3 Matchups that Will Decide the Game Between Wisconsin and Notre Dame

A lot of things would have to go right for Wisconsin to muster an effort that even gives itself a chance to upset No. 4 Notre Dame. I won’t say it would need a perfect effort to win, but it would have to be pretty close. Simply put, Notre Dame is more talented at nearly every position.

On any given day, an on-paper talent deficit can be overcome with the right gameplan, which is what the Badgers will attempt to do on Sunday night. As I said, there’s a lack of obvious — or even debatable — positional advantages for Wisconsin, but there are some matchups that can affect the outcome of the game, even if they’re not won outright by Badgers.

Here are three matchups for Sunday’s season-opener that may determine the outcome of the game.

Leonard Moore versus Eugene Hilton and the Wisconsin receivers

Luke Fickell told the media that Wisconsin can’t be afraid to throw at Moore, and I think he’s right. No, you don’t want to be throwing his way very often, for obvious reasons, but essentially playing offense on one side of the field will negate any chance of an upset.

The question of if a receiver can emerge as a No. 1 has loomed large this offseason, and remains in question. Out of the room, I think Hilton is the most talented, and also the most likely to become an alpha of sorts. He’ll be used in a variety of ways, and won’t have Moore covering him the entire game, but I think he’s Jeff Grimes’ best chance to make Moore work.

Wisconsin's Eugene Hilton Jr.. | Christian Borman

There’s really no weaknesses in Moore’s game, so there’s no perfect way to attack him. In an ideal world, you take some shots at him, but do so in a way that allows Joseph to throw towards a boundary. Leave the opportunity for a great catch, or let the ball sail out of bounds, nothing that gives Moore space to take it the other way.

Like I said, it doesn’t need to look like targeting him every other passing down. Every team Notre Dame plays is going to avoid him to some extent, but sticking to one side of the field, for an offense that will already need some help, is a death wish.

Fickell said Moore will have a chance to prove he’s the best corner in the nation, and Notre Dame fans ran with it as disrespect. In reality, he was merely saying that you’re not going to beat one of the best teams in the country playing offense on half the field.

Whether it’s Hilton or one of the other receivers, for Wisconsin to score some points, someone will have to push Moore a little bit, even if that doesn’t result in high yardage or touchdown receptions.

Sebastian Cheeks and the OLBs versus the Notre Dame tackles

The defense will simply need to wreak havoc on the game for the Badgers to give themselves a chance to hang around. Getting pressure on CJ Carr would be a great starting point.

As I mentioned earlier, there’s not a lot of weaknesses for Notre Dame top-to-bottom. Wisconsin’s old friend Joe Rudolph has coached elite offensive lines in South Bend, and he will once again this season.

Cheeks is the only proven commodity on the edge for Wisconsin, but between Justus Boone, Michael Garner, Nicolas Clayton and Tyreese Fearbry, it’s a group I feel pretty good about. Luckily for them, if you had to pick a Notre Dame lineman to target, it’s Will Black, who’s expected to start at left tackle.

Black played in just three games a season ago, but brings plenty of upside. The 6-foot-7, 316-pound sophomore was a 5-star recruit by On3 and Rivals, and a 4-star by 247Sports and ESPN. He’s not a weak link per se, but perhaps Wisconsin can take advantage of his lack of experience.

Mike Tressel dialed up pressure with a variety of packages this offseason, as we even saw Mason Posa on the edge and a few different defensive back blitz looks. Outplaying a Notre Dame offensive line that will be excellent is a tough ask, but making Black prove he can handle pressure in many forms may be how Wisconsin tries to close the overall talent gap.

Jeff Grimes versus Chris Ash

Since arriving in Madison, Tressel has proved his defense can limit the nation’s best offenses. It hasn’t been a sure thing, as there've been a handful of blowout losses too, but Wisconsin’s defense has looked like it belonged against elite offenses in stretches.

With the offense, however, you can’t say the same. In Grimes’ first year, it was hard to offer extensive criticism due to arguably the worst — and unluckiest — quarterback situation in the country. I think the offense will be much improved with some growing pains, but for Wisconsin to have any chance on Sunday, it will need to score.

Wisconsin's Jeff Grimes. | Christian Borman

Scoring against Ash’s defense, which returns many of its starters from 2025, is going to be an uphill battle for the Badgers. Grimes wants to run the ball and put Colton Joseph in position to make plays, but it’s going to take more than that to put up enough points to compete.

Sure, Abu Sama rushing for 150 yards or Joseph going for 300 through the air would be a dream, but at the end of the day, there’s a pretty significant talent disparity between the two teams that makes those things difficult to envision.

This is why I think Grimes versus Ash is one of the most intriguing matchups. Whether it’s by using trickery, new formations that don’t appear on last season’s tape or getting the ball to his best players in unique ways, Grimes will have to be creative to help this offense get going.

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