If Wisconsin is going to open the season with a statement at Lambeau Field, the fan base isn’t exactly betting the house on it.
In a reader poll tied to Sunday night’s matchup with Notre Dame, just 13% picked the Badgers to pull the upset. The other 87% backed the Fighting Irish, with 45% saying Notre Dame will win by 21 points or more and 42% expecting a margin of 20 points or less.
That lines up with the matchup on paper. If the current odds hold, Wisconsin would be a 20½-point underdog against a Notre Dame team led by junior quarterback CJ Carr, who is being viewed as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
The No. 5 Fighting Irish also come in with a highly regarded transfer portal class and enter the season as a top College Football Playoff contender.
Readers were also asked to project Wisconsin’s full 12-game season, and the most popular answer was 7-5. That result drew 23% of the vote, just ahead of 6-6 at 21% and 5-7 at 17%.
Here’s how the full season-record poll broke down:
3-9 or worse: 8.5%
4-8: 11%
5-7: 17%
6-6: 21%
7-5: 23%
8-4: 15%
9-3 or better: 4.4%
The Badgers and Fighting Irish are set for Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on NBC. Fans can also follow John Steppe’s live blog beginning at 3 p.m. at jsonline.com/badgers, with Mark Stewart offering his takeaways right after the game.
In Other News...
Wisconsin May Need An Unexpected Answer Against Notre Dame Up Front
The first big question for Wisconsin this week is what the line will look like when it matters most against Notre Dame. The Badgers are already dealing with uncertainty around starting right guard Emerson Mandell and tackle Kevin Heywood, which puts extra attention on the next wave of players up front. In a game where the matchup in the trenches figures to shape everything, that kind of late-week uncertainty can quickly turn a familiar depth chart into a test of flexibility.
That is where a few less obvious names suddenly become worth watching. Blackmon, Cai Bates and Brock have been mentioned as players who could factor in if Wisconsin needs help on the offensive front, and the staffs view of them during fall camp has been consistently positive. Coaches have praised not just the way those players work, but the kind of character they bring, which matters even more when a game plan may need a quick adjustment before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Week 1 Prep Just Got More Complicated With Notre Dame
Notre Dames first injury report for its Week 1 matchup with Wisconsin immediately added another layer to an already interesting opener. Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is listed as questionable while he continues recovering from an ACL injury, leaving the Badgers to prepare without knowing whether one of the Irishs most important front-seven pieces will be available.
The report also ruled out several other players, including wide receiver Quincy Porter and offensive linemen Matty Augustine and Charles Jagusah, which only adds to the uncertainty on Notre Dames side. For Wisconsin, that means the opening-game prep now comes with a little more guesswork than usual, especially with both teams still sorting out exactly who will be ready when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Heads Into Notre Dame With Key Lineup Questions Up Front
The lead-up to Wisconsins Week 1 trip to Notre Dame has been marked by a familiar sort of preseason uncertainty up front, with the Badgers still sorting through their offensive line health as game week closes in. Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell are both questionable, and Mandell appears headed for a game-time decision, leaving the staff to weigh how much continuity it can count on when the matchup gets real.
Jaylon Domingeaux is also listed as questionable, adding another layer to an offense that could already be leaning on some early-season adjustments. For a Wisconsin team trying to get settled against a high-profile opponent right out of the gate, the availability of a few key pieces may end up shaping not just the starting lineup, but the way the Badgers manage their entire receiver rotation. [Read more 🡒]