There has been a lot of talk at both the University of Wisconsin and throughout the Big Ten about scheduling better nonconference football games, and the Badgers took the first step toward that in a big way Wednesday by putting two-time defending national champion Alabama on the schedule for the start of the 2015 season.
And the Badgers did so with a twist: The Sept. 5 game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
"As a league we decided that we needed to upgrade our nonconference schedule," Wisconsin director of athletics Barry Alvarez told the school’s website. "We understand that strength of schedule will be a factor in determining which teams earn the right to participate in the new four-team playoff system, and we want to be in that mix. There’s no better way to do that than by playing the defending national champions. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to play a storied program like Alabama in a terrific venue like Cowboys Stadium. It will be a great experience for our program, our players and our fans."
Last season, Wisconsin opened the year with Northern Iowa, Oregon State, Utah State and UTEP before beginning Big Ten play. In 2011, the Badgers opened against UNLV, a rebuilding Oregon State team, Northern Illinois and South Dakota. Stepping up to Alabama — which crushed Michigan, 41-14, to open its 2012 season — will certainly provide the upgrade Alvarez and new coach Gary Andersen are looking for.
Wisconsin and Alabama have met just one time previously, a 15-0 Badgers victory in 1928.
