OP, are you a senior who was admitted late (where did you deposit on May 1st?), a junior playing with hypotheticals, or a transfer student?
Are you from Wisconsin?
One thing to remember is that it will be relatively easy to transfer back to U.Wisconsin, with almost no financial penalty. The difference in freshman year academics can hardly be huge between these two schools. If OP is truly interested in attending 'Bama, then he should consider starting out in Tuscaloosa knowing he can return to his home state easily if necessary.
OP also describes himself as “very conservative.” I have little doubt that he would be more comfortable in Tuscaloosa than in Madison when you add that to football, hunting, fishing, and lack of snow (by the way, how many people hunt in Wisconsin in January and February?)
Finally, there is a lot to be said for going out of state for college – if one can afford it. Going out of one’s region can be doubly rewarding. The South is very different from the Mid-West.
I agree with Alexandre that these are not peer schools. I would choose for where you’re likely to end up after graduation. A Wisconsin BBA would serve you well if you decide to stay in the state after graduation. But if you really like Alabama and can see yourself living there, I’d recommend going there.
I might also recommend Alabama if you were considering going to graduate / professional school. As long as you maintained good grades, it wouldn’t really matter where you went. But as you said earlier, you’re unsure of what you want to do post graduation.
If I were in your situation I’d choose Wisconsin. It’s the better university and it seems like the safer choice.
FWIW, I don’t recommend having friends at a school being a deciding factor. I had a few friends at UCLA I knew prior to enrolling in the university. But with ~40,000 students on campus, I literally only ran into them a handful of times. I spent a lot more time with my new UCLA friends than my previous ones.
@NROTCgrad, only if the OP keeps his grades up at 'Bama (granted, may not be that hard to do). UW-Madison doesn’t just accept anybody (in-state kids included).
To use an analogy, Baylor is not a peer of WashU or even Rochester (both of whom are AAU members, like UW-Madison, which Baylor, and 'Bama, are not and won’t be any time soon) even though they are all private schools. If costs were the same, would I recommend Baylor over WashU/Rochester even though Baylor is warmer, more conservative, and may be farther away? I would not, unless maybe if you want to live in TX after you graduate. Same with 'Bama. If you want to live in AL/the Deep South after graduation, sure, choose 'Bama. Otherwise, UW-Madison is likely to be more respected where ever you go.
Well, I agree with PurpleTitan, Alexandre and beyphy’s observations that these are indeed not peer institutions. What seems to be an issue here is cultural atmosphere, and that may be trumping the academic reputation, depth and resources for this particular OP. I personally think that would be a shame, but I am not sure how to convey the significance of this academic disparity to a high school senior, other than the good information already provided above. AAU membership is a key distinction, as are the respective strengths of the BBA and political science at Wisconsin.
This OP does have excellent grades and good scores, so I’d wager he’s probably intelligent enough to process the differences between academic offerings into his considerations. That’s what I always stress, and cultural atmosphere, campus, town and vibe secondary – though Wisconsin certainly doesn’t lack for those. By the way, there are also professors who deal with environmental sciences at Wisconsin that actually hunt and fish, and factor those experiences into their research and data.
Here is a recent interview with a botany professor who hunts deer, and discusses the impact on the ecosystem:
OP, did you get into the Honors College at either institution?
What is the cost differential for your family?
Pick whichever school wins the football game 
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/colleges/post/_/id/4682620/2015-cowboys-classic-alabama-wisconsin
I don’t think it’s been cleared up yet if the OP is committing now, or looking for next year. If the former, well… I reckon placing bets is discouraged here.
In other threads, OP says that he is a junior and also is considering U.Minnesota-Twin Cities.
I’m not considering Minnesota anymore
OP, can you answer the questions asked on this thread? Thanks, it’d help if you want good advice.
Alabama is a very conservative school, so you may find it to be a better fit for you personally as far as political climate goes. I also saw someone point out that Wisconsin beat Auburn this year. Psshh big deal. Alabama does that every year. If sports mean a big deal to you, no doubt very few schools can rival the football gameday atmosphere that happens in Tuscaloosa.
If at all possible, I recommend taking the ACT again and try to bring your score up to a 32. That will give you a full ride (minus room and board) at Alabama. This is just my personal opinion, but I think in college it’s an awesome thing to be able to leap outside your comfort zone and start a new life in another part of the country. It’s all a part of the adventure!
However, Wisconsin is a quality school as well. You can’t go wrong at either one. Alabama has the better atmosphere for you, while Wisconsin is ranked higher and closer to friends and family. Good luck!
If someone wants to leap outside their comfort zone, then they shouldn’t surround themselves in a conservative cocoon.
By what definition is UA a conservative school? With a population of 35k+, it has a wide cross section of students. Frankly, I find it is quite middle of the road.
I agree with NoVADad99. The state of Alabama is conservative, the University of Alabama will likely be more diverse, with a fair number of liberals, a large number of conservatives, but most of all, a large group of moderates. I suspect Wisconsin would be similar, with more liberals than conservatives, but again, a mostly moderates.
I don’t see how UA is conservative either (though perhaps I’m misunderstanding what this means in this context?). Yes, the state is conservative (as are many southern states), but the school isn’t. Actually, many (I live in AL, but don’t attend UA) consider it our “party school.” Nonetheless, it’s still a good school. It also has a good honors program.
OP:
You said the cost would be similar. In that case, it sounds like you just need to decide which school/atmosphere you would prefer. Have you talked to any students at these schools? My brother has a friend that’s attending UA (I think he’s studying history) and I could see if he could talk to you about the school.
Now that we know he is a junior, it should be acknowledged that for Wisconsin, you must be admitted first. The best thing you have in your favor is the 3.9 (hopefully unweighted). That is excellent, and I’d say a likely combined with your score. But in recent admission cycles, it is not a given, and nobody knows. Alabama has a more concrete, stats-based admissions profile.
Also, SweetHeartGirl, there is an entire page of this thread dedicated to the significant academic differences between these schools. So it is not simply deciding which “school/atmosphere” is better, as in, simply a matter of taste or equivocation.