MADISON, Wis. — The University of Alabama football team believes it has learned from its unexpectedly close call as it prepares to make a rare trip north.
The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide’s visit to Wisconsin on Saturday marks the first time they’ve played a true road game against a school from north of the Mason-Dixon Line since a 27-11 victory at Penn State in 2011. Alabama’s only previous trip to Camp Randall Stadium was a 15-0 loss to Wisconsin way back in 1928.
Alabama (2-0), the reigning Southeastern Conference champion and a College Football Playoff team last season, is coming off a 42-16 home win over American Athletic Conference member South Florida that was much closer than the score indicated. The Tide committed 13 penalties, posted a negative-3 turnover margin and were clinging to a 21-16 lead before scoring three touchdowns in the last six minutes.
“It’s something to learn from, though,” Alabama safety Malachi Moore said. “It makes us lock in a little more to the details and know that the ‘A’ on our chest is just not enough to show. We have to go out there and bring our ‘A’ game. We’re everybody’s Super Bowl and we know that, so we have to prepare like that each and every week.”
For both teams, Saturday’s game represents an opportunity to measure their progress before starting their conference schedules with demanding matchups (after open dates to rest up and prepare). Alabama hosts No. 1 Georgia to kick off its SEC slate on Sept. 28, the same day Wisconsin (2-0) opens Big Ten play by visiting No. 11 Southern California.