The Wisconsin football team begins the 2026 on Sunday, Sept. 6, under the lights at Lambeau Field against No. 4 Notre Dame. Kickoff against the Fighting Irish is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game airing nationally on NBC and Peacock.
The Badgers enter their fourth full season under head coach Luke Fickell looking to build on the progress made at the end of last season. Wisconsin returns several key contributors on both sides of the ball while welcoming plenty of new talent from across the college football landscape. The season opener will provide the team with an opportunity to test the roster against a nationally ranked opponent in Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish finished 10-2 during the 2025 regular season and enter 2026 ranked No. 4 in the preseason Associated Press poll. The team returns multiple contributors, including quarterback CJ Carr who finished top-five in multiple categories during his debut season and Leonard Moore who ended 2025 as the top graded cornerback according to PFF. Notre Dame is led by Marcus Freeman, who played under Fickell at Ohio State and later coached alongside him at Cincinnati. The matchup will be the first time the two face each other as opposing head coaches. The Badgers will open the season against a top-five ranked opponent for the first time since they played No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field in 2016. After the first week, Wisconsin returns to Madison to host Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan to wrap up non-conference play. The season opener will provide an early measuring stick for the Badgers against one of the nation’s top teams. Wisconsin’s roster features 34 new players from the transfer portal, the third most in the Big Ten and the most in a single off-season since the start of Fickell’s tenure. This includes starting quarterback Colton Joseph, a junior transfer from Old Dominion University. Other new additions to watch include running back Abu Sama III from Iowa State, safety Marvin Burks Jr. from Mizzou and Arizona State transfer Javan Robinson at cornerback. This will be the first meeting between Wisconsin and Notre Dame since 2021, when the teams met at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Fighting Irish won that matchup, 41-13. The programs have met 17 times overall, with Notre Dame holding a 9-6-2 advantage in the all-time series. Sunday’s matchup will mark the third major college football game played at Lambeau Field. The Badgers’ most recent appearance at the stadium came in the 2016 season opener, when unranked Wisconsin defeated No. 5 LSU, 16-14, in an upset.
(NOTRE DAME GAME NOTES)
Sunday night will mark the 18th meeting between Notre Dame and Wisconsin. Notre Dame leads the all-time series
9-6-2.
• It is the first meeting between Marcus Freeman and Luke Fickell as head coaches. Freeman, Mike Denbrock, Gino
Guidugli and Mike Brown all worked on Luke Fickell’s staff during his time as the head coach of Cincinnati. Chris Ash, Charlie Partridge and Joe Rudolph have coached at Wisconsin.
• The Irish have two coaches who played at the University of Wisconsin. Joe Moore Offensive Line Coach Joe Rudolph
was a captain and graduated in 1995. Co-Defensive Coordinator/Pat and Jana Eilers Defensive Backs Coach Aaron Henry was a defensive back and earned two All-Big Ten selections. Henry graduated in 2011.
• This will mark the fifth time the two sides have met at a neutral site. The Irish are 2-2 against the Badgers in neutral settings.
• This will be the ninth time Notre Dame will open the season in a neutral environment. The Irish are 7-1 in neutral-site season openers. Notre Dame has won six-straight neutral-site season openers dating back to 1989. The last time this happened was in 2023, when the Irish defeated Navy in Dublin, 42-3.
• The last meeting between Notre Dame and Wisconsin came in 2021 in a Shamrock Series game. No. 12 Notre Dame took a 41-13 decision over No. 18 Wisconsin at Soldier Field in Chicago. After heading into the fourth quarter tied at 10, the Irish outscored the Badgers 31-3 in the final frame of the contest.
• This will be just the second time the two sides have met since 1964.
• Notre Dame is 319-170-22 against Big Ten teams and has gone 19-9-3 in Big Ten neutral site matchups.
SHAMROCK SERIES NOTES
• Lambeau Field will become the ninth unique venue used for a Shamrock Series game, joining AT&T Stadium in
Arlington, Texas; the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas; Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.; FedEx Field in Landover, Md.; Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.; Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.; Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill.; and Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.
• Freeman is 2-0 in Shamrock Series games as head coach. The Irish defeated No. 16 BYU 28-20 in Allegiant Stadium in 2022. Then Notre Dame was victorious over Army 49-14 inside Yankee Stadium in 2024.
• In the 12 Shamrock Series games to date (2009–2024), none have been Game one. They have typically fallen in weeks
2–5 of the season. The contest against Wisconsin will be the first Shamrock Series game to open an Irish season.
IRISH BY THE NUMBERS
1 CB Leonard Moore ended 2025 as the top graded cornerback in college football according to PFF. Moore ended the 2025 season with an overall grade of 91.8 and a coverage grade of 92.5. His coverage grade was the highest of any defensive back in the nation a season ago. Moore’s first two college seasons have been better than those of any cornerback in the PFF College era. 2 QB CJ Carr was second in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.35), fourth in passing yards per completion (14.06), second among freshmen in passing touchdowns (24) and fifth in passing efficiency (168.1). 2 Drayk Bowen and Adon Shuler are the 28th and 29th players to be elected captain twice. The last time two captains were re-elected from the year prior was in 2022 when Jarrett Patterson and Avery Davis became two-time Notre Dame captains. 4 Notre Dame’s No. 4 AP ranking is the highest preseason AP ranking for the Irish since it was No. 2 in 2006. 5 Luke Talich is the fifth NDFB player to have a reception, interception return and punt return for a touchdown in a career. Nick Rassas – 1963-65 – 1 int return, 3 punt returns, 1 rec John Lattner – 1951-53 – 1 int return, 1 punt return, 2 rec John Petitbon – 1949-51 – 1 int return, 1 punt return, 1 rec Frank Carideo – 1928-30 – 2 int returns, 1 punt return, 1 rec 7 Career interceptions for Leonard Moore, most among all returning Irish defenders. Moore also has 18 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 20 career starts in two seasons. 10 Consecutive victories by Notre Dame to close the 2025 regular season, all by margins of 10 or more points. It is only the second time in program history — and first in over 100 years (1921–22) — that the Irish have won 10 straight all by double digits. 10.5 Career sacks for Boubacar Traore, who leads all returning Irish defenders. Traore also has 16 TFL, three forced fumbles, and an interception returned for a touchdown in 21 career games. 22 Career field goals for Spencer Porath (22-of-28, 78.6%). Porath is a perfect 41-of-41 on extra points and 7-of-9 from from 40+ yards and has connected from 50+ twice (long: 53). 24 Career third-down stops for Adon Shuler, who leads all returning players. Shuler’s stops include 14 tackles, five PBU, two interceptions, and three QB hurries across three seasons. 32 Third-down conversion completions thrown by CJ Carr in 12 career starts. 35 Career interceptions returned by the 2026 Irish defense collectively — including Moore (7), Gray (6), Shuler (5), McKinney (4), Talich (4), and Brauntae Johnson (4). 44.5 Career sacks returning on the 2026 Notre Dame defensive roster, led by Traore (10.5), Sneed (6.5), Bowen (4.5), Viliamu-Asa (4), and Bryce Young (3.5). 45 Career games played by Jaylen Sneed, the most among all returning Irish players. Sneed has 107 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 12.5 TFL, and four forced fumbles across four seasons. 217 Receiving yards for Jack Snow against Wisconsin in the 1964 season opener (nine catches, two touchdowns) — Ara Parseghian’s first game as head coach. Snow’s 217 yards remain the third-highest single-game receiving total in Notre Dame history. 286 Under Freeman, Notre Dame has owned the middle eight (last 4:00 of the second quarter + first 4:00 of the third quarter) outscoring opponents 403 to 117 over four seasons, a +286 cumulative margin (+5.30 per game). ND has averaged 7.46 middle-eight points scored per game and allowed just 2.17. For more on the Irish’s efforts in the middle eight, see pg. 13.
TWO DEEP TIDBITS-OFFENSE
Matt Jeffery is a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame, appearing in all 12 football games in 2025 while also starting 16 games for the lacrosse team. He tallied 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 2026, including a career-high six points (two goals, four assists) in the NCAA Quarterfinal win over No. 9 Johns Hopkins. • Jordan Faison’s 1,318 career receiving yards place him 25th on Notre Dame’s all-time list, one spot ahead of Theo Riddick (1,263) and just behind Kris Haines (1,350). He is the only active player in the top 25. Mylan Graham played in nine games for Ohio State in 2025, totaling 93 yards on six receptions. • Quincy Porter played in four games for Ohio State in 2025, recording four receptions for 59 yards. • Micah Gilbert caught CJ Carr’s first career touchdown pass — a seven yard score at Miami on Aug. 31, 2025 — in the season opener that also marked Carr’s first career start. Gilbert has nine career receptions for 93 yards and one TD in 14 career games. • After appearing in just four games a season ago, Jaden Greathouse is poised to return in 2026. The Austin, Texas native enters the season 60 yards away from reaching 1,000 receiving yards in his career. • Will Black is expected to make his first-career start at left tackle in 2026. While he will be a firsttime starter, his left-side neighbor at left guard is Anthonie Knapp — who started all 27 games of his career at left tackle before sliding inside. Knapp was a true freshman starter in 2024; Black has a year in the program under his belt before taking over. • Anthonie Knapp became the third Irish offensive lineman to start his first career game (2024 at Texas A&M, joining Sam Young in 2006 and Blake Fisher in 2021 — all on the road) and has since started every game of his career (27-for-27). He moves from left tackle to left guard for 2026. • Ashton Craig is 9-3 as a career starter at center — and Notre Dame has won all nine of those games by 10 or more points, averaging 45.1 PPG. His three career losses came by a combined six points (NIU -2, Miami -3, Texas A&M -1). Craig has battled injuries in each of his three seasons, starting the final three games of 2023, the first three of 2024, and the first six of 2025. • Joe Otting stepped in at center when Ashton Craig was injured and started the final six games of the 2025 season — all Notre Dame victories by 10 or more points, averaging 44.0 PPG with a +29.7 margin. The Irish offense did not miss a beat at center during the 6-0 stretch that included wins over No. 20 Southern Cal and No. 22 Pittsburgh. • Guerby Lambert made his first-career start at Miami in the 2025 season opener and started all 12 games at right guard — one of only three offensive linemen to start every game (with 2025 returner Anthonie Knapp and departed RT Aamil Wagner). He moves to right tackle for 2026. • Sullivan Absher stepped into the starting lineup at right guard for the final five games of 2025 and the offense never missed a beat — Notre Dame went 5-0 with an average margin of +33.6 points (46.0–12.4). All five wins came by 15 or more. • Cooper Flanagan returns at tight end after missing nearly all of 2025 due to injury. He has scored three touchdowns on just five career catches. He looks to pick up where he left off from 2024, when he played in 13 games and started in five for the Irish. He pulled in two touchdowns in his 2024 campaign. • Ty Washington provides a veteran presence at tight end with 33 career games played and eight starts. Has 19 career receptions for 246 yards and five touchdowns. • Jack Larsen has appeared in eight games during his career and finished the 2025 season with three receptions for 30 yards. • CJ Carr is one of the most efficient returning QB in college football. Among all returning 2025 FBS passers, CJ Carr led the nation in yards per completion (14.06) and ranked top-2 in yards per attempt (9.35, 2nd), TD rate (8.2%, 2nd), and TD-to-INT ratio (4.0, 2nd). • Aneyas Williams has 443 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on just 58 carries, a 7.6-yard average, plus 20 receptions. He returns in 2026 with the backfield in front of him gone to the NFL. • Nolan James Jr. saw action in four games as a true freshman in 2025, carrying the ball 14 times with a long run of 26 yards. Also contributed on special teams with a 19-yard kickoff return.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS DEFENSE
Armel Mukam played in all 12 games in 2025. He recorded five tackles – two solo and three assisted. The Canadian notched one and a half tackles for loss. He forced a fumble against Pitt. He recorded tackles in five different games. • Francis Brewu started in all 13 games for Pittsburgh in 2025. He tallied 36 tackles (18 solo), seven tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. • Tionne Gray played in 13 games for Oregon in 2025. He made three starts. He totaled 18 tackles (five solo), two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. He blocked a field goal attempt, had two tackles (one solo), shared a tackle for loss and had a quarterback hurry in the College Football Playoff First Round against James Madison. • Keon Keeley played in 13 games for Alabama in 2025. He registered 16 total tackles (six solo). He logged three sacks and posted one pass breakup. He recorded a blocked punt. He had a career-high four tackles (two solo) to go along with one sack against Oklahoma in the First Round of the College Football Playoff. • Boubacar Traore started 11 games in 2025. He led the team with a career-high 6.5 sacks on the season. The Boston native had a team-high 11 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries. He forced a fumble. He recorded 37 tackles – 23 solo, 14 assisted. Traore posted his first career multi-sack game against NC State. He was a semifinalist for College Football Comeback Player of the Year. • Jason Onye earned nine career starts on the defensive line in 2025 after playing 19 games over his first three seasons. He recorded 26 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pass breakup across 12 games, including a season-high seven tackles against Syracuse. • Elijah Hughes played in all 12 games along the defensive interior in his first season at Notre Dame in 2025, recording 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack. • Bryce Young has appeared in 28 career games on the defensive line, recording 43 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three blocked kicks. • Loghan Thomas has appeared in 26 career games on the defensive line, recording 1.5 sacks and a blocked punt against Texas A&M in 2025 that was returned for the game’s opening touchdown. • Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa tripled his tackle-for-loss production in his second season, going from 2.5 in 2024 to 7.5 in 2025, and pushed his sacks from one to three. He did it in 11 games after a late-season injury ended his year after the win over Syracuse. • Jaiden Ausberry played in all 12 games of 2025 for the Irish. He made 10 starts. The Louisiana native was third on the team with 51 tackles and five quarterback hurries • Drayk Bowen averaged 5.6 tackles per game in 2025 for the Irish. He ranked third on the team in tackles in 2024, totaling 78 (40 solo), with 4.0 TFL, a sack, three forced fumbles, two QB hurries and two passes broken up. • Madden Faraimo played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2025, recording 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. • Jaylen Sneed appeared in all 12 games for the Irish in 2025, starting in four. He totaled 35 tackles – 23 solo and 12 assisted. Sneed had three sacks. He notched five tackles for loss. He forced one fumble and logged three quarterback hurries. • Adon Shuler has 118 tackles, 10 pass breakups, five interceptions and three forced fumbles through 33 career games played. • Christian Gray had 17 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions in 10 games of 2025. Dallas Golden earned three starts at nickel defensive back as a true freshman in 2025, recording 22 tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups in 10 games. • Leonard Moore was listed as the top defensive player in ESPN’s College Football Top 100. • Brauntae Johnson intercepted four passes in 2025, tied for third-most by a freshman in Notre Dame history. Only Benjamin Morrison and Luther Bradley, at six apiece, have more. Johnson’s four match Kyle Hamilton’s 2019 total. • Luke Talich is the fifth NDFB player to have a reception, interception return and punt return for a touchdown in a career.
(WISCONSIN GAME NOTES)
The Wisconsin football team begins the 2026 on Sunday, Sept. 6, under the lights at Lambeau Field against No. 4 Notre Dame. Kickoff against the Fighting Irish is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game airing nationally on NBC and Peacock.
The Badgers enter their fourth full season under head coach Luke Fickell looking to build on the progress made at the end of last season. Wisconsin returns several key contributors on both sides of the ball while welcoming plenty of new talent from across the college football landscape. The season opener will provide the team with an opportunity to test the roster against a nationally ranked opponent in Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish finished 10-2 during the 2025 regular season and enter 2026 ranked No. 4 in the preseason Associated Press poll. The team returns multiple contributors, including quarterback CJ Carr who finished top-five in multiple categories during his debut season and Leonard Moore who ended 2025 as the top graded cornerback according to PFF. Notre Dame is led by Marcus Freeman, who played under Fickell at Ohio State and later coached alongside him at Cincinnati. The matchup will be the first time the two face each other as opposing head coaches. The Badgers will open the season against a top-five ranked opponent for the first time since they played No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field in 2016. After the first week, Wisconsin returns to Madison to host Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan to wrap up non-conference play. The season opener will provide an early measuring stick for the Badgers against one of the nation’s top teams. Wisconsin’s roster features 34 new players from the transfer portal, the third most in the Big Ten and the most in a single off-season since the start of Fickell’s tenure. This includes starting quarterback Colton Joseph, a junior transfer from Old Dominion University. Other new additions to watch include running back Abu Sama III from Iowa State, safety Marvin Burks Jr. from Mizzou and Arizona State transfer Javan Robinson at cornerback. This will be the first meeting between Wisconsin and Notre Dame since 2021, when the teams met at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Fighting Irish won that matchup, 41-13. The programs have met 17 times overall, with Notre Dame holding a 9-6-2 advantage in the all-time series. Sunday’s matchup will mark the third major college football game played at Lambeau Field. The Badgers’ most recent appearance at the stadium came in the 2016 season opener, when unranked Wisconsin defeated No. 5 LSU, 16-14, in an upset.
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