MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin outside linebacker Vince Biegel underwent surgery Thursday night to insert a screw into his cracked right foot and will miss the showdown Saturday with Michigan, the school confirmed Friday.
The Badgers said Biegel will be out "several weeks."
"I really hate any time a player has to miss time due to an injury, especially a senior like Vince," Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. "Vince has such a passion for football and loves playing the game. This team is very important to him and he is very important to our team. What you appreciate is that you know he will do everything in his power to get back on the field as soon as possible."
Biegel's father, Rocky, had told ESPN.com on Thursday of his son's procedure.
"He's been playing on it for the last couple weeks, and it was bothering him a little bit," Rocky Biegel said. "He had X-rays last night and confirmed it was cracked. He either plays on it, and then if he breaks it, then he's going to be out for eight weeks. Either way, he's got to have surgery on it. So he can keep playing until it breaks or try to go through the season with it and try to fix it. At any time, he could break it all the way through. It was just a crack and they're just putting a screw in it. It's a very, very minor crack."
The Badgers said Vince Biegel discussed his options with team physicians Wednesday and Thursday before deciding on surgery.
The news is a blow to No. 8 Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) ahead of a huge game against No. 4 Michigan (4-0, 1-0) in Ann Arbor. Earlier Thursday, the Badgers announced that they would be without kicker Rafael Gaglianone for the season due to a back injury.
Biegel, Wisconsin's most experienced player, has played in 46 games with 32 starts. He ranks seventh in program history with 18.5 career sacks and was a third-team all-Big Ten selection last season. Pro Football Focus graded Biegel as the top returning 3-4 outside linebacker against the run, as a pass-rusher and overall.
This season, Biegel has nine tackles with two quarterback hurries and a sack.
Redshirt freshman Zack Baun was listed as Biegel's backup on the depth chart this week. Baun has six tackles and two tackles for loss in 2016. Backup outside linebacker Garret Dooley also has six tackles.
Wisconsin also could shift linebacker Jack Cichy from inside to outside and move backup Ryan Connelly to starting inside linebacker.
The Badgers began the season unranked and vaulted into the top 10 for the first time in five years after victories against No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Michigan State. It marks the first time Wisconsin had defeated two AP top-10 teams since 1962, but the schedule over the next four games is perhaps even more daunting.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Wisconsin is projected to play the toughest October schedule of any FBS team, with games against Michigan, No. 2 Ohio State, Iowa and No. 15 Nebraska. Those four teams are a combined 14-1 this season.