8 thoughts on Wisconsin football's loss at No. 6 Oregon
The Badgers' offensive struggles continue, but the defense put up a fight in Eugene.
The University of Wisconsin football team will once again need to regroup this season, this time after a winless four-game stretch in October.
Wisconsin (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) showed fight on the road inside Autzen Stadium, one of the nation’s most difficult college football environments, but eventually fell to No. 6 Oregon (7-1, 4-1) in a 21-7 loss.
The Badgers have lost six in a row as they head into their second bye week of the 2025 season, though their schedule still includes road trips to one of the nation’s best teams with some familiar faces plus its vaunted rival. Let’s get to some thoughts from a defeat that wasn’t the blowout the vast majority of people believed it would be.
Wisconsin’s availability report was staggering
The Badgers’ availability report, which was released two hours before kickoff, showed several starters and contributors out for the game or questionable.
The defense missed starting linebacker Christian Alliegro and safety Preston Zachman. The offense was without quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., which has been the case since the first half of the Maryland game. But running backs Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones, wide receiver Tyrell Henry and starting offensive linemen Jake Renfro, Kerry Kodanko and Kevin Heywood also did not play. Heywood obviously hasn’t played a game this fall after his ACL injury in the spring, but the names on that availability report shows just how the offensive line has been affected by injuries to potential contributors.
Junior tight end Tucker Ashcraft and cornerback D’Yoni Hill were listed as questionable, but according to the game’s participation log, both didn’t play.
Wisconsin responded to FS1 announcer’s words about 2 players’ availability
FS1 play-by-play announcer Tim Brando said on the broadcast during the first half that redshirt freshman running back Dilin Jones was out for the season. A Wisconsin spokesperson told Badger Observer on Saturday that the Badgers “have not ruled him out for the year.”
A Wisconsin spokesperson also relayed a message to the Wisconsin State Journal saying sophomore quarterback Danny O’Neil is not injured.