Notre Dame’s defense walked into the Wisconsin game with a lot of weight on its shoulders, and it answered almost every question with force in a 41-13 win last night.
This was supposed to be a group with no shortage of talent. The Irish brought back impact starters at every level, including two captains and what many believe is the best cornerback in the country.
Chris Ash is in his second year as defensive coordinator, and his system has now had time to settle in. Even so, there were still some unknowns about exactly what this defense would look like once the lights came on.
Against Wisconsin, those answers started to take shape.
The clearest one: this unit is still built to attack.
Notre Dame came out with an aggressive mindset and played like a defense that wanted to get to the football before Wisconsin could settle in. That approach didn’t come without risk.
Badgers wideout Malachi Coleman burned the Irish a few times on double moves, a smart counter from Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes after seeing Notre Dame crash hard on shorter routes. But the overall tone was unmistakable.
This defense was flying around and playing fast. If it was going to make mistakes, it was going to make them at full speed.
The run defense was just as impressive. That mattered a lot against a Wisconsin team that is 15-0 under Luke Fickell when it rushes for 150 yards or more.
Notre Dame made sure that threshold never came close. The Badgers managed just 67 rushing yards on 31 carries and never reached the end zone on the ground.
Drayk Bowen and Adon Shuler, the two captains, led the way with 16 tackles combined. Jaiden Ausberry added seven of his own.
Up front, the Irish defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and kept Wisconsin from creating much push. Transfer quarterback Colton Joseph was bottled up too, finishing with just three rushing yards on 12 carries.
That stands out even more when compared with Indiana’s defense a year ago, which allowed Joseph to run for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
The depth up front showed up in a big way as well. Notre Dame’s defensive tackle rotation was on full display, with six players logging double-digit snaps against Wisconsin.
Nobody played more than 34 defensive snaps, which kept the group fresh throughout the night. Senior Armel Mukam led the way with 34 snaps, while Pitt transfer Francis Brewu was right behind him at 28.
Sixth-year senior Jason Onye left around halftime with a lower-body injury, but the Irish had enough bodies to keep that from becoming a game-turning issue.
And then there was Leonard Moore.
Notre Dame’s junior cornerback was already carrying the label of the best returning defender in college football, and he did nothing to weaken that case. Moore was targeted four times, gave up two catches for 16 yards, and added a pass breakup on the sideline.
But his impact went beyond coverage. He wasn’t shy about coming downhill in run support, and that showed up too.
Moore finished with four run stops and five tackles.
For one night, the picture was pretty clear: Notre Dame’s defense looked fast, physical, deep, and every bit as dangerous as advertised.
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Miamis defensive picture just got a little murkier heading into its meeting with Notre Dame, with coach Mario Cristobal saying cornerback OJ Frederique will be sidelined for an extended stretch after suffering a significant left shoulder injury against Stanford. Frederique had been a key piece for the Hurricanes, and junior Damari Brown has already stepped in and is expected to keep handling that role over the next few weeks.
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Leonard Moore Made Wisconsin Back Down From Its Pregame Talk
Leonard Moore came into Notre Dames game against Wisconsin with a lot of attention on his side of the field, and the Badgers seemed to take the hint. After pregame chatter from Luke Fickell that Wisconsin should not shy away from Moore, the game plan still leaned the other way, with the Badgers targeting the star defensive back only four times and finding limited success when they did.
Colton Joseph finished 19 of 30 for 217 yards with a touchdown, but Notre Dames defense still came away with the more memorable plays, including an interception returned for a score. Even with the passing numbers on the board, Wisconsins reluctance to test Moore said plenty about how the Irish cornerback is being viewed right now, and it left Fickells earlier challenge hanging in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Answered One Big Question While Another Suddenly Looms
Notre Dame left Lambeau Field with a convincing 41-13 win over Wisconsin, and the biggest takeaway was how the Irish took over after a tighter-than-expected first half. Notre Dame led 13-10 at halftime before rolling through the final two quarters, with CJ Carr throwing two touchdown passes and Aneyas Williams powering the ground game with 90 yards and two scores.
The defense also helped turn the game in Notre Dames favor, as Wisconsins two turnovers opened the door for Irish points. Even so, the broader mood coming out of the victory was not entirely celebratory, because Notre Dame lost two defensive players to injuries during the game, including preseason AP All-America second-team safety Brauntae Johnson and defensive lineman Jason Onye. [Read more 🡒]