Tyler Van Dyke is carted off after injuring his knee in Wisconsin’s opening drive against Alabama in a crucial home game

In a highly anticipated showdown against No. 4 Alabama, Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was taken off the field after an unfortunate injury early in the game.

What started as an exciting matchup quickly took a sobering turn for the Badgers.

Knee Injury Ends Van Dyke’s Day

During the opening drive, Van Dyke scrambled on third down, but a hard tackle near the sideline forced him to hit the turf awkwardly.

Almost immediately, he clutched his right knee in pain.

He was soon taken to the injury tent on the sideline but didn’t stay there long.

Before the start of the second half, he was carted off to the locker room, unable to return to the game.

His reaction said it all as he rode away with his head in his hands, clearly devastated by the situation.

Backup Quarterback Steps In

With Van Dyke sidelined, Braedyn Locke, who had experience stepping in for injured quarterbacks last season, took over.

Despite this unexpected change, Wisconsin managed to take an early 3-0 lead by kicking a field goal.

However, the injury loomed large, overshadowing the early momentum.

By the end of the first quarter, Alabama had pulled ahead with a 7-3 lead.

A Week of QB Injuries

Van Dyke’s injury came just days after NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a hard hit in a Miami Dolphins game, raising further concerns about the safety of quarterbacks in football.

Tagovailoa’s hit had fans fearing a concussion, and though Van Dyke’s injury didn’t appear to involve his head, it added to the ongoing worries surrounding player safety.

Van Dyke’s Solid Start to the Season

Before the injury, Van Dyke had been off to a solid start this season.

In the first two games against Western Michigan and South Dakota, he completed 38 of 63 passes, throwing for 406 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Now, with his status uncertain, Wisconsin faces the challenge of continuing the season without their starting quarterback.

What happens next for the Badgers remains to be seen, but this injury certainly shakes things up.