As Roq Montgomery planted the Alabama football flag into Camp Randall’s FieldTurf, the student sections were already filled with more yellow-jacketed security guards than Wisconsin fans. Mark this first road challenge of the season for the Crimson Tide as a solid pass.
Alabama’s chief operating officer, Ellis Ponder, blew the whistle to hurry Montgomery and the offensive linemen to the locker room, but it couldn’t dampen the excitement following their first road victory.
“We just kept attacking,” said quarterback Jalen Milroe after the game. “We focused on building momentum, regrouping, and we did a great job coming together as a team.”
Heading into the Wisconsin matchup, the Crimson Tide faced significant questions. Just a week earlier, they struggled against South Florida and barely managed to secure the win in the final minutes as their offense finally clicked.
It turns out that when the top five offensive linemen gel together, good things happen. With Kadyn Proctor back, Tyler Booker shifting to guard, and Elijah Pritchett taking over right tackle, the offense gained the necessary time to excel.
Defensively, Alabama faced a Wisconsin team that was without its starting quarterback after Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the game. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide dominated, completely shutting down the Badgers in a 42-10 victory.
“There was a business-like focus in the locker room before the game,” Kalen DeBoer noted afterward. “The energy and passion these guys have is impressive. I’m learning a lot about our team, especially how they maintain confidence and sustain energy as the game progresses.”
So far, the DeBoer era is off to a great start. Before he took the reins, Alabama legend Gene Stallings, who guided the Tide to the 1992 national championship, shared some wisdom.
Stallings, who lost his first three games at Alabama, advised DeBoer to avoid starting on that foot. “I wouldn’t recommend anyone going to Alabama and starting 0-3,” Stallings quipped at a charity event in April. “We ended well, but that wasn’t the beginning I wanted.”
DeBoer has successfully kept Alabama undefeated so far, overcoming various challenges, from Western Kentucky to South Florida, and even navigating his predecessor’s concerns.
Now, the true test arrives. The measuring stick game is here, as the closest thing to Nick Saban’s Alabama heads to Tuscaloosa on Saturday.
Kirby Smart’s Georgia team is also undefeated and coming off a bye. Despite a narrow one-point win against Kentucky last time out, they’re fired up and currently ranked No. 1 in the coaches’ poll.
“Georgia’s a great team,” said Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas on Friday. “We know that. Even if you don’t go to Alabama, you know this rivalry runs deep.”
The buildup to this game has been wild, especially after the offseason shakeup following the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl loss to Michigan.
This moment is supposed to belong to Georgia. With Saban gone, the throne appears more accessible than ever.
Alabama opened as a home underdog, a rare occurrence not seen since 2007.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. ESPN’s College Gameday is in town, a former president is using the event as a political platform, and the 6:30 p.m. CT game on ABC is set to be the highlight of college football’s Week 5 lineup.
Alabama has passed every test so far. But now, the real challenge awaits. America will finally see DeBoer’s Crimson Tide go head-to-head with a legitimate national championship contender.
After three warm-up games, UA believes they’re ready.
“Georgia’s a great team, and we respect every opponent we face,” Cuevas said. “But we’re coming in as Alabama football. They have to play us too.”
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