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Notre Dame Pulls Away, Takes Down Badgers at Lambeau
Confirmed
In Short: Notre Dame secured a 41-13 victory over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, marking the third college football game in the historic venue's history.
The Wisconsin Badgers faced a formidable challenge as they started their 2026 season against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lambeau Field. The game, which was broadcast on NBC, saw the Badgers' offense led by quarterback Colton Joseph, who threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. However, Notre Dame's defense proved too strong, pulling away in the second half to secure the win.
Notre Dame's offensive prowess was on full display, with quarterback CJ Carr delivering a touchdown strike to Wisconsin native James Flanigan, putting the Irish up 10-3. The Irish then marched down the field, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown by Aneyas Williams, increasing their lead to 17-3. Notre Dame's momentum continued as DJ McKinney returned an interception 55 yards for another score, extending their lead to 24-3.
Wisconsin's return man Harrison Bortolotti had a muff on the following kickoff, which Notre Dame pounced on, adding to their advantage. The Badgers managed to tie the game at 10 with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Joseph to Malachi Coleman. However, the Irish's second-half surge proved too much for the Badgers to handle.
The game's final score was 41-13, with Notre Dame's dominance evident throughout the second half. For many fans of the Fighting Irish, this was their first trip to Green Bay, and the experience was special. As Mike Przybylski noted, "I think it'll probably be about 60-40 Irish. It's a home game for us anyway, but I think a lot of people made the trip for sure." The game also marked the third college football game in the historic Lambeau Field's history, making it a memorable event for both teams and fans.
What's confirmed
- The Badgers had an iconic backdrop to kick off their 2026 season.
- "Just awe-inspiring, I think. You pull up and it's just like, this has got such history, such tradition," said Rich Albright, a Notre Dame fan from South Bend, IN.
- "It's going to be epic in there tonight. Being able to have a premier team like Notre Dame come in, and you know, Wisconsin's premier. It's always fun to watch a game in Camp Randall. We have season tickets there too. So, you know, you can't compare it, but being able to watch a game in Lambeau is going to be amazing tonight," said Mike Przybylski, a Wisconsin fan from Illinois.
What's still developing
- Right tackle Kevin Heywood is set to start for the Badgers after missing much of training camp with an injury.
- But this year’s Badgers are quite different, as the program added over 30 transfers in the offseason, while making a few organizational changes with the coaching staff and front office.
- Irish pull away, take down Badgers at Lambeau | ESPN La Crosse 105.5 You are using an outdated browser.
- Everyone outside the stadium agrees that watching the game at Lambeau Field will be special.
- Where they disagree is which school's fan base will take over once the ball is kicked off.