Even though Alabama and Wisconsin haven’t faced each other since 1928 — in a game the Badgers won, 15-0, by the way — anticipation for Saturday night’s matchup is still very high. Here is what a few outlets are saying about the big game at AT&T Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas:

1. Ticket sales are slow: That’s according to NFL Media’s Gil Brandt, who tweeted about this development on Tuesday. There are obviously several factors to explain why this has happened. But maybe it’s just a case of Wisconsin fans not wanting to revisit the last time the Badgers opened their season against an SEC team.

2. Alabama could have a decisive advantage at defensive line: Physically, Wisconsin’s O-line and Alabama’s D-line are about the same in terms of average size per player, but ESPN’s Ivan Maisel says the Crimson Tide’s experience and depth here should give it a clear edge.

3. Country superstar Brad Paisley will throw his cowboy hat into the ring: Well, maybe not literally his 10-gallon hat, but the country superstar will be the celebrity guest picker Saturday morning on ESPN’s College Gameday. Not sure how or why the network’s suits decided on Paisley, who is from West Virginia and is a big Mountaineers supporter, but if you’re a fan of the man who is married to actress Kimberly Williams, you can also see him perform his new single “Country Nation” on the show. If you’re looking for a Crimson Tide presence on the show, you’re in luck as Crimson Tide alum Rece Davis takes over for Chris Fowler as host. And who knows? Maybe noted Bama backers Sela Ward, Sara Evans or Courteney Cox will be available next time ESPN needs a celebrity guest picker with ties to the Crimson Tide.

4. Alabama’s lack of clarity at QB might be a good thing for the Tide: Nick Saban’s decision to wait before deciding upon either Jacob Coker, Cooper Bateman or Alec Morris to start Saturday night’s game has been called many things, including gamesmanship. But apparently the best reason for employing this tactic is that it has forced Wisconsin to potentially triple its preparations, at least in terms of game planning for a quarterback. It’s probably not what Paul Chryst and his staff had in mind when he became Wisconsin’s coach in December.

5. This is a huge opportunity for Wisconsin: According to ESPN, a win over Alabama Saturday night could represent the most significant early season non-conference victory for the Badgers in 41 years, when Wisconsin beat fourth-ranked Nebraska, 21-20, at home on Sept. 21, 1974. That might be a stretch, but with Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan nowhere to be found on their regular-season schedule this year, the Badgers could very well run the table after losing to Alabama. If they win out, they could still reach and win the Big Ten Championship Game and potentially make the College Football Playoff. True, Saturday night’s matchup is a big one, but the team that loses won’t necessarily be out of the national-title mix. Just ask Ohio State. The Buckeyes did just fine after losing at home to Virginia Tech in Week 2.