Staff Predictions: Can Wisconsin Football Shock the World vs. Notre Dame?

The time for endless talk and conjecture is over. Finally, it's time to play the actual football games.

Wisconsin kicks off its 2026 campaign against a juggernaut of an opponent, the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Not many give the Badgers a chance in this one, and given how dismal things have been in Madison as of late, it's only fair. Regardless, we'll find out immediately just how many strides Wisconsin has taken this offseason ahead of head coach Luke Fickell's last chance to turn this program around.

Below, the Badgers On SI Staff offers picks for Wisconsin's Week 1 primetime showdown:

Seamus Rohrer, Editor

Notre Dame is a well-oiled machine. It has no weaknesses on paper and it's led by a quarterback who's generally considered one of the top two or three Heisman favorites. Despite this game being at Lambeau Field, the Irish should be very well-represented in the stands as it's technically their own "home" game in the Shamrock Series.

Toss in a missing starter on the offensive line in Emerson Mandell plus a potentially hobbled Kevin Heywood at right tackle, and Wisconsin doesn't have much going for it in this one. I believe that the Badgers could be a significantly improved team this fall and still get absolutely smoked by a loaded Notre Dame squad. I see Wisconsin's defense keeping the Badgers in this game momentarily, but they're ultimately overwhelmed against a team that simply has the upper hand at nearly every position.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Wisconsin 13

Wisconsin's Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman

Drew Gentile, Staff Writer

I don't think this is a game that's over before it even starts, as I truly believe the Wisconsin defense can do some things to keep itself in the game for a while. Ultimately, as has been the case too often in recent years, I'm not ready to bet on the offense doing enough to give Wisconsin a chance to win the game late. Notre Dame has the advantage at nearly every — if not every — position, and I just don't think this team has the juice to pull of an upset of this magnitude yet.

If I can see the defense keep the game within a few scores for a half, or even into the second half, and the offense prove that it will have some life this season, I'll leave Lambeau satisfied. I'm done with moral victories for this program, and when Big Ten play rolls around, there's no excuses for this regime. I think the season-opener goes about as expected with the defense making some plays and proving it will be a good unit, with the offense experiencing some growing pains against one of the nation's best.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 13

Jeremy Schneider, Staff Writer

In what’s a pivotal season for Wisconsin and head coach Luke Fickell, a win over a top-five squad at Lambeau Field to open the campaign would certainly put the team on the right track. With that being said, Notre Dame is incredible and, in my opinion, worthy of the national championship hype. I’m putting much more stock in how the Badgers look once Big Ten play rolls around because the Fighting Irish are simply on a different level. Never say never, but the pick has to be Notre Dame.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 10

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

Benjamin Worgull, Staff Writer

The beginning of Luke Fickell's make-or-break season begins with his toughest challenge of the year, and the Badgers are going into it with question marks on the offensive line. That's not a great formula for a UW offense needing to build chemistry with all of its new pieces against a Notre Dame defense that could have eight players selected in the top 100 of the 2027 NFL draft.

UW tends to come out firing in these neutral site games, at least in the opening half, but have only sealed the deal once (2016 vs. No.5 LSU at Lambeau). I wouldn't be surprised to see the Badgers push the Irish early, but the talent gap between the two schools should become clear in the latter stages of the second half.

Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Wisconsin 17

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