MADISON, Wisc. − Alabama football stole a piece of Georgia's soul nine months ago.

And two weeks before the Bulldogs return to Tuscaloosa looking to reclaim it, the Crimson Tide showed Saturday that it might not be in a giving mood.

New UA coach Kalen DeBoer couldn't have asked for a better overall performance in a 42-10 thrashing of Wisconsin, a perfect way to set the stage for what could be the most important game of the SEC regular season on Sept. 28. The wheels of his offense looked well-greased, thanks largely to stellar pass protection by the offensive line. The defense came to Camp Randall Stadium to hit, and hit they did − from LB Deontae Lawson's fourth-and-1 stuff of Wisconsin RB Tawee Walker to DE L.T. Overton's crushing hit on Badgers QB Braedyn Locke. A backup, Locke was given an impossible assignment after Alabama's Keanu Koht knocked UW's starting quarterback, Tyler Van Dyke, out of the game with a first-quarter injury. You want special teams? UA punter James Burnip blasted four punts for an average of 53 yards each.

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In short, Alabama − idle in Week 4 before hosting Georgia in Week 5 − looked ready to face the Bulldogs two weeks early.

That's not to say Wisconsin is on Georgia's level as an opponent; man for man, the Badgers' talent level isn't in Georgia's ballpark. But after struggling with South Florida just a week ago, this was a Crimson Tide team that needed a complete performance from a confidence standpoint. A reason to look in the mirror, and smile back at what it saw. Something to anchor its buy-in with a new coaching staff, and serve notice to doubters.

Saturday's dismantling of a Big Ten foe, on the road no less, provided all of that with perfect timing.

Meanwhile, DeBoer and his players struck a tone of what's possible, not what was accomplished, after the win over the Badgers. DeBoer is using phrases like "scratching the surface" and "tip of the iceberg" in describing positive signs he's seen from Alabama's 3-0 start to the season. He just needs to get under that surface, and onto the rest of that iceberg, in time to face the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

Which brings us back to that little piece of Georgia's soul.

The Bulldogs were primed to be three-peat national champions last December until losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. An already-incredible run of success under UGA coach Kirby Smart was a touchdown away from making a whole lot more history. Instead, the Alabama loss knocked Georgia out of the College Football Playoff entirely, and feasting on an opt-out-decimated FSU team in the Orange Bowl did absolutely nothing to dress that wound.

The only ointment for it is in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama's four captains − Jalen Milroe, Deontae Lawson, Malachi Moore and Tyler Booker − were all involved in that win over Georgia last year. They've got a better understanding of the crushing blow Georgia was dealt than a lot of others wearing Crimson this year, from the coaching staff to an influx of transfers to freshmen like burgeoning star receiver Ryan Williams. Over the next two weeks, those captains and other Alabama veterans will impress upon the newcomers that Georgia will bring a vengeance with its No. 1 ranking. If you don't think Smart will continually remind his team of who robbed them of championship glory, you don't know the former Alabama defensive coordinator very well.

The Bulldogs have had a red circle around the Alabama game on their schedule for nine months now.

But on Saturday, the Crimson Tide looked ready to meet the moment.

Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football got the dominant showing it needed before Georgia game