Wisconsin will be without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke for the remainder of the season.
Van Dyke, who was injured early in the Badgers’ 42-10 loss to Alabama on Saturday, suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. According to Colten Bartholomew of the Wisconsin State Journal and ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Further details on his injury are not yet known, but Van Dyke’s season is over.
Can I confirm this? @madisondotcom Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will reportedly miss the remainder of the season. Sources told ESPN the injury is a full tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and the recovery timeline is still unclear.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 16, 2024
On Saturday afternoon, Van Dyke was in the thick of the action during the Badgers’ first offensive series at Camp Randall Stadium and took a hard hit as he stepped out of bounds. However, just before he stepped out, Van Dyke awkwardly propped himself up on the ground with his right leg, which buckled beneath him as he took the hit.
Van Dyke remained on the ground for quite some time, in obvious pain. He was eventually wheeled back to the locker room on a cart and ruled out for the remainder of the game. He was also seen using crutches and with his knee wrapped in a splint after the game.
Van Dyke transferred to Madison this season from Miami, where he spent the first four years of his career. He appeared in 11 games last season but had a career-high 12 interceptions as the Hurricanes finished with a 7-6 record. The fifth-year player had a touchdown in his first two starts with the Badgers this season, and was a perfect 5-for-5 for 16 yards when he was injured Saturday.
Van Dyke was replaced by Braedyn Locke, who finished the rest of the game. Locke completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, though the game quickly got out of hand when Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe scored five touchdowns in the 32-point blowout win. Locke, a redshirt sophomore, started three games for Wisconsin last season. He completed 50% of his passes and had 777 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.
Locke is expected to lead the Badgers the rest of the season, starting in two weeks when they travel to No. 11 USC. Wisconsin is 2-1 entering its bye week this weekend.