The 11th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers play their first game without linebacker and leading tackler Jack Cichy on Saturday night when they host seventh-ranked Nebraska at Camp Randall Stadium (7 p.m. kickoff).
Cichy suffered a season ending injury in the win at Iowa last week, suffering a pectoral injury. He leads Wisconsin with 60 tackles and is second in tackles for loss with 7 1/2.
With Cichy out, the Badgers will turn to Ryan Connelly and/or Leon Jacobs to help fill the void. Starter T.J. Edwards will also be counted on heavily to anchor the middle. He enters the game second in tackles with 44, after missing the opener against LSU while recovering from a broken foot.
Jacobs was shut down last season because of a toe injury, then spent the offseason and training camp making the transition to fullback. Injuries forced the Badgers to move him back to linebacker where he quickly picked things up and is ready to go on defense again.
After Chris Orr suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener against LSU, Ryan Connelly took over and recorded seven tackles against the Tigers.
The Badgers also expect to have cornerback Derrick Tindal and reserve linebacker Zach Baun back.
Tindal left the Iowa game with a leg injury in the second quarter. Baun, also with a leg injury, didn’t play at Iowa.
Starting offensive tackle Jacob Maxwell has a shoulder injury and is listed as questionable.
Nickel Corner Natrell Jamerson could also return to action against the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska is 7-0 overall and ranked 7th in the AP top 25. The Badgers are 5-2 and ranked 11th. Yet Wisconsin is a 8.5 point favorite at Camp Randall on Saturday night.