BadgerBlitz.com's weekly feature, "The 3 Cs," returns for the 2024 season. The staff takes a look at one thing we're curious, confident and concerned about heading into Wisconsin's Week 3 showdown with Alabama.

Staff writers Seamus Rohrer and Donnie Slusher each give their thoughts on the aforementioned topics for this week's contest.

ROHRER: I'm curious to see how Tyler Van Dyke performs in his first big game since last November.

2023 was a rocky season for the quarterback, and perhaps his lowest moment was getting benched in Week 11 after completing just 2-of-7 passes for 29 yards and an interception. That was against Florida State in Tallahassee, the Hurricanes' biggest rival. That's a huge game for both programs.

Even though Van Dyke would bounce back with two solid performances in the following weeks against Louisville and Boston College, it was a rough showing that epitomized his disappointing 2023 campaign. Van Dyke is two games into his Wisconsin career, but has yet to play a big game. The No. 4 Crimson Tide coming to town tends to change that.

The gunslinger has shown he can turn it on when the lights are brightest; for example, earlier that season in a big out-of-conference win against Texas A&M, he racked up 374 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 70 percent of his passes. I'm dying to see how Van Dyke performs in his first game back on the national stage.

SLUSHER: I’m curious to see how Wisconsin deals with Alabama’s big-play potential.

Through two games, the Badgers are utterly untested against big plays. Western Michigan and South Dakota were both rather conservative with their offensive gameplans, relying instead on running and the short passing game.

“I mean, [with] the uniqueness of the first two weeks, not that we didn't think people were going to take shots, but the type of games that they were, they were more methodical. They were [about] underneath stuff, running the football. We're definitely going to see it all [on Saturday],” Luke Fickell said during his Monday press conference.

Alabama can run, too, but they can also take the top off of Wisconsin’s defense and force them to cover the entire field.

Quarterback Jalen Milroe is unlike any signal-caller the Badgers have faced in a long time. He has one of the strongest arms in the country and often excels at throwing deep passes. However, the short and intermediate areas are where he’s not as consistent. The Crimson Tide haven’t had to rely on big plays as much through their first two games, but the potential is always there.

Especially in an offense run by coach Kalen DeBoer, who led Washington’s track-meet offense with Michael Penix and Rome Odunze last season, they’re likely itching to rip off some deep completions.

This means that starting perimeter cornerbacks Ricardo Hallman and Nyzier Fourqurean should expect to be picked on far more than they have in the first two weeks. The pair have only been targeted five total times in the first two games, according to Pro Football Focus. They can expect to do a little more cardio this weekend compared to the first two.

ROHRER: I'm confident the Badgers don't let Alabama walk all over them, at least initially.

Madison has been waiting for this game since it was announced several years ago. The town will be buzzing. The early 11 a.m. kickoff can add some intensity; there's little time to leisurely set up your tailgate or ease into your day. There will be a tangible electricity in the air, a palpable buzz if you will.

I think the environment the Badger faithful create on Saturday is one of the catalysts for Wisconsin holding its own early, but I also think head coach Luke Fickell knows how to get his team ready for big games.

Last season, the Badgers gave Ohio State hell for about three and a half quarters with a backup quarterback. The window to upset the Buckeyes was open, albeit briefly. Wisconsin ultimately lost by two scores, but it was an inspiring, emotional performance.

Go back even further to Fickell's mythical 2021 season with Cincinnati. In Week 4, the Bearcats had to go to South Bend to face No. 9 Notre Dame. With an AAC schedule, it was a game Cincinnati had to win if it wanted a shot at the playoffs. It won handily by 11 points. Later that season against No. 16 Houston in the conference title game, the Bearcats again had to win to make the playoffs. They handled business and punched their ticket to the Cotton Bowl against Alabama.

To upset Alabama is an extremely tall task, but I don't think the Badgers make it easy on the Tide in the first half, at least. The magnitude of this game won't be lost on anyone wearing Cardinal and White on Saturday, least of all Fickell himself. He'll have his team ready.

SLUSHER: I’m confident that Wisconsin’s edge rushers will finally make a real impact and show up in the stat sheet.

Based on the methodical offensive approach of the Badgers’ first two opponents, their star trio of outside linebackers haven’t had enough time to pressure and sack opposing quarterbacks.

Darryl Peterson, John Pius and Leon Lowery all earned considerable buzz heading into the season, but they’ve only registered six total pressures and zero sacks, according to PFF.

Alabama will almost certainly attempt more deep passes than Western Michigan and South Dakota. Plays will last longer, meaning the trio has more time to reach Milroe, who’s especially susceptible to pressure. In 2023, Milroe was sacked 44 times, ranking third-highest in the nation.

To make matters worse for Alabama, they’re going through a bit of a rough patch at the offensive tackle position.

Sophomore left tackle Kadyn Proctor was the nation’s highest rated tackle in the 2023 class, and almost instantly earned a starting job last season. However, he may have needed a redshirt year. Last season, he led the SEC in sacks allowed by a mile with 12 (next highest was Arkansas’ Andrew Chamblee with seven).

Proctor suffered an injury in warmups prior to their season opener, knocking him out for the first two games. DeBoer was optimistic about his progress earlier this week, but still unwilling to confirm his status. Even if Proctor does play, he has a lot to prove.

Tyler Booker moved from left guard to left tackle in Week 2 and somewhat struggled, committing two penalties and surrendering two pressures. We may need pregame warmups to confirm who starts at the left tackle position.

Yet, somehow, there’s an even bigger mess at right tackle.

JC Latham was selected in the first round of the most recent NFL Draft, leaving a hole to fill at right tackle that has yet to be filled.

In his place, Wilkin Formby started the first two games, but is coming off of an all-time rough performance, committing four penalties and surrendering four pressures against South Texas.

He was still listed as a starter in the unofficial two-deep, but that kind of performance could garner a benching. It’s another position we’ll have to keep our eye on in pregame warmups.

ROHRER: I'm concerned that Wisconsin's offense looks abysmal against a legitimate defense.

For starters, this is Alabama we're talking about. I have a laundry list of concerns going into this game. But chief among them is that the Badgers' offense is utterly thwarted by the Crimson Tide defense and fails spectacularly to move the football.

Wisconsin's offense hasn't just underwhelmed, it's looked lost at times. Despite the Badgers' commitment to running the football the first two weeks, there's a distinct lack of identity with this unit. As they've experimented with both the run and the pass, that's prevented them from getting into a rhythm, and I'm concerned that Alabama's defense will eat them alive.

Now, the Crimson Tide haven't been flawless defensively. South Florida ran for over 200 yards on them in Tuscaloosa, and that game was significantly closer than the final score would indicate. Wisconsin will need to be able to run the football, because while Alabama has been susceptible to big plays through the air, the Badgers' passing attack has given me little reason to believe it can sustain them for four quarters.

SLUSHER: I’m concerned that the Badgers won’t have an answer for the Crimson Tide’s run game.

Alabama’s offense is reliant on two backs — Jam Miller and Justice Haynes — who have split reps over the first two weeks.

Miller has performed slightly better early on. He’ll be coming off of a 15-carry, 140-yard and two-touchdown performance against South Florida. His 56-yard touchdown run put them up by 19 points near the end of the fourth quarter, icing the game.

Haynes then ripped off a 29-yard touchdown run on the first play of the drive, making the score look even more lopsided. It took the backs a while to get going, but once they did, they ended the game.

Based on their late success last game, perhaps they’ll play a greater role in the game plan this week. And against a run defense that looks as shaky as Wisconsin’s at times, the Crimson Tide were likely going to lean on the run regardless.

South Dakota’s Charles Pierre gave Wisconsin issues last week, rushing 12 times for 83 yards. But the real issues were mostly fundamental, like how they struggled to tackle and defend cutbacks. The defense was able to improve as the game progressed, but South Dakota is no Alabama.

Wisconsin’s run defense could single handedly crush any chance that it has at maintaining control in this game.

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