Greg McElroy explains why Alabama vs. Wisconsin is a Top 10 nonconference game in 2025

The non-conference slate this fall will have several top matchups set from August through September. That’ll include a rematch from last fall, which did end up in a blowout in Camp Randall.

Greg McElroy named his Top 10 games of the nonconference schedule for this upcoming season earlier this week on ‘Always College Football’. That started with No. 10 on his list being Wisconsin vs. Alabama on September 13th inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“Number 10 – Wisconsin at Alabama,” McElroy said. “This game will be on September 13th. It’s going to be at 11 o’clock local time, 12 noon there in the east coast – will be on ABC.

“A rare home-and-home game. This game was awesome last year, where Alabama went up to Madison, Wisconsin. They won that game, but, man, it was just cool to see those two helmets on the field at the same time – two proud programs, two traditionally very physical programs,” McElroy said. “Just a fun matchup there that we will have there in Week 3 of the college football season this year.”

When these two met last season in Madison, No. 4 Alabama would go on to win 42-10 over Wisconsin. The Badgers would start with a field goal and lead for almost all of the first quarter before Alabama would score 28 unanswered into the second half and outscore them 42-7 over 32:15 of game time. The Tide would lead the way with 271 total yards and five touchdowns scored as the offense put up 407 yards.

Wisconsin struggled offensively, after losing QB Tyler Van Dyke to a season-ending injury on the first drive of this game. The Badgers posted 290 yards, going 3-14 on third down, and losing a pair of fumbles.

Alabama would go on from that game to beat No. 2 Georgia the following week to move to 4-0 and become the No. 1 team in the AP Poll, before losing four games from October on to finish at 9-4 overall. Wisconsin would then lose the following week to No. 13 USC and, after winning three straight in conference to start in October, would lose each of their final five to miss on bowl eligibility at 5-7.

This game this season will be the second major matchup for the Crimson Tide as Alabama will open the season at Florida State in Tallahassee, which also made the Top 10 for McElroy, to start off with in year two under Kalen DeBoer. This will then be the first big game for Wisconsin, after opening with mid-major matchups against Miami (OH) and MTSU, in year four under Luke Fickell.