The journey back to the playoff begins with a battle under the lights at the “Frozen Tundra” (or as frozen as a tundra can be on Labor Day weekend) of Lambeau Field (home of the NFL Green Bay Packers), as the Irish take on the Wisconsin Badgers.

This season is full of high expectations, with many members of the national media picking the Irish to win their first National Championship since 1988. To see how this season might play out, the Irish Tribune simulated the upcoming season on College Football 27.

Notre Dame will play Rice in the home opener, then Michigan State at home before the Irish travel southwest to challenge in-state rival Purdue. The natural inclination is that this three-game stretch features three "easy wins". However, Freeman knows better than anybody that Notre Dame shouldn't underestimate early season opponents.

After going 7-6 in 2023, Fickell’s Badgers have seen their win total drop in each season since, placing him firmly on the hot seat as we enter the 2026 campaign. To be fair, defense has been far from the biggest issue concerning Fickell’s Badgers tenure.

The offensive line at Notre Dame has always been a strength in the program. With Marcus Freeman, the strength has seemed to only be magnified, as he constantly preaches that games are won at the line of scrimmage. This season, Notre Dame will have the offensive line to dominate much of the line of scrimmage in almost every game.

Last season did not go to plan, as injuries at Quarterback and on the Offensive Line plagued the offense all season. Now, Grimes will look to get the Badgers offense back to their old hard-nosed identity, featuring a plethora of transfers including a dual-threat QB.