Notre Dame’s offense walks into Week 1 with plenty of buzz, but Sunday night at Lambeau Field will be about more than the headlines. The Irish are bringing back quarterback CJ Carr and Mike Denbrock, and they’ve got depth all over the place despite losing key stars to the NFL Draft. Still, the first real test comes fast, and Wisconsin’s defense is loaded with experienced talent and portal additions ready to make life difficult.
That makes this a matchup-heavy opener, with several Notre Dame newcomers and returners immediately thrown into the fire on September 6. If the Irish want to open the season on the right foot in prime time, they’ll have to win some key individual battles.
One of the biggest will come on the edge, where sophomore left tackle Will Black is set for his first meaningful action in an Irish uniform. Earlier this offseason, Joe Rudolph moved Anthonie Knapp inside to guard, opening the door for Black to take over at left tackle. The former 2025 five-star recruit, a 6-7, 316-pound native of Canada, held that job throughout the offseason and now gets his first major exam against Wisconsin edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks.
Cheeks is no soft landing spot. The 6-3, 243-pound defender finished last season with 24 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, 5.5 tackles for a loss and 15 run stops according to PFF.
For Black, there won’t be any gentle introduction to college football’s opening weekend. This is one of the marquee one-on-one battles on the slate.
Out wide, Jaden Greathouse has his own chance to set the tone after a frustrating 2024 follow-up. The Texas native was limited by a lingering, severe hamstring injury and finished with only four catches last season after his strong late-season surge the year before. He chose to come back to Notre Dame, and the 6-1, 212-pound senior is expected to be one of the offense’s focal points this fall.
His first assignment won’t be easy. Wisconsin is planning to put Ohio State transfer cornerback Bryce West on him, with the former four-star recruit taking over at nickel corner after arriving in Madison this offseason. Greathouse spent much of the night lined up across from West, and the question now is whether he can deliver the kind of performance that made his previous matchup against an Ohio State receiver so memorable.
Another returning piece worth watching is tight end Cooper Flanagan. The California native is back from injury and is stepping into the No. 1 tight end role after Eli Raridon’s departure. At 6-6 and 255 pounds, Flanagan already brings real value as a run blocker, and Notre Dame now needs him to expand his impact as a pass catcher too.
Wisconsin safety Matt Jung figures to be the player most often meeting him in those battles. Jung is a returning starter at 6-3, 213 pounds and was productive for the Badgers last season, finishing with nine total run stops and 49 total tackles. That matchup should matter both in the run game and near the red zone, where Flanagan is likely to see plenty of Jung.
In Other News...
Notre Dames Season-Long Lou Holtz Tribute Will Hit Irish Fans Hard
Notre Dame is planning a season-long tribute to Lou Holtz in 2026, giving the program a way to keep one of its most influential figures close all fall. The Fighting Irish will wear a special helmet sticker that reads Lou, paired with the familiar hand signal shaped into the L, and placed on the back of the iconic gold helmets.
For a fan base that still ties so much of its identity to Holtzs era, the tribute carries real weight. Holtz, who died in March 2026, remains the coach who delivered Notre Dames national championship in 1988 and helped define a stretch of Irish football that still resonates today, so this kind of nod figures to land hard whenever the helmets come out. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Pushes Back On A College GameDay Change Fans Noticed
The buzz around College GameDay took an odd turn this week when an Awful Announcing report speculated that a song from Pat McAfees album could eventually replace the shows longtime theme music on ESPN. For Notre Dame fans who know the pregame soundtrack as part of the ritual, it was the kind of small-sounding change that can still spark a big reaction, especially around a brand as established as GameDay.
McAfee quickly pushed back on X, questioning the accuracy of the prediction and signaling he may not be on board with the idea. The speculation still drew mixed responses from fans, which only added to the conversation around how much change viewers are willing to accept from one of college footballs most recognizable broadcasts. [Read more 🡒]
Adon Shuler Showed Notre Dame Fans What Leadership Looks Like
Adon Shuler has already built a reputation around Notre Dame as a safety and a two-time team captain, but his actions this week offered a different kind of example. After announcing the death of his father, Don Shuler, at 47, he spent time with his family in New Jersey before returning to campus, where he still chose to take part in a scheduled media session. In a football program that talks often about accountability and leadership, Shuler quietly showed both in a moment that had nothing to do with football.
The loss adds another layer to the bond Shuler has long shared with his father, a relationship shaped by the lessons Don passed along over the years. For Notre Dame, it is a reminder that the players wearing the helmet are carrying real life with them, even when the season keeps moving. Shuler did not need to make a speech to say much about who he is, because the decision to show up after such a loss said plenty on its own. [Read more 🡒]