Alabama 12 opponents in 12 days: Game 1 — Wisconsin

Editor's note: Over the next 12 days leading up to the start of preseason camp, the Advertiser will take a look at each of Alabama's 12 regular season games.

For the fourth year in a row, Alabama is starting the season out with a bang.

And, at least in 2015, there will be none bigger on the first weekend of the college football season than Alabama and Wisconsin at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

It pits two of last season's top-15 programs, who combined for 23 wins, against one another — the defending SEC champion against the Big Ten runner-up.

A year ago, Wisconsin started what would be a memorable 2014 campaign against another SEC West power, LSU, resulting in a close 28-24 loss to the Tigers in Houston.

But after that, the Badgers went on a roll, winning 10 of the next 11 games before an embarrassing 59-0 loss to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. A month later, Wisconsin managed to cap the year in style with an overtime win against Auburn, 34-31, in the Outback Bowl.

Of course, this is a different Wisconsin team following the departure of 2,567-yard rusher Melvin Gordon to the NFL and the surprising exit of former head coach Gary Andersen, who left for Oregon State after just two years in Madison.

The latter opened the door for former Badgers player and assistant coach Paul Chryst to return to his alma mater as head coach after three years at Pittsburgh, making the opener against Alabama a homecoming of sorts.

Game 1

Wisconsin Badgers

Date: Sept. 5

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (80,000)

TV: WNCF/ABC

Coach: Paul Chryst (19-19 in 3 years at Pittsburgh, first season at Wisconsin)

2014 record: 11-3, 7-1 Big Ten (1st in West) Series history: Wisconsin leads, 1-0; Alabama lost 15-0 in 1928

2014 rankings/game (national/Big Ten)

Scoring offense — 34.6 (29th/4th)

Total offense — 468.9 (22nd/3rd)

Scoring defense — 20.8 (17th/2nd)

Total defense — 294.1 (4th/2nd)

Returning starters: 14 (5 on offense, 6 on defense, 3 special teams)

Returning leaders

OFFENSE

Passing: QB Joel Stave, Sr. — 110-of-206 passing (53.4 percent), 1,350 yards, 9 touchdowns, 10 interceptions.

Rushing: RB Corey Clement, Jr. — 147 carries, 949 yards (6.5 average), 9 touchdowns.

Receiving: WR Alex Erickson, Sr. — 55 catches, 772 yards (14.0 average), 3 touchdowns.

DEFENSE

Tackles: S Michael Caputo, Sr. — 106; LB Joe Schobert, Sr. — 69

Tackles for loss: LB Vince Biegel, Jr. — 16 1/2 Schobert, Sr. — 13 1/2

Sacks: Biegel — 7 1/2; Schobert — 3

Interceptions: Caputo and S Lubern Figaro, So. — 1

3 things to know about Wisconsin:

Record replacement: Wisconsin's memorable 2014 season was highlighted by an incredible record-setting year from Gordon, who accumulated a near-NCAA record 2,587 rushing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns last season. The feat nearly matched the NCAA single season rushing mark of 2,628 set by Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders in 1988. Now, though, the Badgers will turn to Gordon's backup last season in junior Corey Clement, who has averaged 7 yards per carry in his career and nearly eclipsed the century mark with 949 rushing yards a year ago. The powerful ground game will also have to replace 60 percent of its offensive line following the graduations of multiyear starters Rob Havenstein, Kyle Costigan and Dallas Lewallen.

Chryst callback: The departure of Andersen allowed longtime Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez to bring home Madison native Chryst, 49, who returns to lead his hometown Badgers, where he played quarterback at in the late 1980s. It's actually the second homecoming for Chryst, who spent seven years guiding the Badgers' offense from 2005-2011. During his first stint as the Badgers' offensive coordinator, Chryst's explosive offenses set multiple program records, including averaging 41.5 points per game in 2010 for fifth in the country. That season was the first of three consecutive years (2010-12) that Wisconsin reigned in the Big Ten, splitting or winning the conference championship outright. And, after three straight bowl appearances at Pittsburgh, Chryst returns to bring that same level of success back home to Madison.

Defensive holdover: Upon his return, Chryst overhauled the Wisconsin coaching staff, all except for one holdover — defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, who guided the Badgers to a top-five defense last season. And the unit that limited opponents to less than 300 yards per game last season to finish fourth in the country (294.1 yards per game) remains relatively in tact, minus a couple of graduations. Returning to lead the way defensively in 2015 is senior safety Michael Caputo, who racked up over 100 tackles last season, and veteran linebackers Joe Schobert and Vince Biegel, the latter of whom led the Badgers with 16 1/2 tackles for loss to go along with 7 1/2 sacks. Wisconsin's defense was particularly filthy at home last season, limiting opponents to an average of 227.3 yards per game in Madison. Thankfully for Alabama's rebuilding offense, it won't be facing the Badgers' elite defense at Camp Randall Stadium.

Next up: Middle Tennessee