Madison, Wisconsin — Despite playing behind an offensive line beset by injuries, Jalen Milroe had already made a name for himself as one of the most explosive athletes in the country. On Saturday, all of his blockers were finally healthy, giving Milroe more chances to display his explosiveness and enthusiasm for the game. No. 4 Alabama took a rare trip north and defeated Wisconsin 42-10, despite the loss of quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to an injury on the opening series of the game. Milroe threw three touchdowns and ran for two more.
“I feel incredibly fortunate and fervently committed to the game of football every time I step foot on the football pitch,” Milroe remarked. “It’s all about just having fun, going back to why I play the game—just to have fun, have moments like that— whenever we have the chance to make an explosive (play).” With touchdown throws of 31 yards to Ryan Williams, 26 yards to Germie Bernard, and 37 yards to Josh Cuevas, Milroe completed 12 of 17 passes for 196 yards. In addition, he scored on rushes of three and ten yards for a total of 75 yards on 14 carries.
After winning 27-11 at Penn State in 2011, Alabama (3-0) was playing its first real road game against a school located north of the Mason-Dixon Line. In addition, it was the Crimson Tide’s first visit to Camp Randall Stadium following a 1928 15-0 defeat at the hands of Wisconsin. Wisconsin (2-1) lost badly at home for the first time since falling to Penn State 48-7 in 2008. When Van Dyke was tackled during a scramble, he was injured. At the conclusion of the run, he gripped his right knee and was finally wheeled into the changing area. Using crutches, he watched the second half from Wisconsin’s sideline.
Following the game, Luke Fickell, the coach of Wisconsin, remained reticent about the extent of Van Dyke’s injuries. “Hopefully, we’ll have some additional clarity soon; we’ll get an MRI and stuff like that,” Fickell stated. “It doesn’t seem very good for us, for him.” Nathanial Vakos’ 53-yard field goal to cap off the Badgers’ opening drive placed Wisconsin ahead 3-0, but Alabama scored the next 28 points and never looked back. Through Alabama’s first three games, Milroe, who placed sixth in the previous year’s Heisman Trophy voting, had accounted for 14 touchdowns in total—six passing and eight rushing. Williams, a rookie who is 17 years old, has already caught four touchdown passes.
Milroe benefited from working behind an offensive line that finally was healthy, with left tackle Jadyn Proctor making his season debut after missing two games because of an injured left shoulder. That line bounced back Saturday after committing nine penalties a week earlier in a 42-16 victory over South Florida.
“That group was amazing today, just seeing them move guys and creating holes for the running back and making a big pocket for the quarterback,” said Alabama’s Jam Miller, who scored on a 34-yard run. “It made a difference. It was great to see what they can do.”
Braedyn Locke stepped in for Van Dyke and went 13 of 26 for 125 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown to Will Pauling.
Any Wisconsin hopes of making this game competitive essentially disappeared in the final minute of the first half.
Wisconsin trailed 14-3 when Locke barely overthrew a diving Will Pauling in the end zone on third-and-3 from the Alabama 27. Vakos then sent a 44-yard field-goal attempt wide right with 36 seconds left in the second quarter.
Alabama needed just two plays and 17 seconds to score a touchdown. Milroe hit Williams for a 47-yard gain, then found Bernard in the end zone to extend Alabama’s lead to 21-3.
“I’ll give you guys the same message I just gave them,” Fickell said. “If you haven’t had your (behind) whooped before, you just did. It hurts. It’s not easy. But in this game, that’s going to happen. It’s part of the game. It stinks. It doesn’t mean you didn’t work hard. It doesn’t mean you didn’t prepare. It means you didn’t get the job done.”
Alabama also got the ball back to start the second half and quickly scored again, with Miller racing in untouched.
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