Notre Dame would start the game off slow, allowing Wisconsin to take a 3-0 but would rebound, and never trail again ultimately winning 41-13.
The Irish didn’t look like the No. 5 team in the country during the first half, but what matter is that they turned it around in the second and cruised to an impressive win to start the year. No one will look at the halftime score as the season continues, all they’ll see is a big victory over a Big Ten team.
There was plenty to be happy about, and there were a few things that Notre Dame could correct going forward. Here are my five instant reactions to the Irish’s season opening win over the Badgers.
The first quarter slow start for Notre Dame should have been expected
Let’s give Wisconsin some credit, they’re not a directional state school, they’re a solid Power 5 team and
this wasn’t ever going to be easy. Will Black in his first start at left tackle gives up a sack, as CJ Carr started off very slow as well. Aneyas Williams didn’t get much going early as we saw Nolan James come in quickly after a few carries. The touchdown score was on a short field due to a muffed punt, and while it was a score, it only spanned 13 yards.
Notre Dame’s second quarter being slow wasn’t
I did expect a slow start for the Irish, but not an extended one. Not many teams can come out of a season firing on all cylinders, and with some many new faces, there’s typically an adjustment period. I thought it would be quicker for the Irish, but you have to give some credit to Wisconsin. They matched intensity all game, and that kept them in it at the half.
Notre Dame’s offense struggled on third down
When you return a quarterback who is in the Heisman conversation, you don’t expect your offense to struggle on third down, but that’s exactly what happened with the Irish and CJ Carr. The team missed its first six tries, and converting those are obviously huge as the first one in the third quarter led to a touchdown. Can’t dominate teams if you struggle to keep your offense on the field. Notre Dame has to fix this, as the young receivers and backs didn’t help the cause either. The Irish would finish 3-of-9 on the night, so progress was made towards the end of the contest.
Brauntae Johnson’s injury hopefully isn’t bad
No update on Brauntae Johnson and Jason Onye from Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman.
— Jack Soble (@jacksoble56) September 7, 2026
He was just told that they're out, and he'll meet with the medical staff tomorrow.
He came out of the game early in the first half, and retuned in the third in a walking boot on his left leg. Johnson is seen by many as an All-American-type player, and replacing him won’t be easy. We’ll surely see more of former 5-star freshman Joey O’Brien, as he’s earned his role during the spring and fall. It’s not great to see him forced into action this way, hopefully he’s up for an extended role.
If first half Notre Dame shows up vs. a top team, there might be a repeat of 2025
If this kind of intensity is brought against a team like Miami, BYU or SMU, it could spell doom for the Irish. I know it might be an overreaction to just one game, but there needs to be more urgency to finish off inferior teams early. This game could have been over at the half, and could not have been a bit uneasy to start the second. There is a narrative that Notre Dame isn’t quite good enough compared to teams in conferences, and the Irish do not want to give into those thoughts with a few losses or even close games against bad teams.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Five instant reactions to Notre Dame’s defeat of Wisconsin
