Notre Dame’s 2026 season opener comes with a little extra edge, a little extra history, and a whole lot of unknowns.
The Irish will open Sunday in the Shamrock Series against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, a setting that works almost like a home game for both teams. The matchup also brings the usual Big Ten feel whenever Notre Dame lines up against one of those opponents, and both programs will be in alternate uniforms for the game.
There’s another layer here, too: Marcus Freeman and Luke Fickell know each other well. Their relationship goes back more than 20 years, giving this one a familiar face on the opposite sideline.
To get a better read on Wisconsin, Notre Dame got some perspective from BadgersWire.com site lead Jordon Lawrenz. On Fickell’s job security, Lawrenz pointed to the strength of the incoming recruiting class and said the coach appears to be settling in. Still, he made clear that results will drive everything, adding, “With a new athletic director in town, I don’t see a world where Fickell is fired during the middle of the season unless absolutely everything goes wrong.”
At quarterback, Wisconsin has a player worth watching in Colton Joseph. Lawrenz said Joseph’s dual-threat ability could be a major factor this season, and while he avoided a direct comparison to Iowa’s Mark Gronkowski from a year ago, he said Joseph has a better arm and believes he “can take the nation by storm this season.”
The setting at Lambeau could matter, too. Lawrenz said Notre Dame playing a “home” game there gives Wisconsin a real edge, not just a symbolic one. “100%,” he said.
“It’s not a normal neutral site game. There are Badgers fans all over the state, and they haven’t forgotten about upsetting LSU at Lambeau even though it was 10 years ago.
It will be interesting to see which fan base shows out.”
Roster turnover is part of the equation as well, and Lawrenz said Wisconsin brought in enough transfers to make this an intriguing first test. He also noted that Fickell would have preferred a softer landing before facing Notre Dame, but that this opener leaves Wisconsin in “sink or swim time.”
Even with the uncertainty, his prediction leaned toward the Irish. Lawrenz expects Notre Dame to come away with a 31-13 win over Wisconsin.
In Other News...
Notre Dame May Be Catching A Huge Break Before Miami Showdown
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.
For Notre Dame, the timing could hardly be better with the matchup looming. Any absence in the secondary matters when a game against a ranked opponent is on the horizon, and Miami now has to sort through that adjustment while trying to keep its coverage intact. The Fighting Irish still have work to do on their end, but this is the kind of break that can change the feel of a big early-season showdown. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]