Notre Dame Gets Big Boost from Big Ten Foe on Saturday

A previous Notre Dame opponent picked up a huge program win on Saturday afternoon

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman waits to take the field with his team before a game against Wisconsin on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Notre Dame won the game, 41-13 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On a day that Notre Dame routed Purdue, another one of its Big Ten foes from earlier in the season was busy making headlines.

Remember all the way back to the evening of September 6, 2026?

It wasn't even three full weeks ago as I sit typing this, but in a way, it feels like it was much longer.

That's the night that Notre Dame kicked off the 2026 season with a 41-13 victory over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, and plenty weren't impressed with the Fighting Irish showing.

Fast forward to the evening of September 26 and that same Wisconsin team just pulled a big-time upset on the road.

Wisconsin Stuns Penn State in Happy Valley

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!
ONCE DOWN 17-0, THE BADGERS LEAD 24-20!

📺 Big Ten Football: Wisconsin at Penn State on Peacock & NBCSN pic.twitter.com/hss1JaeKlE

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 27, 2026

Penn State was a nearly 10-point favorite on Saturday as it welcomed Wisconsin to Happy Valley.

All seemed to be going like it was supposed to as Penn State jumped out to a 17-0 lead and appeared in complete control of the Badgers.

At least, until it no longer was.

Wisconsin charged all the way back to get within three late, before Penn State had a bust in the secondary to allow the game-changing touchdown shown above.

All of a sudden, Wisconsin is 3-1 at the end of September, and gets a home game against Michigan State next week before traveling to UCLA.

What Wisconsin's Win Means for Notre Dame

It was only three weeks ago that Notre Dame was called "overrated" and "overhyped" and plenty of other things because it "only" beat Wisconsin 41-13 on a neutral field.

Now Wisconsin has a road victory over what was a top-15 team nationally.

Maybe, just maybe, it was a bit too early to call Wisconsin "mid" or whatever it was called before the season, and especially right after that game against Notre Dame.

I don't think we're going to look back on Penn State as someone who goes on a miraculous run to the College Football Playoff from here, but I don't think we're looking at what ends up being a 6-6 regular season squad that barely sneaks into a bowl game, either.

It's not going to be considered a huge win by any means, but Notre Dame's win over the Badgers in Week 1 already looks bigger than it felt in the moment.

And after how last year ended for the Fighting Irish, I'm not going to be taking anything for granted and will take every little bit of assistance that can be found along the way.