4 Notre Dame Players Who Could Give Wisconsin Trouble in Week 1

Aneyas Williams gets his chance to lead Notre Dame’s backfield after spending last season behind two first-round picks.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Aneyas Williams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Wisconsin’s season opener against Notre Dame just days away, the Badgers are preparing for their toughest test of the year right out of the gate. The Fighting Irish boast high-end talent across the roster, but these four players stand out as names to watch when the two teams square off Sunday at Lambeau Field.

CJ Carr, Quarterback

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carr is the headliner and face of the Fighting Irish heading into a 2026 campaign with title aspirations. As a redshirt freshman in 2025, he threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 66.6% completion rate while adding three scores on the ground. Carr threw a touchdown pass in all 12 games, logging the longest such streak by a Notre Dame quarterback dating back to 2014.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound signal-caller has the makings of a future pro, pairing sound mechanics with the football IQ and arm talent to complete passes anywhere on the field. Carr thrives when operating in rhythm from the pocket, though he’s not much of a playmaker off script or as a runner. It’ll take a huge effort from the Badgers’ pass rush to make him uncomfortable and force mistakes, as Carr enters the season among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy and will look to kick off his candidacy with a memorable performance at Lambeau Field.

Aneyas Williams, Running Back

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Aneyas Williams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price both off to the NFL as first-round picks, Notre Dame is left with a ton of production to replace in the backfield. Enter Williams, last year’s third-stringer who’s slated to take over as the team’s top ballcarrier. Appearing in all 12 contests between offense and special teams, he tallied 24 carries for 224 yards (9.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. Williams saw his biggest workload in the season finale against Stanford, logging 10 carries for 83 yards (8.3 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while adding two receptions for 40 yards.

The junior doesn’t have the athleticism or explosiveness of his predecessors, but he’s a physical runner at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds who can keep the chains moving and power forward in short-yardage situations. Williams can also be a receiving threat after developing rapport with CJ Carr during the offseason. Nolan James Jr., Kedren Young and other running backs are likely to see reps as well, but Williams will almost certainly receive the first carry of the season opener.

Drayk Bowen, Linebacker

Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The hype around Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is real, but he’s questionable for Week 1, and Bowen will play a major role regardless of Viliamu-Asa’s status. Bowen led the Fighting Irish with 67 tackles (33 solo) last season despite dealing with a hip injury, while also recording 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four passes defended. He served as a team captain in 2025 and will reprise that role as a senior in 2026.

Bowen plays with an incredibly high motor and brings the physicality to make a consistent impact against the run despite some inconsistencies with his tackling technique. He moves well at 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds and is a seasoned veteran with 28 career starts under his belt. Expect Bowen to be in the thick of just about every play as Wisconsin tries to navigate the vaunted Notre Dame defense.

Leonard Moore, Cornerback

Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Notre Dame’s defense is loaded from top to bottom, but look no further than Moore for the best of the bunch. The Thorpe Award hopeful is undoubtedly the toughest defensive back Wisconsin will face this season, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he totaled 31 tackles (23 solo), five interceptions (one pick-six) and seven passes defended in 10 games. The counting stats don’t fully capture his dominance, as the Round Rock, Texas native earned First-Team All-American honors while opposing quarterbacks mustered just a 45.9 passer rating when targeting him.

Moore is the total package entering his junior season. He has ample length at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds to pair with quality speed and masterful technique, allowing him to lock down opposing wide receivers whether playing man or zone coverage. The Badgers won’t shy away from throwing his way, but quarterback Colton Joseph will need to be cerebral and pick his spots carefully when testing Moore on Sunday.