Three Burning Questions for Wisconsin Football's Massive Showdown with Notre Dame

Several key questions remain as the Badgers' opener draws closer.

Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin football is going to find out a lot about what kind of team it has immediately.

The Badgers are days away from opening their 2026 campaign against No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in a marquee Week 1 clash between a national title contender and a proud program desperate to get back on track.

The Fighting Irish pose plenty of issues themselves with a loaded roster that looks equipped for a deep run into the College Football Playoff. But the Badgers have a few questions of their own ahead of the Sunday night showdown.

Below, Badgers On SI breaks down three burning questions for Wisconsin football ahead of Week 1:

Who are the first five offensive linemen on the field?

Wisconsin right tackle Kevin Heywood (55). | Christian Borman.

This is easily the biggest question mark for the Badgers. The status of starting right guard Emerson Mandell and starting right tackle Kevin Heywood remains a mystery. Head coach Luke Fickell said both took reps on Monday during his game week presser, but didn't provide any further clarity on the status of either player.

“Those guys have been back in some capacity, but I couldn’t tell you where we are today, right now. It’ll probably be closer to a game-time decision," he said. "We have to be smart in the things that we're doing. Kicking off in Lambeau against Notre Dame, but we also know there's a journey here."

In the event that one or both of the starting linemen is unavailable, Fickell is either still figuring out or remaining coy about who might replace them. The top candidates at guard are Stylz Blackmon and Blake Cherry, while Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson appears poised to hold down the right tackle spot in Heywood's stead.

"There could be a combination, and I bet you you'll see a lot of guys play. I'm not saying in Week 4 that's what we want," Fickell added.

Notre Dame boasts one of the top defensive fronts in the sport; Wisconsin is in for a challenge in the trenches no matter what, but shuffling offensive lineman against this defense seems destined to end poorly.

Can Colton Joseph and the offense move the ball?

Wisconsin's Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman

The Badgers are a 20.5-point underdog for a reason; the Fighting Irish are loaded and while Wisconsin's roster is significantly overhauled and better-funded, we have yet to see proof of concept.

Despite the perceived disparity between the teams, Wisconsin's defense looks to match up better with Notre Dame's offense than the other way around. The Badgers have a top-tier linebacker group, a handful of big, experienced defensive linemen and a re-tooled secondary. The Irish have plenty of weapons and a Heisman favorite at quarterback, but Wisconsin's defense has a lot of potential to be formidable as well.

The offensive side of the ball is a bigger question. Past the aforementioned offensive line issues, there's still questions about Wisconsin's wide receiver room and the potency of the pass-catchers overall. Quarterback Colton Joseph oozes potential, but how does he look against the best defense he's ever seen with potentially a significantly banged-up offensive line?

Fickell said he wants to see balance and good decision-making from Joseph and his offense Sunday night. It'll take that and then some against this Notre Dame defense.

Does Wisconsin have its identity back?

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Every single Badger fan will know it when they see it. It'll likely resemble something in the neighborhood of a downhill, physical offense coupled with a defense that flies around, anchored by playmaking linebackers.

That's what Wisconsin football is all about, and Fickell and company have made a significant effort to get back to that identity. But when will it finally take shape on the field?

Even if the Badgers can't pull off the upset, can they play with fire? Can the defense fly around and create some havoc? Can the offense get push up front and get its talented tailbacks loose? It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Wisconsin stuns the Irish, but what's arguably more important is if it passes the eye test in regards to having some semblance of an identity.