The way Notre Dame started its Sunday night game against Wisconsin, there were plenty of Fighting Irish fans who wondered whether the motto “leave no doubt” would be replaced with “doubt everything” by the end of the evening.
For whatever reason, the Irish came out of the gate looking like they were sleepwalking on both sides of the ball. Granted, the Badgers had nothing to lose tonight while the pressure was on the Golden Domers to prove they’re as good as their billing.
Then the second half arrived, and it certainly appeared as though Marcus Freeman had done some yelling. The Notre Dame team that came out of the tunnel looked like the team fans thought they would see at the start of the game. When the dust settled, it was far from a perfect outing, but in the long run, this is one of those contests they can learn from.
Is the Notre Dame defense as good as expected?
Yes, as it turns out, the Notre Dame defense is really, really good. Even when the unit got off to a bit of a rocky start to the game, especially with one very bad blown coverage when Jayden Sanders bit hard on the double move, this was a unit that looked the part of one of the best in the country.
Even Sanders, who didn’t see much action after the 28-yard touchdown catch against him, still had two pass breakups before that pass. In the second half, especially, the Irish defense looked very, very good, holding the Badgers to 3 points and picking off Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph, returning it for a touchdown.
Perhaps most impressive was how bottled up Joseph was. When the smoke cleared on the 41-13 Irish win, the quarterback, well known for his mobility, had just 3 yards on 12 carries. He was also sacked twice.
The defense also led Notre Dame to outscore Wisconsin 28-3 in the second half, with both Brauntae Johnson and Jason Onye out for the entire half with injuries.
Will the Notre Dame backfield be a strength even without Jeremiyah Love?
The answer here is yes, though not for the reason some might have expected. The Notre Dame running game struggled mightily at times on Sunday, though it started to find its footing in the second half. In the end, Aneyas Williams finished with 90 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns.
However, it was the continued use of the running backs in the passing game that showed up when the Irish needed a big first down here and there. Williams added 1 catch for 11 yards, and then his backup, Nolan James, hauled down 4 passes for 67 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown.
Notre Dame will want a better performance on the ground in the coming weeks, but Wisconsin’s defensive line might be its biggest strength. The fact that the Irish found ways to make their backs and weapons even when they were struggling to get past the line is a good sign.
Will a go-to receiver emerge early on?
Jordan Faison only finished the game with 4 catches for 81 yards, but it felt like every catch he made came at a time when Notre Dame absolutely needed someone to step up and make a play. He led the team last year with 49 receptions, and he picked up where he left off. Expect him to have a big season in 2026.
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