Notre Dame opened the 2026 season with a commanding victory over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, outscoring the Badgers 28-3 in the second half after a slow 13-10 first-half performance.

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.

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.

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.