Wisconsin’s Week 1 meeting with No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field has all the trappings of a national-stage measuring stick. It’s a Sunday night matchup on NBC, and the country will be watching to see whether the Badgers are starting to turn the corner and whether the Irish really belong in the College Football Playoff conversation this season.
The spread says Notre Dame is the clear favorite, with Wisconsin sitting as a 20.5-point underdog. But there’s still some real optimism around the Badgers entering the opener, and that makes this one a lot more interesting than a standard early-season mismatch.
Here are three bold predictions for the game, none of which hinge on the final score.
Colton Joseph uses his legs in a big way
Notre Dame knows exactly what Wisconsin has in Colton Joseph: a quarterback who can run and wants to run. The Irish have already spent the week talking about “caging” him, and that tells you they understand the threat.
Joseph is fast, athletic, and has a knack for choosing the right moments to take off. That should lead to a few explosive runs and a final rushing total north of 75 yards.
For Wisconsin, the hope is that Joseph can do damage through the air too and that the offense looks alive. That didn’t happen much last season, outside of games against lower-level FBS opponents, so this opener is about more than just making plays. It’s about showing signs of life, even against Notre Dame.
The Badgers force three turnovers
Wisconsin was already a solid defensive team last season, and the expectation here is that unit can be even better. If the Badgers are going to have any shot in this one, they’ll need to create chaos.
So let’s get aggressive with the prediction: Wisconsin comes away with three takeaways, including two fumbles and one interception. One of those fumbles, in this scenario, comes from CJ Carr.
The formula is simple. The Badgers have to play with urgency, punch at the ball, and make plays in the air. Turnovers are the path.
Notre Dame walks away with questions
The Irish have made “leave no doubts” a season-long theme after missing the College Football Playoff last year. Marcus Freeman and his team have been leaning into that message. Wisconsin’s job here is to make sure some doubt creeps back in.
This isn’t really about a specific score line. There are plenty of ways doubts could surface: multiple turnovers from CJ Carr, an offense that gets bottled up for long stretches, a defense that gets exposed, or some combination of all three.
However it happens, Wisconsin can create enough noise to have people wondering next week whether Notre Dame is truly a College Football Playoff team. A Badger win would obviously make that conversation much louder, but this exercise is staying away from picking the final result.
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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 🡒]