Notre Dame Football vs. Wisconsin: 3 things to watch in Week 4

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Jack Coan #17 of the Wisconsin Badgers throws a pass against the Oregon Ducks during the first half in the Rose Bowl game presented by Northwestern Mutual at Rose Bowl on January 01, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Jack Coan #17 of the Wisconsin Badgers throws a pass against the Oregon Ducks during the first half in the Rose Bowl game presented by Northwestern Mutual at Rose Bowl on January 01, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football
May 1, 2021; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and quarterback Drew Pyne (10) leave the field after the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame Football vs. Wisconsin: 3 things to watch in Week 4

Tommy Rees’s gameplan against elite Wisconsin defense

The Wisconsin Badgers boast one of the better defenses in the Big Ten, as they are currently ranked No. 11 out of 130 FBS teams in terms of points allowed per game. To make matters worse for the Irish, the Badgers should have three starters returning in this one, including linebacker Leo Chenal, widely regarded as one of the better linebackers in the country.

That means it is up to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to put together a solid game plan, but it is not going to be easy. Wisconsin has talented players on all three levels, so it will be interesting to see if the Irish can get the run game going early, before turning to Jack Coan to take some chances deep.

Also, Rees needs to flip the page when it comes to true freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner, as he needs to start allowing him to throw the ball downfield as well. Teams know when he comes in that he is going to run the ball, and against a defense like this, Rees’s game plan is going to be a deciding factor for sure.