Something that Kalen DeBoer has had to learn the hard way as the Crimson Tide's head coach is that every team has Alabama circled on its calendar. When you're Alabama, you are everyone's Super Bowl. If DeBoer doesn't know that by now, there may be no hope for him left in Tuscaloosa.
Every team on Alabama's schedule sees the Crimson Tide as a massive opportunity. It's why you probably can't remember an Alabama road loss where the winning team's fans didn't rush the field. Because beating the Tide is a monumental achievement, as much as fans and pundits want to pontificate about the fallen dynasty, all four of Alabama's true road losses under DeBoer have led to field stormings.
The last time Alabama lost a true road game where the opposing fans didn't rush the field? 2010 at LSU. 15 years ago.
Coaches who are on the hot seat view a game against Alabama as a chance to earn a signature, program-stamping victory. Think about what beating Alabama in Week 1 did for Mike Norvell. It totally changed the trajectory of the Seminoles, and now fans have rallied behind their coach after plenty of calls for him to be let go last season when Florida State went 2-10.
Wisconsin's Luke Fickell is hoping for something similar.
Fickell is in year three in Madison and has yet to break through, going just 15-13. He needs a signature win. Badly. This weekend in Tuscaloosa provides the perfect opportunity for him and his team.
Last season did, too, but the Badgers were manhandled by the Crimson Tide on their home field. Alabama walked into Camp Randall and won 42-10. Even after a disappointing start to the season for Alabama, Vegas believes this game remains a significant mismatch with a three-touchdown spread.
But Wisconsin has had this game circled for quite some time.
“This is one of those ones I know guys had circled, for many reasons," Fickell said. "Obviously, the way things went last year, but also for the idea, like, look, there’s nothing more that you want to do as a competitor than be in the biggest games, the biggest competition out there. And to go to Alabama to play in front of that crowd, to go down there to play in the SEC country, I think there’s not a guy within our program that (wouldn’t) say that’s not one of the reasons why they’re here."
Alabama must prepare for Wisconsin like it's the most important game left on the schedule
This is a huge game for Fickell and Wisconsin. But it's equally huge at this point for DeBoer and Alabama. Losing the opener to Florida State removed a good chunk of the Crimson Tide's margin for error. A second loss before SEC play begins would be devastating - not just for this season - but for the future of the program under DeBoer.
Alabama prepared to play UL Monroe last week like it was the most important game on the schedule. The result was a 73-0 shellacking of the Warhawks. That's how Alabama needs to prepare for every opponent, no matter the quality.
If the same team that showed up last week at Bryant-Denny shows up again this week, then the Crimson Tide should roll to a multi-score victory. But if they come in and play tight, unfocused, and lazily like they did in Tallahassee, then Wisconsin will keep this game close and make it a dogfight into the fourth quarter.