Year Two of the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama got off to an inauspicious start, with a 31-17 loss to Florida State dampening at least some of the enthusiasm that greeted the Crimson Tide entering the 2025 college football season.
Since then, however, the Tide have been rolling — with their latest game only continuing that trend.
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Alabama’s offense was ruthlessly efficient against Wisconsin, racking up 454 yards and averaging 8.7 yards per play as the Crimson Tide knocked off the Badgers 38-14 on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Quarterback Ty Simpson was stellar for Alabama, completing 24 of his 29 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Williams was his favorite target, with the sophomore phenom hauling in five passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went for at least 40 yards. Germie Bernard added a pair of touchdowns for the Crimson Tide, one rushing and one receiving.
Since the season-opening dud against Florida State, Simpson has completed 41 of his 46 passes for 608 yards and seven touchdowns.
Wisconsin struggled for much of the day, managing only 209 yards and scoring just one offensive touchdown, which didn’t come until 5:29 remained in regulation. Starting in place of Billy Edwards Jr., Badgers quarterback Danny O’Neil completed 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, both of which ended up in the hands of Alabama safety Bray Hubbard.
USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game:
Wisconsin vs Alabama score
This section will be updated throughout the game
Wisconsin vs Alabama live updates
Final: Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14
Alabama vs Wisconsin highlights
Danny O’Neil TD pass gets Wisconsin first offensive points
The game is well out of hand and a win is out of the question, but Wisconsin’s still fighting.
The Badgers go 70 yards in seven plays, with much of that coming on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Danny O’Neil to Jayden Ballard to make it 38-14 with 5:29 remaining.
Alabama punts for the first time
It took until about six minutes into the fourth quarter, but at long last, Alabama has been forced to punt. A Ty Simpson pass bounces off the hands of Lotzeir Brooks on third down, wiping out what would have been at least a 14-yard gain.
Wisconsin will take over at its own 30-yard line with 9:27 left.
LT Overton injury
LT Overton, Alabama’s star defensive lineman, left the game in the second half after sustaining what was described as an upper-body injury after bringing down Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil. Given the lopsided nature of this game, it’s hard to envision him returning, even if only out of an abundance of caution.
Alabama tacks on field goal
The Alabama drive stalls out in the red zone, with the Crimson Tide settling for a Conor Talty 33-yard field goal to push their lead to 38-7. Ty Simpson very nearly had his fifth touchdown pass of the game, but Ryan Williams is unable to bring in a ball that hit him in the hands in the end zone.
End of third quarter: Alabama 35, Wisconsin 7
The Crimson Tide enters the final quarter with a 28-point lead and may soon be adding on to it, with a first-and-goal from the Wisconsin 9-yard line.
Bray Hubbard gets second interception of day for Alabama
Wisconsin pieces together its best offensive drive of the day, but it ends with no points.
On a second-and-6 from the Alabama 21-yard line, Badgers quarterback Danny O’Neil tries to connect with Lance Mason, but the ball ends up in the hands of Crimson Tide safety Bray Hubbard, who comes down with his second interception of the day.
Alabama will take over at its own 13-yard line.
Ryan Williams gets second TD of half on spectacular move
For the second time in the opening four minutes of the second half, Ryan Williams has a touchdown for Alabama. And this one may have been even more extraordinary than his first one.
Williams catches a pass from Ty Simpson at the Wisconsin 21-yard line, stops on a dime on the sideline, makes two Badgers defenders miss and has a clear path to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown.
With the extra point, the Crimson Tide lead is back to 28, 35-7, with 11 minutes left in the third quarter.
Wisconsin gets on the board with kickoff return TD
Moments after giving up a 75-yard touchdown to Alabama and Ryan Williams, Wisconsin responded with a big play of its own.
Vinny Anthony II takes the ensuing kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown to get the Badgers some long-awaited and sorely-needed points. Wisconsin still has a long way to go, with a 21-point deficit, but at the very least, coach Luke Fickell’s team won’t be shut out.
Ryan Williams scores TD for Alabama on first play of second half
It took only 11 seconds in the second half for Alabama to add to its lead.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, a series of pitches ends with the ball back in the hands of Ty Simpson, who tosses it to Ryan Williams. From there, the sophomore phenom does the rest, catching the ball at his own 18-yard line, following his blockers and slicing through the Wisconsin defense for a 75-yard touchdown that gives the Crimson Tide a 28-0 lead.
Halftime: Alabama 21, Wisconsin 0
Alabama was dominant in the opening 30 minutes, outgaining Wisconsin by a 212-59 margin on its way to a 21-0 lead. It could soon get worse for the Badgers, too, with the Crimson Tide set to receive the opening kickoff of the second half.
Germie Bernard stats
Few players were quite as impactful in the first half as Germie Bernard. The wide receiver caught two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. He made his mark on the ground, too, scoring the Crimson Tide’s first touchdown of the game on a 2-yard rush on fourth down.
Ty Simpson TD pass puts Alabama up 21-0
The Tide’s starting to roll.
A drive that started in the shadow of Alabama’s own end zone ends on the other side of the field, with the Crimson Tide marching 98 yards in eight plays and 4:58. It’s capped off by a bullet of a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ty Simpson to Isaiah Horton, giving Alabama a 21-0 lead with 45 seconds remaining in the first half.
Simpson is on a tear, with 13 completions on 14 attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Since the start of Alabama’s Week 2 win against Louisiana-Monroe, Simpson has completed 30 of his past 31 passes.
Wisconsin punts again
The Badgers are able to move the ball a bit against Alabama, but facing a fourth-and-12 from the Crimson Tide 43-yard line, coach Luke Fickell opts to punt.
Wisconsin downs the ball at the Alabama 2 with 5:43 left in the first half.
Germie Bernard’s second TD doubles Alabama’s lead
Germie Bernard finds the end zone yet again for Alabama, this time through the air. The Crimson Tide wide receiver gets open across the middle, catches a pass from Ty Simpson at the Wisconsin 24-yard line and runs unimpeded the rest of the way for a 43-yard touchdown, pushing Alabama’s lead to 14-0.
The previous play, Wisconsin forced a fourth down, but Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger was flagged for a personal foul for a late hit on Simpson, giving Alabama a first down.
Jake Renfro leaves game with injury for Wisconsin
Not only are the Badgers trailing, but they’re now down one of their best players. Center Jake Renfro, who was questionable with an injury heading into the game, is rolled up on by Alabama linebacker Qua Russaw on a sack of Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil. Renfro remained on the turf for a bit before walking gingerly off the field alongside team medical personnel.
After another O’Neil sack, the Badgers punt, with the Crimson Tide taking over at their own 35-yard line.
End of first quarter: Alabama 7, Wisconsin 0
Wisconsin’s got a second-and-9 at its own 41-yard line as we head into the second quarter with Alabama holding a 7-0 lead.
Germie Bernard TD gives Alabama the lead
Alabama’s second fourth-down conversion attempt went much better than their first.
On a fourth-and-1 from the Wisconsin 2-yard line, Kalen DeBoer goes for it, with Ty Simpson handing off the ball to wide receiver Germie Bernard, who bounces to the outside and dives for the pylon for a touchdown.
The Crimson Tide have a 7-0 lead with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
Alabama picks off Danny O’Neil
As it turns out, the failed fourth-down conversion didn’t end up making much of a difference.
On Wisconsin’s first play of its drive, a Danny O’Neil pass to Vinny Anthony II is intercepted by Alabama’s Bray Hubbard, who returned it 3 yards to the Crimson Tide’s 39-yard line.
A much-needed jolt of positive momentum early for Kalen DeBoer’s team.
Alabama turns it over on downs
On his team’s first possession, Kalen DeBoer makes the gutsy call to have Alabama go for it on a fourth-and-2 from its own 46-yard line. Wisconsin is able to get pressure on Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson, who’s flushed from the pocket and is unable to connect with Germie Bernard.
The Badgers have the ball in Alabama territory.
Wisconsin punts on first possession
The Badgers initially convert a third-and-4 with an 8-yard Danny O’Neil completion to Chris Brooks Jr. to the Wisconsin 46-yard line, but they’re flagged for pass interference for a pick play by another Badgers wideout.
On a third-and-19, O’Neil is sacked for a 7-yard loss and Wisconsin punts, with Alabama taking over at its own 30.
What time does Wisconsin vs Alabama start?
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 13
- Time: Noon ET
- Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
Wisconsin and Alabama are scheduled for a noon ET kickoff on Saturday, September 13 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
What TV channel is Wisconsin vs Alabama on today?
- TV: ABC
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
Wisconsin vs. Alabama will broadcast nationally on ABC in Week 3 of the college football season. Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) and Jesse Palmer (analyst) will call the game from the booth at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with Katie George serving as the sideline reporter.
Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
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Wisconsin receives opening kickoff
Alabama won the pregame coin toss and elects to defer, meaning Wisconsin will receive the opening kickoff.
Greg Sankey speaks about SEC before Wisconsin-Alabama
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey met with reporters before the Alabama vs. Wisconsin game to discuss some of the most important topics surrounding his conference.
Jam Miller injury update
Alabama running back Jam Miller, the team’s top non-quarterback rusher last season, is not expected to play against Wisconsin, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Miller’s still recovering from a collarbone injury he suffered in the preseason.
Wisconsin injury updates
Here’s a look at the status of Wisconsin’s injured players heading into the Alabama game, according to the Big Ten availability report:
Out: TE Tucker Ashcraft, S Luke Emmerich, LB Evan Van Dyn Hoven, OL Kevin Heywood, OL Barrett Nelson, WR Ben Lemirand, LB Corey Walker
Questionable: QB Billy Edwards Jr., DL Charles Perkins, OL Jake Renfro
Wisconsin vs Alabama predictions
After a 73-0 drubbing of Louisiana Monroe in its home opener, Alabama is at a high even with a Tallahassee-sized chip on the team’s collective shoulder. The two-win Badgers have not seen a challenge like the Crimson Tide. With the efficiency of Alabama’s offense paired with a defense that is still looking to make a statement after the Florida State loss, the Crimson Tide should walk away and look toward SEC play with another dominating win notched to its belt.
We all know the odds are stacked against the Badgers, but is the Crimson Tide really 21 points better as the oddsmakers have listed the game? The goal this week for UW is to play respectable ball, learn more of its strengths and stay healthy with the start of Big Ten play one week away. I’m not expecting an upset this week, but a solid showing is possible.
Wisconsin football schedule 2025
Here is Wisconsin’s 2025 football schedule and results:
All times Eastern.
- Thursday, Aug. 28: Wisconsin 17, Miami (Ohio) 0
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Wisconsin 42, Middle Tennessee State 10
- Saturday, Sept. 13: at No. 18 Alabama | Noon | ABC (Fubo)
- Saturday, Sept. 20: vs. Maryland
- Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
- Saturday, Oct. 4: at No. 22 Michigan
- Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Iowa
- Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 1 Ohio State
- Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 5 Oregon
- Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
- Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Washington
- Saturday, Nov. 15: at No. 19 Indiana
- Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. No. 9 Illinois
- Saturday, Nov. 29: at Minnesota
Alabama football schedule 2025
Here is Alabama’s 2025 football schedule and results:
All times Eastern
- Saturday, Aug. 30: Florida State 31, Alabama 17
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Alabama 73, Louisiana-Monroe 0
- Saturday, Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin | Noon | ABC (Fubo)
- Saturday, Sept. 20: BYE
- Saturday, Sept. 27: at No. 3 Georgia | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
- Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt
- Saturday, Oct. 11: at Missouri | Noon
- Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 15 Tennessee
- Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 10 South Carolina
- Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
- Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. No. 4 LSU
- Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. No. 16 Oklahoma
- Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Eastern Illinois | 2 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 29: at Auburn