Wisconsin is about to learn a lot about itself, and Luke Fickell said as much heading into Week 1. There’s no soft opening this time around.
No preseason-style tuneup. The Badgers have to walk straight into No.
4 Notre Dame, a team that has become one of the country’s favorite national title picks, in prime time at Lambeau Field.
That’s a brutal first assignment, which is why the 20.5-point underdog label hangs over this matchup. There are real questions all over Wisconsin’s roster, and the biggest ones start in the trenches.
On the offensive line, center Austin Kawecki and left guard Colin Cubberly look like the safest bets to hold up. Ole Miss transfer PJ Wilkins has the traits to develop into a difference-maker at left tackle, even if he’s still inexperienced there.
The concern is the right side. If the Badgers have to patch together replacements for Emerson Mandell at guard and Kevin Heywood at tackle, they could be in serious trouble against a Notre Dame front that looks built to punish weak spots.
The Irish bring plenty of heat up front. Boubacar Traore is the name that jumps out first - a 6-foot-5, 253-pound edge rusher who posted 6.5 sacks and 10 TFLs.
Bryce Young, on the other side, flashed plenty of promise in 12 games last season with one start. Inside, Jason Onye gives Notre Dame the kind of size, experience and athleticism that can squeeze a game at the line of scrimmage.
That’s why Fickell’s line - "I bet you you'll see a lot of guys play," - matters so much here. If Wisconsin has to rotate bodies across the offensive line, that’s not exactly the kind of setup you want against a deep, talented defense.
The matchup gets even trickier when you get to the secondary. Notre Dame corner Moore is the kind of player who can change the whole geometry of a game.
He had five interceptions, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble last season, and Fickell was direct when talking about him: "I’m not saying he’s not the best in the country…but you still have to be able to run your offense," Fickell said. "He’ll have a chance to prove he’s the best in the country.”
That said, the bigger worry for Wisconsin still feels like Notre Dame’s front seven taking control. If Moore has a huge night Sunday, he could erase a major chunk of the passing field.
But Wisconsin is still built as a run-first outfit, one that leans into what the defense gives it through the air. If quarterback Joseph makes clean decisions and protects the football, he can avoid forcing throws Moore’s way.
That might cramp the passing game, but it wouldn’t automatically doom the Badgers.
The side of the ball that gives Wisconsin the most reason for concern is its pass rush. Even so, there may be some paths to pressure against an Irish line with a few questions of its own, especially on the edges.
Will Black, Notre Dame’s starting left tackle, was a former five-star recruit, but he played only three games last season and is stepping into a full-time starting role. On the right side, Guebry Lambert is a returning starter, but he made all 12 starts last year at right guard before shifting outside. He’s 6-7 and 325 pounds, so the frame is there, but it still means Notre Dame is breaking in two new tackles.
Joseph is the other piece that makes this interesting. Watching his Week 1 press conference, he came off with a calm confidence that suggests he’s ready for the moment.
That doesn’t mean the whole Wisconsin offense is ready, especially up front, but Joseph himself has shown he can handle the stage. Last season, he lit up Indiana in Week 1 with 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
That’s why getting Joseph involved on the ground early makes sense. A few designed keepers mixed in with Wisconsin’s usual run game could help settle him in and get the offense moving.
Joseph can make questionable decisions at times, and avoiding those mistakes will matter a lot in how the Badgers look Sunday. But if Wisconsin’s offense stalls out at Lambeau Field, Joseph shouldn’t be the first place the blame lands.
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With Wisconsins season opener drawing near, Matt Jung, Joseph, Cooper Catalano and Abu Sama spent part of their media availability Tuesday talking up the chance to begin the year at Lambeau Field. The setting alone gives the Badgers a different kind of stage, and the players sounded eager to make the most of it while also reflecting the respect they have for Notre Dame and the challenge its defense presents.
What stood out was the tone around the room, which leaned more toward confidence and readiness than nervous anticipation. The Badgers players praised teammates and opponents alike while describing their preparation for the opener, a good early glimpse of how they want to carry themselves when the lights come on. For a team trying to show it has turned a corner, the first real test is arriving fast, and it will say plenty about where Wisconsin stands. [Read more 🡒]
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Luke Fickell has left the door open to keeping that competition unresolved a little longer, saying the staff may not even formally name a backup before kickoff. For a team opening against a high-profile opponent, it adds a layer of uncertainty to a position that often matters most when things start going sideways. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Faces An Early Lambeau Test Against Notre Dames Biggest Threats
Wisconsins season opener at Lambeau Field brings an immediate look at the parts of Notre Dame that could cause the most trouble, and the matchup starts with quarterback CJ Carr. The Irish are also leaning on running back Williams, whose role points to a ground game the Badgers will have to account for early, while linebacker Bowen and defensive back Moore give Notre Dame impact pieces on defense in the kind of spotlight game that can swing quickly.
For Wisconsin, the challenge is less about a single matchup and more about handling four different pressure points at once. Carrs arm, Williams presence on the ground, Bowens range in the middle and Moores work on the back end all shape a season opener that already feels like a test of discipline and depth, even before either side has settled into a September rhythm. [Read more 🡒]