Wisconsin vs. Alabama: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Starting the year in the Associated Press top five for the 10th consecutive year, Alabama proved to be worthy of the preseason hype with a 35-17 victory over Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium behind strong performances from quarterback Jake Coker and running back Derrick Henry. 

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban made the quarterback battle a great mystery virtually up until kickoff, but Coker rewarded that confidence with a stellar effort. The Florida State transfer went 15-of-21 for 213 yards and one touchdown. 

While Coker did get the nod on Saturday, per AL.com (h/t George Schroeder of USA Today), Saban said during his weekly radio show earlier in the week that he feels good about either of his top quarterback options.

“We have two guys that have really done a nice job in the last couple weeks that we have confidence in, that I believe in, that can win the game and do a really good job with the quarterback position,” Saban said.

At the time, Saban didn't specify the two quarterbacks he was talking about. Coker was given the opportunity this week, and since no one else took a snap until early in the fourth quarter, it seems reasonable to expect that will be the case next week against Middle Tennessee. 

Cooper Bateman took over for Coker, with the score 28-10 and things pretty well in hand for Alabama, completing seven of his eight attempts for 51 yards. 

WDGM The Game on Tide 99.1 in Tuscaloosa noted the two-quarterback system is all part of a bigger plan for Saban:

Of course, having a passing game is nice, but Alabama in the Saban era has been built on a strong foundation of offensive line play and bruising running backs. Henry kept that tradition going with a stellar 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries.

That's nothing new for Henry, who tends to thrive in marquee matchups played at a neutral site, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Henry opened the scoring for Alabama with this 37-yard touchdown run on a 4th-and-1 play, via College Gameday:

Power in the trenches is what's made Alabama so dangerous for the past decade. Given the loss of weapons from last year's team, including Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon, expect Henry and the running game to be a huge focal point as the season moves on. 

Speaking of the trenches, the Crimson Tide's defensive line dismantled Wisconsin all night. Melvin Gordon basically was the Badgers' offense last year with 2,587 yards on the ground and 29 rushing touchdowns, but it's a whole different story with him in the NFL. 

Wisconsin had a total of 40 rushing yards on 21 carries, with 25 of them coming on a single play by wide receiver Alex Erickson.

Corey Clement got first crack at taking over for Gordon, mustering 16 yards on eight carries, but the team's official Twitter noted he suffered a left groin injury that kept him out for the second half. 

For perspective on how bad the Badgers rushing attack was in this loss, ESPN's Heather Dinich provided this stat:

Run defense will be a big key for the Crimson Tide this season. They allowed 455 rushing yards against Auburn and Ohio State down the stretch in 2014, losing to the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff because Ezekiel Elliott ran through them. 

ESPN's Skip Bayless was particularly enamored by the talent he saw from Alabama in this victory:

Despite the lack of a rushing attack, Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave threw the ball effectively early. He was 14-of-19 for 149 yards and one touchdown, as the Badgers trailed, 14-7. 

After Saban and his staff were able to make adjustments in the second half, Stave had 79 passing yards and one late touchdown in the fourth quarter when Alabama had already pulled away. 

The good news for Wisconsin is the schedule lightens up considerably, with Miami (Ohio), Troy and Hawaii filling out the rest of September. That will allow Badgers head coach Paul Chryst to figure out his roster and see what works. 

Even better, Wisconsin doesn't have to worry about playing Michigan State or Ohio State in conference play, so there's no reason this one defeat will destroy the season. 

This wasn't a great team performance from Alabama, but it was effective against a solid team ranked in the preseason top 20. Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin kept things simple for the two quarterbacks, who spread the ball around with nine players catching at least one pass. 

The Crimson Tide offense will be evolving as the season goes on, with Coker and the rest of the quarterback carousel settling into a rhythm. It will have to happen quickly because Mississippi, Georgia and Arkansas await in the next five weeks.