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It’s nearly time for Wisconsin to take the field against Alabama in Madison, and I can’t wait to watch the action unfold.

The Wisconsin Badgers have an incredible opportunity in front of them Saturday at Camp Randall. The team has the opportunity to win a program-defining game on its home field.

It’s no secret my beloved Badgers have fallen from where the program was just five years ago. Being a Wisconsin fan used to mean being able to regularly expect to win at least 10 games a year, play in big bowl games and consistently be one of the best teams in America.

Those days feel like they were part of a different life. A completely different era. Wisconsin’s last major bowl appearance was the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2019 season.

The team hasn’t won 10 games in a season since, had two 7-6 seasons since 2019 and made a coaching change when Luke Fickell was hired following Paul Chryst being fired.

To put it simply, the Badgers are going through a very difficult and disappointing era.

*I WILL BE AT THE WISCONSIN/ALABAMA GAME IN MADISON. REACH OUT AT David.Hookstead@OutKick.com IF YOU’RE ALSO ATTENDING.*

Wisconsin can make a statement against Alabama.

Alabama is a 16.5-point favorite in Madison. The line seems ridiculous to me, but it is what it is. What is a fact beyond dispute is that Kalen DeBoer’s squad is a much more talented team across the board.

I’m not sure there’s a single position group Wisconsin is more talented at. I’m sure Wisconsin fans reading this don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.

It’s probably a draw on which team has a better coach between Fickell and DeBoer. Both are proven winners. One is rebuilding a program that was once a traditional power. The other inherited one of the country’s true powers near its peak.

Alabama has a lot working in its favor, but that doesn’t mean Wisconsin can’t do the unthinkable and win. The strategy to winning is pretty simple.

The Badgers need to play a flawless game on offense, have no turnovers and the defense has to get pressure on Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe and hope he turns the ball over a couple times.

Can Wisconsin get pressure on Jalen Milroe? (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

It’s simple, but it’s not easy. We play them ten times, they might win nine. But not this one. Not this Saturday. Yes, I’m paraphrasing Herb Brooks. Get over it.

A win over Alabama would signify the Badgers are finally trending in the correct direction after years of chaos and disappointment.

If you want to be taken seriously as a college football power, then you have to beat elite teams. That’s something Wisconsin has now failed to do for years.

Playing close doesn’t mean anything. You have to win, and the Badgers have failed to do that at an acceptable level since the start of the 2020 season.

The narrative can change, and that change can start Saturday against Alabama.

I’ll be at Camp Randall with the best fans in college football.

More than anything, I’m excited to be at the game. By the time many of you read this, I’ll be in an airplane bound for Madison or already on the ground with a cold beer in front of me.

A big Wisconsin football game is like a religious experience. The city is flooded with red and white and fans who might not have anything else in common come together for three hours of college football.

The bars will be packed, the tailgates will be popping and Camp Randall is going to be *ROCKING* by the time the game kicks. The only unfortunate part is that the game isn’t a night game. That would have taken things to a totally different level. We’ll simply have to make the most of an 11:00 am local time kick.

There are few things in life better than getting the boys together for a college football game day experience. I’ll be with my parents, some good friends and 84,000 Wisconsin fans.

No matter what happens on the field, that will make it all worth it. A day of fun times with the best people on Earth is a win every single day in my book.

I’m attending the Wisconsin/Alabama game in Madison. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

I’ll definitely have a recap piece at some point once I get home from Wisconsin. Make sure to follow along, and definitely reach out to me at David.Hookstead@outkick.com if you’ll also be in Madison for the game. I want to hear your thoughts, and let’s go embrace the challenge in front of us.