GREEN BAY, Wis. (WNDU/AP) – Notre Dame entered the 2026 season pledging to “Leave No Doubt” about their College Football Playoff worthiness after getting left out of the field last year. But there was plenty of doubt in the first half Sunday night for the Irish faithful as the Golden Domers looked anything but golden under the bright lights at Lambeau Field.
Wisconsin outgained Notre Dame 143-135 through the first two quarters. The Irish rushed for just 29 yards on 16 carries over that same time frame, leaving plenty more doubt about how effectively they can run the ball without Heisman Trophy finalist Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, the only two running backs selected in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.
But by the second half, the Irish left little doubt.
No. 4 Notre Dame pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Badgers 28-3 over the last two quarters en route to a 41-13 season-opening win in a technically home-but-somewhat road game of sorts at the historic home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
CJ Carr threw two touchdown passes, Aneyas Williams ran for 90 yards and two more scores, and Purdue transfer Spencer Porath made two field goals — a welcoming sign for the Irish faithful who didn’t see their team make a field goal after Oct. 11 last season — in the eventual blowout win.
Slow start for the Irish
The Badgers (0-1) drew first blood with 6:32 left in the first quarter on a field goal, taking advantage of great field position set up by a partially blocked punt to end an ugly first series for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame (1-0) responded with an 11-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a Porath 52-yard field goal to knot it at 3 with just over a minute and a half left in the first quarter.
After recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Notre Dame’s first touchdown came on a 3-yard reception by Green Bay resident James Flanigan, whose father and grandfather (each named Jim Flanigan) both played for the Packers.
Wisconsin tied the game at 10 on Colton Joseph’s 28-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Malachi Coleman, but the Irish retook the lead a short time later on a Porath 26-yard field goal.
Notre Dame running back Aneyas Williams (22) runs the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)(Kayla Wolf | AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)Irish take control in second half
Heading into halftime with just a 13-10 lead, Irish fans had plenty to doubt about their playoff-caliber status. But Notre Dame was able to cast a lot of that doubt away in the second half.
Williams’ first touchdown run of the night, a 3-yard scamper, capped a 9-play, 70-yard drive to open the second half. Colorado transfer DJ McKinney then intercepted a Joseph pass and ran untouched for a 55-yard touchdown to make it 27-10.
Wisconsin would go on to add another field goal, but those would be the last three Badgers points of the night as Williams ran for a 5-yard score and Carr completed a 28-yard pass to Nolan James Jr. in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 41-13 win — the same score Notre Dame beat Wisconsin by in 2021 during another Shamrock Series matchup at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Carr went 19 of 29 for 239 yards while Williams finished with 90 yards on 20 carries. Jordan Faison led all Irish receivers with 81 yards on four receptions.
Defense loses two players to injury
The Irish defense held the Badgers offense to 284 total yards, but the unit could face some early adversity after losing preseason Associated Press All-America second-team safety Brauntae Johnson and defensive lineman Jason Onye to injuries during the game. Johnson was seen on NBC’s broadcast wearing a walking boot on the sideline during the second half. Preseason AP All-America second-team linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa didn’t play as he continues to recover from a knee injury that ended his 2025 season early.
Notre Dame returns to South Bend for an actual home game on Saturday, Sept. 12, against Rice. Kickoff at the House that Rockne Built is set for 3:30 p.m. on WNDU.
Notre Dame players celebrate with fans after winning against Wisconsin in an NCAA college football game Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)(Kayla Wolf | AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
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