Notre Dame opened its season at historic Lambeau Field on September 6, giving Irish fans two very different viewing experiences: a first half spent wondering why we voluntarily do this to ourselves, and a second half that made the whole thing look considerably more enjoyable.
The Irish beat Wisconsin 41–13. Eventually, it was comfortable. Getting there required a little patience—an attribute Notre Dame fans traditionally recommend to other Notre Dame fans.
For two quarters, Wisconsin had every reason to believe it could spoil the evening. The Badgers scored first, answered Notre Dame’s first touchdown, and went into halftime trailing just 13–10. The Irish managed only 29 rushing yards before the break.
Beautiful stadium. Great atmosphere. Slightly less beautiful offensive execution.
There were encouraging moments. Spencer Porath connected from 52 yards to get Notre Dame on the board, and CJ Carr found James Flanigan for a three-yard touchdown. But Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph answered with a 28-yard scoring pass to Malachi Coleman, and the Irish couldn’t create much separation.
At halftime, the cheeseheads still had hope.
Then Notre Dame got to work.
The Irish opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive, capped by Aneyas Williams’ three-yard run. That was the offensive response everyone had been waiting for: sustained movement, a finish in the end zone, and a little breathing room.
DJ McKinney promptly supplied considerably more.
His 55-yard interception return for a touchdown pushed the lead to 27–10 and changed the entire feel of the game. Within a few minutes, Wisconsin had gone from hanging around to needing a rescue operation.
That is what a defensive touchdown does. It also does wonderful things for the blood pressure of the people watching.
Wisconsin managed a field goal late in the third quarter, but Notre Dame kept extending the lead. Williams added a five-yard touchdown run, and Carr found Nolan James Jr. for a 28-yard score to finish the scoring.
The second-half tally: Notre Dame 28, Wisconsin 3.
Williams finished with 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Carr threw for 239 yards and two scores, while Jordan Faison led the Irish with 81 receiving yards. The offense had taken a while to find its footing, but it provided plenty of reasons to look forward to what this group could become.
The defense’s finish was just as encouraging. Wisconsin averaged only 1.4 yards per rush after halftime. Once Notre Dame seized control, the Badgers had precious little room to work their way back into the game.
There is plenty to clean up. A three-point halftime lead and a stalled early running game deserve attention, even when the final margin is 28.
But opening night also offered something worth appreciating: Notre Dame adjusted, imposed itself, and turned a competitive game into a decisive win.
The Irish left Green Bay 1–0.
The cheese stayed in Wisconsin. The smiles came home with Notre Dame.
