, leading to a 19-yard loss, setting up a 3rd and 34 in the second quarter.

A pair of injuries might have Wisconsin a bit thin on the defensive front. Outside linebacker Corey Walker remains sidelined as he was last week. Defensive lineman Charles Perkins did not have an injury designation last week, but he did not appear in that game despite playing nine snaps in the season-opener.

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