No. 4 Alabama dominated Wisconsin 42-10 at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday to improve its record to 3-0 with its first road win under new coach Kalen DeBoer.

The Badgers (2-1) suffered an early setback when quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, making his third start after transferring from Miami, injured his right knee on the first possession. He did not return and Wisconsin finished the game with 290 total yards and just one touchdown behind backup Braedyn Locke.

Alabama, which entered the game with a 74 percent chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, according to The athleteThe model confirmed playoff expectations on Saturday and now faces the biggest game. Here’s what we learned in Madison:

Alabama passed its first test with flying colors, but Georgia is waiting

There was some question as to which Alabama team would be playing in Madison on Saturday. Through two games, the team has been at times dominant and at times sluggish. Saturday started with a little adversity – Wisconsin allowed a field goal on the first play, followed by a missed field goal of its own – but from there, things went smoothly for Alabama in its first road game under DeBoer.

Alabama was the heavy favorite and Wisconsin lost its quarterback early, but it was more about how the game was won. Last week against USF, Alabama had a minus-3 turnover differential and committed 13 penalties en route to victory. This week: a plus-2 turnover differential (plus one turnover on downs) and just four penalties. A clean performance in a tumultuous road game gives some assurance that the first team of the post-Nick Saban era can correct its mistakes week to week.

The Tide are off to a predictable 3-0 start to the season, and now the biggest question is: How will they fare in two weeks in Tuscaloosa against No. 1 Georgia? Georgia plays Kentucky Saturday night, and both teams have no games next Saturday, making for two weeks of anticipation.

The expanded 12-team playoffs may make the game less significant from a national championship perspective, but it’s an important game in college football’s power structure. For DeBoer, it’s an opportunity to answer questions about a post-Saban drop-off in performance, while Georgia could establish itself as a new benchmark in the sport with a big road win. — Blacksmith

Wisconsin quarterback injury changes trajectory

Wisconsin needed every opportunity to have a chance to pull off the upset win over Alabama. Once Van Dyke suffered a right knee injury on the first drive, the Badgers’ ability to keep up with the Crimson Tide was all but gone. Van Dyke was carted off the field and missed the rest of the game. We’ll never know what would have happened had he stayed healthy, of course, but at least Wisconsin was moving the ball effectively before his injury.

The path forward could now be through Locke, which would change the outlook for the season. Locke was put in a difficult position against Alabama, just as he was a year ago when he was forced to replace the injured Tanner Mordecai. Locke started three games for Mordecai last season and helped lead a late comeback against Illinois. But his performances have been mixed so far. Filling in for Van Dyke against Alabama, he completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Locke’s greatest strength is his intelligence and knowledge of the offense. However, he doesn’t have as strong an arm as Van Dyke and is less mobile. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo said this preseason after Van Dyke was named the starter, “If Braedyn was our starter right now, we would feel great.” Wisconsin may have to find out. After the Badgers rest next Saturday, they face a trip to USC on Sept. 28.

“We’ll hopefully get more clarity here soon,” said coach Luke Fickell. “Do an MRI. I don’t think it looks really good for us or for him and that’s really difficult. I think he was really well prepared and I think he’s grown in these first few weeks and was really fit to start the game.” — temple

GO DEEPER

Wisconsin’s Van Dyke carried off the field against Alabama

Could Alabama have the most explosive offense in the country?

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe started Week 3 with a nationally-best nine touchdowns, and on Saturday he added five more, resulting in 196 passing yards and 75 rushing yards. Milroe’s development under DeBoer has been remarkable, and Alabama can therefore lay claim to the title of the most explosive offense in the country.

Four of Alabama’s six touchdowns on Saturday were over 20 yards, and they finished the game with 407 yards and an average of 7.3 yards per play. It was a largely efficient day for Milroe and a snapshot of how DeBoer can capitalize on his quarterback’s strengths.

A lot of effort is made to incorporate Milroe into designed runs, an element that was inconsistent last season. Milroe scored on two outside runs and also made a couple of nice runs between the tackles. His long passes also remain a strength. On a two-play touchdown drive just before halftime after Wisconsin missed a field goal, Milroe stood in a collapsing pocket and hit Ryan Williams for a 47-yard gain. On the next play, Milroe threw a precise ball to Germie Bernard in the back of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown.

WOW @AlabamaFTBL only needed 17 seconds to find the end zone on this drive ⚡️😳 pic.twitter.com/MCPphanT0a

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) 14 September 2024

The Heisman Trophy race is still in its infancy, but Milroe should be at the forefront over the next three weeks. His confidence is high, Alabama’s offense is stronger with the return of tackle Kadyn Proctor, and the next game against Georgia is an opportunity to make a statement against one of the best defenses in the country. — Blacksmith

Alabama’s star freshman is unstoppable

Williams, a five-star recruit who is only 17 years old, continued to shine on Saturday with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Here’s how he compares to other Alabama greats after three games:

• Williams: 10 catches, 285 yards, four touchdowns
• Julio Jones: 10 catches, 107 yards, 2 TDs
• Jerry Jeudy: 6 catches, 107 yards, 1 touchdown
• Calvin Ridley: 13 catches, 87 yards, 0 TDs
• Amari Cooper: 5 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
• DeVonta Smith: 1 catch, 24 yards, 0 TDs

In August, there were questions about Williams’ potential role on offense after he was reclassified from the class of 2025 to the class of 2024. Now, as a freshman, he’s arguably the team’s No. 1 wide receiver alongside Bernard. Williams’ touchdown Saturday, where he ran past Wisconsin’s secondary, is the latest example of his game-winning speed.

✌️@Ryanwms1

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Akxo44h0Iz

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) 14 September 2024

One of DeBoer’s biggest questions when he arrived at Alabama was his ability to recruit players. Signing Williams after Saban’s retirement was a clear sign. When was the last time a new Alabama coach secured a generational talent from his own state? When Saban signed Julio Jones. — Blacksmith

GO DEEPER

What’s next for Alabama’s Ryan Williams after his superstar debut?

Wisconsin is far from championship expectations

Wisconsin fired Paul Chryst in 2022 and hired Luke Fickell — at an average annual salary of $7.8 million — because the Badgers were getting farther and farther from their championship-level expectations. Sixteen games into the Fickell era, the Badgers are 9-7 and no closer to even competing at the level they want.

The Alabama game was always going to serve as a litmus test for where Wisconsin stood under Fickell. It was a significant opportunity on the national stage, as it was the Badgers’ first non-conference home game against a top-10 opponent in 35 years. The fact that most people believed the best Wisconsin could do was keep the game exciting until the second half said enough about the state of the program. But the Crimson Tide tied the game at halftime with a 21-3 lead.

Wisconsin has four games left against top-25 opponents: USC, Penn State, Oregon and Nebraska. It could be a challenge to reach a bowl game for the 23rd consecutive year. Fickell’s redesign of Wisconsin football was supposed to bring quicker results. But that’s not the case, as the Badgers are still trying to build on the success of the past three decades with a new style. — temple

(Photo: John Fisher/Getty Images)