Report: Wisconsin football 2025 opponent loses top offensive weapon to significant injury
Report: Wisconsin football 2025 opponent loses top offensive weapon to significant injury
Wisconsin football may face a less-than-full-strength Oregon Ducks team when the two meet in Eugene, Oregon, on Oct. 25, 2025. That is the current sentiment after On3's Pete Nakos reported on Friday that Ducks standout wide receiver Evan Stewart suffered a torn patellar tendon during practice and will miss anywhere between three and 12 months.
Many others have since confirmed the news, with varying levels of specifics. ESPN's Pete Thamel said that Stewart "suffered a knee injury that's expected to impact his availability for the 2025 season," while 247Sports' Matt Zenitz only reported that the injury is "feared to be significant."
While the Badgers and Ducks do not meet until Week 9 of the 2025 season (4 1/2 months from the time of the report), Stewart's status for that matchup appears already in doubt.
The 5-foot-11 wideout played a significant role on the Ducks in 2024, catching 48 passes for 613 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Those totals were each second-most among Oregon wide receivers, trailing only second-team All-Big Ten WR Tez Johnson. With Johnson off to the NFL, Stewart was a popular breakout pick entering 2025. The status of this injury will obviously dictate whether that comes to fruition.
The rising senior originally began his career at Texas A&M, which he joined as a five-star recruit and the No. 11 overall player in the class of 2022. He appeared in 18 games over two seasons with the Aggies, catching a combined 91 passes for 1,163 receiving yards and six scores.
The 2025 Oregon Ducks will look far different from the team that narrowly edged Wisconsin in Week 12 of last season. The team returns just 43% (No. 104 nationally) of its production, with most of its top contributors gone to the NFL. However, it still ranks among the top teams in the Big Ten and the entire sport, per both ESPN SP+ and its Football Power Index.
Wisconsin is in a similar situation, though for a different reason. Luke Fickell overhauled the program's offense this offseason, hiring coordinator Jeff Grimes and adding Maryland transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. Unfortunately, like Oregon, Wisconsin saw its season outlook change due to an offseason injury, as starting left tackle Kevin Heywood suffered a season-ending ACL injury during spring practice.
With or without Stewart on the field, the Badgers are likely to be a significant underdog when they visit the Ducks.
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