Bama Central

How Alabama's Aggressive End of Half Flipped Momentum on Way to Blowout Win over Wisconsin

It took the Crimson Tide offense just 17 seconds to score going into halftime and pull away from the Badgers.

Katie Windham

Alabama Football Head Coach Kalen DeBoer and Alabama Quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) smile against Wisconisin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday, Sep 14, 2024.
Alabama Football Head Coach Kalen DeBoer and Alabama Quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) smile against Wisconisin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday, Sep 14, 2024. / Alabama Athletics

MADISON, Wis.— Wisconsin was moving deep into Alabama territory on a lengthy drive with the potential to cut the Crimson Tide's lead into single digits heading into halftime. Instead, the Alabama defense forced a stop and missed field goal attempt, and 17 seconds later Germie Bernard was in the end zone for the Crimson Tide.

Less than three minutes into the opening possession of the second half, Jam Miller scampered untouched into the end zone to push the Tide lead on the way to a 42-10 victory for No. 4 Alabama over Wisconsin.

And just like that, the game shifted from a potential close game in a hostile road environment to a Crimson Tide blowout. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer called those moments huge momentum swings.

"We’re gonna be aggressive," DeBoer said after the game. "We had three timeouts, so a lot of time with those timeouts. When you’ve got playmakers like we have, you want to give them the chance to make plays. And every possession matters."

Alabama got the ball back with 36 seconds left in the first half after the missed field goal. Quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with freshman wide receiver for a 47-yard strike deep into Wisconsin territory. On the next play, Milroe connected with Bernard in the corner of the end zone from 26 yards out for the touchdown to put the Crimson Tide up 21-3.

As soon as DeBoer heard the play call designed for Bernard from offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, he was excited.

"We went after it, and the first throw down the sideline to Ryan really set things up well to now we’re looking to getting points no matter what," DeBoer said. "I love the aggressiveness of the play call to go post corner to Germie."

"We knew that we wanted to go into the half with the score," Bernard said. "And so we called a play that we executed very well in practice, and we called it in the game and were able to capitalize off of that.”

Bernard, who played under DeBoer at Washington last season, said that he's used to DeBoer's aggressiveness and that Alabama often works on two-minute, clutch situations in practice. It was the first receiving touchdown of Bernard's Alabama career.

"The biggest thing was all about finish," Milroe said. "Whenever we have time on the clock, it’s all about the finish, execution of the play call and just keep on building and building. I thought we did a really good job on offense just being sound with everything that we did from the pass protection and then pushing the ball down the field. We just executed with our route concept getting at the right depth. We did a really good job having coverage recognition at the wideout position and just pushing the tempo.”

The offense was set up by the stop forced by the Crimson Tide defense. Wisconsin had driven down the field into Alabama territory on 10 plays. An incomplete pass on third-and-3 caused the Badgers to settle for a 44-yard field goal with 33 seconds left in the first half. Wisconsin kicker Nathanial Vakos had nailed a 53-yard attempt on the Badgers' opening drive, but could not come through a second time. The missed kick gave the Alabama offense just enought time to score before the break.

But Alabama wasn't just satisfied with the 18-point halftime lead. Alabama deferred its option to get the ball to open the second half and had a five-play, 75-yard drive capped by Miller's 34-yard touchdown run on the first possession of the third quarter to put the Tide up 28-3.

It was the first time Alabama has scored on its opening possession of a half this season. In the Crimson Tide's previous two games, the offense went three-and-out to start the second half both times.

"In the locker room, just not being happy and satisfied with that score and then coming back out and doing a good job of executing the next drive," DeBoer said. "I think that shows growth in our team," DeBoer said. "That you do it back-to-back in those big moments where really their team didn’t touch the ball, and all of a sudden there’s 14 points on the board.”

The Badgers would score their lone touchdown of the game on the next possession to cut the deficit to 18, but by that point, the game was already out of hand. Milroe added his fourth touchdown of the game on a 10-yard designed run near the end of the third quarter and connected with tight end Josh Cuevas for Alabama's final score early in the fourth quarter.

Alabama passed its first road test of the season, thanks in large part to the play at the end of the first half.

See also: Everything Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell Said After 42-10 Loss to No. 4 Alabama

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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports. 

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