Wisconsin will be without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke for the rest of the season.
Van Dyke, who went down early in the Badgers’ 42-10 loss to Alabama on Saturday, sustained a full torn ACL in his right knee, according to the Wisconsin State Journal’s Colten Bartholomew and ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Further information on his injury is not yet known, but Van Dyke’s season is over.
Can confirm the @madisondotcom report that Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will miss the rest of the season. Sources tell ESPN that the injury is a full ACL tear in his right knee, and the timeline for recovery isn’t clear yet.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 16, 2024
Van Dyke was scrambling on the Badgers’ first drive of the game on Saturday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium, and he took a hard hit as he went out of bounds. Right before he stepped out, however, Van Dyke planted awkwardly with his right leg, which buckled underneath him as he took the hit.
Van Dyke remained down for quite some time, clearly in significant pain. He was eventually driven back to the locker room on a cart and ruled out for the rest of the game. He was seen using crutches with his knee wrapped in a brace after the game, too.
Van Dyke transferred into 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 went just 7-6. The fifth-year senior had one touchdown in his first two starts with the Badgers this season, and he was a perfect 5-of-5 for 16 yards when he went down on Saturday.
Van Dyke was replaced by Braedyn Locke, who finished out the rest of the game. Locke went 13-of-26 for 125 yards and a touchdown, though the game quickly got away from them as Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe accounted for five touchdowns in the blowout 32-point 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 an interception.
Locke will presumably lead the Badgers the rest of the way this season, starting in two weeks when they travel to No. 11 USC. Wisconsin holds a 2-1 record entering their bye week this weekend.
