The Alabama Crimson Tide are the defending national champions and the top dog in college football, which is one reason why the 2015 college football season will open with the champs playing against the Wisconsin Badgers at Cowboys Stadium in 2015.
According to ESPN.com, the schools announced the news on last week, saying that Alabama and Wisconsin will play the first game of the season at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, giving both sides a strong game to start the season with. Many teams in college football pad their schedules with early games against small schools to start off with wins, but Alabama and Wisconsin took the opposite route.
The Badgers have been particularly criticized for scheduling easy non-conference games in the past, but now no one can say that with Alabama on the schedule for 2015. Wisconsin has not played the SEC much apart from five consecutive bowl games in 2003 to 2007, last losing to LSU in 1972 as the last regular season SEC opponent. The team has gone 2-3 in the bowl games.
Alabama has experience playing against big opponents early, as they got started last season with a 41-14 victory over Michigan at Cowboys Stadium on their way to winning a second consecutive national title.
Last season the Crimson Tide went 13-1, including 7-1 in the SEC, on their way to dominating Notre Dame in the BCS championship game 42-14. The team won its first six games before losing to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M, but they didn't lose again, including a 32-28 win over Georgia in the SEC championship game.
The team ranked first in scoring defense last season and was 12th in offense, scoring early 40 points per game. AJ McCarron led the team to over 210 passing yards per game, while Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon gave the Tide the 16th ranked attack by yards per game with over 220.
Wisconsin had a down year and went just 8-6, including 4-4 in the Big Ten, but they were able to get into the championship game since Ohio State and Penn State were banned from postseason play. The team demolished Nebraska 70-14 before losing to Stanford in the Rose Bowl 20-14.
The team was coached by Barry Alvarez in the Rose Bowl after Bret Bielma left for Arkansas and the Badgers ranked 13th in rushing behind senior Montee Ball. The team scored nearly 30 points per game and were ranked 17th in scoring defense with 19.1 per game.
