Slap the Sign
Fansided

Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against Wisconsin

By Brad Weiss

Sep 11, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer (87) scores in the first quarter against the Toledo Rockets at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer (87) scores in the first quarter against the Toledo Rockets at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 18: Kyren Williams #23 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a touchdown during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium on September 18, 2021, in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 18: Kyren Williams #23 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a touchdown during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium on September 18, 2021, in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against Wisconsin

Establish the run game

Looking at these two teams, and what they like to do on both sides of the ball, I would expect this one to be a low-scoring game inside Soldier Field on Saturday. Both teams have solid depth at running back, and the plan for both should be to establish that early, control the clock, and come away with the victory.

For the Irish, it has been tough getting Kyren Williams and this run game going this season, and that is for a few reasons. The biggest has been that the offensive line is banged up from week to week, and that is causing running lanes to shrink almost immediately, and the backs to have to shake three or four defenders just to get space.

On Saturday, the Irish need to come out with a great game plan for Williams, who was a monster last season behind one of the better offensive lines in college football. If the Irish can run the ball effectively, keeping that Badgers defense on the field for long chunks of time, they have a much better chance than if Jack Coan is slinging it 40 times on Saturday.

Home/Notre Dame Football