Last week, Badger legend Barry Alvarez said he wouldn't be surprised at all if Wisconsin ended up being favored in their matchup against Alabama. As it turns out, the Badgers are huge 21.5 point underdogs. Still, Alvarez isn't backing down on his stance. In fact, he's doubling down on it.
"That's what the bookies see," said Alvarez on ESPN Madison. "That's not what I happen to see. But it doesn't make any difference what either of us see. You gotta go play. I have confidence that our guys will go compete with them and compete well. We'll find out."
Can Wisconsin really pull off the upset at Alabama?
Related: Vegas keeps moving the odds for Wisconsin vs. Alabama and it's not hopeful
So while the Badgers remain a long shot to upset Alabama, there's still belief among the fans that this team can do what the 2024 squad couldn't. Last season, Wisconsin lost starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke in the game and never found any rhythm, losing 42-10. This year, the Badgers are in a similar yet much different scenario. While they may once again be down a starting quarterback, backup Danny O'Neil has proved to be a quality fill-in, and the defense is much improved as well.
Alabama already has an upset loss on their resume this year after losing a shocker in week one to Florida State. They rebounded and destroyed LA-Monroe 73-0 the following week, and now welcome Wisconsin to town with a playoff spot still on the line.
The odds don't favor the Badgers, but Barry gave us his best Han Solo impression and believes a Wisconsin win is in the cards. Never tell him the odds! At the end of the day, for Barry Alvarez, for us, and for you, it's always "On Wisconsin!"