Notre Dame’s defense has already been carrying plenty of the load against Wisconsin, and now it may have to do even more.
Starting safety Brauntae Johnson and defensive end Jason Onye both exited the game in the first half Sunday night, and Notre Dame later ruled both players out for the rest of the night. The team announced, “S Brauntae Johnson and DL Jason Onye are out for the rest of the game tonight against Wisconsin.”
The timing could hardly be worse for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame went into the half with a 13-10 lead, but the offense has not given the defense much breathing room. Wisconsin has looked sharper for long stretches, especially on defense, where the Badgers have been swarming and repeatedly shutting down Irish drives unless Notre Dame gets a very short field.
Johnson’s exit came with about three minutes left before halftime, when he ran off the field and headed to the locker room as Notre Dame was trying to finish off another stop. Onye followed into the tunnel just before the break.
Johnson’s loss is the bigger one on paper. He entered the 2026 season viewed as one of the top players at his position and has drawn more than a few NFL mock drafts that project him as a first-round pick. Onye doesn’t carry the same draft buzz, but he’s expected to be an important pass rusher for a Notre Dame defense that figures to spend plenty of time attacking the quarterback.
That matters even more because Wisconsin has leaned on the pass so far. The Badgers have used the run mostly to keep Notre Dame honest, not as the centerpiece of the offense. Their longest run of the night was a 7-yard gain by Abu Sama III.
Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph has had his moments, including one broken play that turned into a 28-yard touchdown pass. Still, Notre Dame’s defense has answered in plenty of spots, racking up five pass breakups - one of them by Johnson - along with a tackle for the safety.
Onye has been quieter statistically, with just one tackle, but Notre Dame can’t afford to lose another piece from a defense that has already been asked to do a lot. With both players now out, the rest of the game suddenly looks even more like a test of depth for the Irish.
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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 🡒]