Coming off a year where the Wisconsin Badgers had the most difficult schedule in the nation, they're tasked with playing Notre Dame in Week 1.
The Fighting Irish open the 2026 season as the No. 4-ranked team in the AP Poll and the No. 5-ranked team in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
This will likely be the biggest test the Badgers face all year, and it's set to take place at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
It may not be a true road game for Wisconsin, but it still serves as a crucial moment for head coach Luke Fickell, someone who's struggled to get anything going with this Badgers program since taking over at the end of the 2022 season.
Heading into Sunday's matchup, Badgers Wire's Jordon Lawrenz had a chance to speak with Fighting Irish Wire's Michael
Chen.
In your opinion, is it National Championship or bust for Notre Dame?
It very much seems like that is the case, as the expectations for the Irish are higher than they have been in quite a long time, even surpassing the CFP run in 2024. Returning tons of starters and a quarterback that is in the Heisman conversation will do that. However, it's so difficult to win a title, even without ending the title drought that dates back to 1988, making a deep run in the playoffs will be a successful season, even if the fan base isn’t happy about it.
There's been a lot of talk regarding quarterback CJ Carr, but what do you think of the team's running back room heading into the 2026 season?
Aneyas Williams couldn’t play due to a pair of stars in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price ahead of him, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a very good back. He had the highest average yards-per-carry on the team last fall, and scores virtually every eight touches he gets. Williams will be a solid lead, but the question is who is behind him. Nolan James and Kedren Young barely have any playing experience, but have talent. It might not matter with how good the Notre Dame line is, though, so at this moment, I have confidence this group can get the job done.
I'm going to get straight to the point with this question... just how good is cornerback Leonard Moore?
Elite. Generational. Moore is on virtually every preseason All-American list, and rightfully so. I’m not sure if [Luke] Fickell is telling the truth saying that he isn’t afraid to challenge him, as it could go south very quickly. I think he’s the best corner in college football, and should be a top pick in the NFL draft.
When looking at your schedule, where does Wisconsin rank among the most difficult opponents the Fighting Irish will face?
"It's gonna be Notre Dame ... they are going to march through this."@CoachNeuheisel has the Irish winning the College Football Playoff.#ICF pic.twitter.com/LBCysaKT9m
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 2, 2026
I’d say Wisconsin is in the second tier, as they’re a solid team, but not one with tons of expectations this fall. BYU and Miami are clearly better than the Badgers, but Notre Dame won’t take the game lightly. They are well aware of the early-season issues that Freeman has had, and want to put that behind them. I think they’ll come out with urgency.
Give me your game prediction!
Early on, this will be a tussle, as both teams get their feet wet in the 2026 season. As the game goes on, Notre Dame’s exceptional depth will show, as they’ll be able to rotate different players in without much drop-off in play. Cohesion will play a factor as well, considering how many transfers the Badgers brought in, and how little the Irish did. In the end, Notre Dame will pull away with a solid win. Notre Dame 35, Wisconsin 17.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Five things Wisconsin Badgers football fans must know about Notre Dame
